TV historian Dan Snow has backed an ambitious plan to turn RAF Scampton into a major aviation tourist attraction.
The multi-million pound project could include air displays, museums, educational facilities and a hotel.
It is envisaged that the Red Arrows would retain their base and the aim is to welcome the first visitors within five years.
Lincolnshire County Council's project is predicted to draw thousands of tourists from across Britain and abroad.
Television presenter Mr Snow said the aviation heritage attraction would be "great for Lincolnshire".
"There's nowhere else in the country more associated with the RAF than Lincolnshire," said Mr Snow, after unveiling the Dambusters 70th anniversary tail art on a 617 Squadron Tornado jet at RAF Coningsby.
"So where else should it be other than here?"
Part of the county council's feasibility study includes looking at ways of improving public access to an operational RAF base.
RAF firefighter Warrant Officer Steven Shirley, 48, who exhibits the world's largest collection of military fire engines at the base, said he hoped the project will succeed.
"One of the things that I think would help is to make it easier for people to visit us and Scampton Historical Museum without the hassle of booking in advance and going through the guardroom," he said.
"I certainly think the project will showcase us to a wider audience. It will not be a case of all the different aviation attractions in the county competing with each other, it's about them complementing each other."
Aviation historian Jim Shortland said: "Public access to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby, an operational base, is from the road, so perhaps at Scampton access could be via the married quarters area. To create a major visitor centre at Scampton would be tremendous for the area and for tourism."
Greg Algar, the landlord at The Dambusters Inn, in Scampton, also welcomed the development.
"My dad and grandad were in Bomber Command so this suits me down to the ground and it will bring a lot of opportunities," he said.
Roger Patterson, Scampton ward councillor for West Lindsey District Council, said: "The plan would be absolutely fantastic, for Lincolnshire, West Lindsey and Scampton itself.
"It would probably be the best news for the area in living memory and it would be fantastic if it could come off in the year of the Dambusters anniversary.
"It would be a fitting tribute to the RAF. It's an absolutely wonderful idea. There are a lot of jobs associated with the base, not just with the people working on it, and it would be devastating for the local economy if it closed."
Tony McArdle, chief executive of the county council, said: "We're very pleased with the support that's been shown for this idea so far.
"The more people we can get behind the proposal, the greater the chances of success.
"And the backing of a respected and influential historian like Dan Snow could certainly help get things off the ground.
"What we need to do now is to investigate exactly what is possible, something we'll be working on with our partners over the coming months.
"Hopefully, the experts will come back with something ambitious but achievable.
"Then comes the challenge of making that a reality."
Council bosses say the plans for Scampton will link into and complement Lincolnshire's 50-or-so other aviation heritage attractions.
