Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre

04/12/2023

Thank you to all our friends and supporters who responded to our watery SOS earlier today.

After a bit of trial and error coupled with some investigations we finally managed to get the main supply isolated.

The water is now firmly back under our control and in a pipe thanks to the sterling efforts of our friendly plumber Os and thanks to Scottish Water we can also now control the water from outside the compound which is extremely handy if you can’t find the very old and hidden stop c***s.

We are now formation flying a squadron of dehumidifiers over the damp target areas and hopefully tomorrow we will be able to assess the damage to the Axminster !

A massive well done to the entire museum team for the collective efforts of all 👍

Onwards and Upwards. . . . Dryly!

(Being very cold and wet has had no influence on the quality of this post) 😎

02/12/2023

This month, 110 years ago the historic Burke's Sheds were completed, ready for the arrival of No2 Squadron as they relocated from Upper Dysart, south of the town to the Broomfield site. Today these historic, listed hangars which have survived two world wars and generations of change still stand. Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre has the use of a half of one of them (where you can see our Tornado GR4 and Hawker Hunter F1).

Next time you are in the area, take a moment to look at these proud old gems of aviation history, described by Historic Environment Scotland.....

"Montrose is one of a very small group of air stations in the United Kingdom to have retained relatively unaltered hangars that pre-date the First World War, in this case 'Major Burke's sheds from 1913. These largely unaltered hangars are extremely rare, being among the earliest surviving examples of first generation aircraft hangars in the United Kingdom and potentially Europe."

30/11/2023

It is with great sadness that the museum has learned of the sad passing of Lord James Douglas-Hamilton The Baron of Selkirk.

Lord Douglas-Hamilton was a long serving past Honorary President with the museum during the early foundation and growth years and served for 20 years in this honorary position and retired from the role in 2015.

His guidance and input was vital in the journey towards the position that the museum holds today as a fully accredited museum of significant military aviation history.

Thank you for your service.

Rest in Peace.

26/11/2023

As the sun sets on our last weekend open to the public for this year, we would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has visited and supported us. We hope you enjoyed it.

Of course the volunteers will be busy throughout the shutdown period working on new displays, looking after the artefacts, doing site maintenance...and having a well-earned rest !

We look forward to welcoming you all back again next year !

25/11/2023

This weekend is our last one open this year !

Opening hours:-
Today 10am - 4pm
Sunday 12pm - 4pm
( last admission 3pm both days)

Standard admission £6. Children under 16 free.

And remember, the shop is open to everyone looking for aviation related gifts for Christmas! 🎄

22/11/2023

Today marks the 110th anniversary of an incredible achievement in aviation history - and it started at Montrose !

On 22nd November, 1913, Captain Charles Longcroft of No.2 Squadron, made a non-stop flight of 650 miles from Montrose, in Scotland, to Farnborough, Hampshire, via Portsmouth.

Negligible though the distance seems today, it was an outstanding achievement in 1913 and was regarded as a remarkable tribute both to the stamina of the pilot and to the reliability of his B.E.2 biplane with its 70 horse-power Renault engine. An additional 50 gallon petrol tank fitted in the passenger seat allowed the aircraft to cover the distance without stopping.

For his momentous flight, Longcroft became the first ever recipient of the Britannia Trophy.

17/11/2023

A reminder to all that there only two weekends left before we close for winter !

Did you know that our gift shop is open to everyone ?

Even if you are not planning on a museum visit, you are welcome to pop in and browse our wide collection of aviation related gifts.

11/11/2023

We Will Remember Them!

Members of the museum team proudly performed a short act of remembrance today at 11am as a part of the National Act of Remembrance on the 11th day of the 11th month.

It was also a pleasure to welcome several members of the public who attended in support.

11/11/2023

Today we mark Armistice Day with the laying of a poppy wreath at our memorial followed by a two minute silence at 11am.
All visitors are invited to attend this short act of remembrance.

10/11/2023

Our memorial to those who served at Montrose during both World Wars.

Tomorrow at 11am we will pause to remember them and lay a poppy wreath at the memorial.

If you are planning a visit, you are most welcome to attend.

09/11/2023

Our Poppy Wall of Remembrance. Next time you visit, take a quiet moment to read some of the personal tributes written by visitors from far and wide.
They are deeply moving and very poignant.
Anyone who wishes to leave a poppy tribute is welcome to do so.

08/11/2023

At Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre we remember, not just the human lives lost in conflict, but also the millions of animals.

