2026 Autumn and Winter Programme
Tuesday 20th October “The Wooden Wonder” by Phil Slack
In September 1939, as German forces rolled across Poland and Europe, braced for war, Jeffrey De Havilland, the 57-year-old founder of De Havilland Aircraft Company, sat in his office at Hatfield Aerodrome with an idea that seemed completely insane. Widely ridiculed by the “experts” his idea spawned the Mosquito one of the most successful aircraft of WWII and determined the direction of reconnaissance, bomber, and later military aircraft from the successful English Electric Canberra, the Martin B-57, the U-2 and others. General Feld Marshall Hehard Milch, state secretary of the Reich Aviation Ministry, said after the war that the Mosquito was the most versatile aircraft produced by any nation during the war. He acknowledged that Germany had no equivalent and could not have produced one even if they had copied the design exactly.
Tuesday 17th November “The Tu-95 Russian Bear” video presentation by Alan Bradley
The Tu-95 was a “Cold War” developed Bomber with some unique features. First flown in 1952, and entered service with the Long-Range Aviation of the Soviet Air Forces in 1956. It was first used in combat in 2015. and expected to serve the Russian Aerospace Forces until at least 2040 (if the Ukrainians don’t destroy them all).
NB there will be no Ladies Evening this Year
Tuesday 8th December Christmas Dinner at Morecambe Golf Club
As agreed at the AGM we will be having a Christmas Lunch 12:30 for 1pm at Morecambe Golf Club on the same day as the Heysham Retired Employees Association which should address the concerns of those who do not like travelling in the dark winter hours and satisfy those of us who are members of both organisations.
Tuesday 19th January will be the AGM
Followed by “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” by Rob Allsopp
Rob will make a presentation building upon his earlier talk to us about UAVs till the end of WW2.
Tuesday 16th February ‘Cometh the Hour’ by Cmdr Bernard Thompson
How submarine command forged the leadership of Max Horton, victor of the Battle of the Atlantic. Admiral Sir Max Horton was a British submariner during the First World War and commander-in-chief of the Western Approaches in the later half of the Second World War, responsible for British success in the Battle of the Atlantic.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions due in January (£15 p.a. for 2026, £7 for those joining June onward) and may be paid at a meeting, or preferably by direct bank transfer. Please check with the Treasurer if you believe you may be in arrears!
Please note that cheques should be made payable to “Lancaster Engineering Society”
If paying Cash please try to have the right change or try get some at the bar so we don’t delay proceedings
Note visitors are always welcome to attend our meetings, especially young engineers, who are eligible to join at a favourable rate. (Students £4 p.a.)
As you are no doubt aware meetings are on the THIRD Tuesday in the month, at the Bare Village Hall, Bare Lane, Bare, starting at 7.30 p.m. However if changes to the programme are needed you will be notified by e-mail and Facebook so please make sure your contact details are up to date and you have submitted a GDPR form so we can contact you.
Please notify any change of email address, postal address or telephone number to the Secretary, either at a meeting or preferably via e-mail.
Further information on any aspect of the Society is available from the Secretary, Phil Slack, tel. 01524-423287 or les.secretary@yahoo.com, from the LES Web Site www.lancasterengineeringsociety.org.uk or at the Society’s new Facebook group page. www.facebook.com/groups/LancasterEngineeringSociety