{"id":589865,"date":"2026-05-18T02:56:03","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T02:56:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/589865\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T02:56:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T02:56:03","slug":"berkshire-mans-dream-lancaster-model-displayed-at-raf-base","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/589865\/","title":{"rendered":"Berkshire man&#8217;s dream Lancaster model displayed at RAF base"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n  Retired electronics engineer Leon Ellison, from Binfield, spent decades building an exact replica of the flight deck in his garden shed.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  Inspired by the 1955 film The Dambusters when he was a child, Mr Ellison dedicated 20 years to research and a further 20 years to building the model, which was stored in a homemade hangar at his home until his death in June 2024, aged 77.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  His son, Adrian Ellison, said: &#8220;Dad was obsessed with The Dambusters ever since he watched the film as a child in 1955.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  &#8220;He devoted his life to learning everything he could about the Lancasters.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  &#8220;He visited every single one still in existence.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bracknellnews.co.uk\/news\/26099517.bracknell-family-want-hike-base-camp-worlds-14-highest-mountains\/?ref=ed_latest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Bracknell family want to hike to base camp of the worlds 14 highest mountains<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  &#8220;We thought he was mad when he started building the cockpit from scratch but he was actually a genius.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  Mr Ellison had dreamed of turning the cockpit into a working simulator but passed away before this could be realised.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  The only parts of the cockpit that were not built by hand were the struts around the top, which were laser-cut by a company.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  The family has now donated the cockpit to the RAF Metheringham Airfield visitor centre in Lincolnshire.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  The centre plans to transform it into a fully operational simulator, allowing visitors to experience the famous Dam Busters raids over Germany in 1943.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  Adrian Ellison, who watched the cockpit being winched from its hangar alongside his sister Belle, described the moment as bittersweet but said it was a fitting tribute to their father\u2019s dedication.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bracknellnews.co.uk\/news\/26110532.berkshire-authors-new-novel-published-later-month\/?ref=ed_latest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Berkshire author&#8217;s new novel to be published later this this month<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  He said: &#8220;Watching the cockpit fly for the first time when it was winched up by the crane was bittersweet but we are very proud.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  &#8220;He wanted to build this cockpit to teach others about the Lancasters and the simulator was his dream.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  &#8220;It feels right that it will be displayed at the RAF visitor centre which was home to the Lancasters.&#8221;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  Mr Ellison\u2019s lifelong passion for aviation shone through every detail of the project, from the faithfully recreated gauges and controls to the sound of the four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, which he simulated using a frequency device.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  Ian Brett from the Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre described the replica as an &#8220;absolutely fantastic piece of engineering&#8221;.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n  The centre was home to the 106 Squadron\u2019s fleet of Lancaster bombers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Retired electronics engineer Leon Ellison, from Binfield, spent decades building an exact replica of the flight deck 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