Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre, Montrose, Angus, Scotland

Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre - From 1913 Biplanes, a Spitfire to a Serviceable Tornado GR4. Run & Maintained by Volunteers.
Oficial website - httpsrafmontrose.org.uk

The Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre is located to the North of Montrose, Angus, Scotland. Montrose has the distinction of having the first operational military airfield in Great Britain and the Heritage Centre is located on the former airfield. It aims to show the human side of its history with a collection of contemporary photographs, artefacts and memorabilia. These not only tell of the history of the airfield but also the story of the men and women who served there and those who lived in the area.

The Air Station Heritage Centre is run by the Ian McIntosh Memorial Trust and is a registered Scottish charitable organisation. It is self-financing, relying on visitors fees and donations together with grants from local government and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The centre receives no regular financial support from local or national government.

Montrose Air Station has an amazing history to tell, becoming the first operational military air station in Great Britain when it was established in February 1913. There is something for everyone regardless of age. They are not just another aviation museum, who also aim to tell the stories of the brave men and women who served and worked here from 1913 until 1952 when it finally closed.

1913 was just ten years after the first powered flight made by the Wright Brothers in America and aircraft were a rare and fascinating sight. Pilots were as famous as film stars and crowds gathered wherever they landed.
Come and see our full-size replica B.E.2a aircraft flown by No.2 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps when they were the first to land in France at the start of World War One in 1914. Compare that fragile aircraft with our Panavia Tornado GR4, a powerful jet aircraft flown by the RAF from 1980 until 2019.

HQ Building
Built in 1915 this was the former headquarters building of the air station and now holds several exhibitions. The building is a category:C(S) Listed Building

History
The airfield was first opened on 1913 when five aircraft of No.2 Squadron Royal Flying Corps arrived. Montrose became the first operational military airfield in Great Britain and first military airfield in Scotland.

The air station closed in 1920 but was reopened in 1935 for use in the Second World War. After the war the airfield continued to be used as a maintenance unit until it closed on 4 June 1952.

In 1983 a group of local enthusiast banded together to ensure that the history of Montrose Air Station would not be forgotten. A local man, Ian McIntosh, established the Montrose Air Station Heritage Trust, now known as the Ian McIntosh Memorial Trust and money was raised by the Montrose Aerodrome Museum Society.

In 1992 the trust purchased the Watch Office and ground which became the Montrose Air Station Museum. Over the years the museum has added more buildings to house its increasing collection of artefacts, memorabilia and models aided by donations, local government grants and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

On 19 May 2012 a memorial stone was unveiled at the air station in remembrance of the units and personnel who were stationed there. The memorial was provided by the Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.

Aircraft on display
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2a replica representing No.471 of No.2 Squadron RFC as flown by Major Harvey Kelly DSO
Sopwith Camel F.1 replica representing B7320 of No.70 Squadron RFC as flown by WWI fighter ace Captain John Todd MBE MC DFC
Miles M.2H Hawk Major (DG590) Civilian Registration was G-ADMW
Avro Anson Mk.C19 No.TX266 on display whilst under renovation.
Supermarine Spitfire MkVb full size replica LO-D (EP121) No.602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron RAF
Gloster Meteor T.7 (WF825) from No.603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron RAF
de Havilland Sea Vampire T.22 (XA 109)
Hawker Hunter F.1 (WT619).[27]
Panavia Tornado GR4 (ZD744
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