07/11/2023

Lieutenant John Ross Robertson trained as a pilot at Montrose in 1916 having already served at Gallipoli with the Fife and Forfarshire Battery.
After being sent to France in April 1917, Robertson was shot down and killed on only his 4th mission.
He fell behind enemy lines but was buried with full military honours by the Germans who also marked his grave with a large wooden cross bearing the inscription, " He died the death of a hero - an English Airman".
After the war his body was reinterred in a British War Cemetery.
His family traced the original cross and were able to bring it back to Scotland. In 2009, it was gifted to the museum where it remains on permanent display in the building named after him.

06/11/2023

As we approach Remembrance Day, we share some of the Air Station's tributes to those who made the ultimate sacrifice....

Our poppy crosses. Placed in neat rows between our replica BE2 and Sopwith Camel, each one remembers a life lost whilst serving at Montrose.

05/11/2023

A lovely report featuring the museum.

Always a pleasure to welcome a new visitor and to see the surprise on their face when they realise just how spectacular we are as a museum and site of significant military aviation history.

Hope to see you again 👍

Montrose parkrun #255 – The one with no wind…even at 9.30am! Posted on November 5, 2023 by montroseoffice A whole carriage to myself on the 0630 train from Edinburgh to Aberdeen (via Montrose) allowed me to enjoy the sunrise as I watched another day begin. Deer played around hay bales and figure...

05/11/2023

The sun is shining and we are open ! We look forward to seeing you ! 🌞

Remember, we are open until 4pm with last admission at 3pm.

31/10/2023

A special thank you to Kevin from Pitt Digging Services for his wonderful offer of support and assistance with digging the trench for the concrete access path to our new access ramp into the library.

Once again we are grateful to yet another local business for offering support as we continue to grow and expand as a site of major historical importance.

Onwards and Upwards . . . .Together !

30/10/2023

As of this week we will be moving into our winter opening times, these will be …
Saturday 10am-4pm
Sunday 12pm-4pm
Last entries for both at 3pm

We hope to see you there!

30/10/2023

HELP REQUIRED !

Is there any kind mini digger owner out there who could help us dig a 4 foot by 12 foot by 6 inches hole to allow us to finish of our new access ramp to the library at the museum.

We need to connect the ramp to the tarred area with a cement pathway.

Any offers of help would be gratefully received and we can offer lots of hot tea and tons of promotion on our page.

26/10/2023

IMPORTANT MESSAGE !

Please note that in the interests of safety and due to the fact that the Met Office has issued from today a 4 day Yellow Warning for heavy rain the museum will NOT be opening this weekend.

This 4 day period of heavy rain comes on top of the Red warnings from last week which has resulted in high water table levels locally and severe damage to the local infrastructure which may be aggravated by more heavy rain.

As ever our overriding concern is for the safety of our wonderful volunteers and visitors.

We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause.

Onwards and Upwards . . . . Together !

21/10/2023

IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ...

17/10/2023

Due to the Amber and Yellow weather warnings issued by the MET Office for the end of this week the museum will NOT be open this Friday and Saturday and will only open on Sunday if the weather warnings have abated.

The safety and security of our Volunteers and Visitors alike is of paramount importance to the Museum and we sincerely hope that everyone understands and agrees with our decision.

Please monitor this page for information about the Sunday opening decision.

We would like to apologise for any inconvenience that this decision may cause.

Onwards and Upwards. . . . Together !

14/10/2023

It's a sunny Saturday and the perfect day to visit !
Come and see our beautiful Hawker Hunter in the historic Burke's Shed hangar.

13/10/2023

Remember to browse our gift shop when you visit ! We have a wide range of aviation related gifts and are also official stockist of Airfix model kits.

Open today 10am - 4pm
Saturday. 10am - 4pm
Sunday. 12pm - 4pm

Last admission 3pm

10/10/2023

The hallway of our Station Headquarters building, hung with group photos of trainee pilots, flying instructors and other personnel who have served at Montrose through the years.
We may not know all the names or what happened to those who served but we are eternally grateful to them all.

08/10/2023

Please note we are closed today.

07/10/2023

The nights are drawing in and Group Captain Coleman's office looks particularly atmospheric at this time of year with the blackout curtains drawn and the light of the Herbert Terry anglepoise lamp cast across his desk.

Coleman assumed command of RAF Montrose in June 1940 until he retired at the end of the war in 1945.

Come and see his recreated office within the original Headquarters Building next time you visit.

05/10/2023

From our replica BE2, one of the first aircraft at Montrose with no2 Squadron in 1913, to our Tornado GR4 which was retired from the RAF in 2019...over 10O years of aviation history are on display here at Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre.

Come and visit us this weekend :-
10am - 4pm Friday and Saturday
12pm - 4pm Sunday
Last admission 3pm

03/10/2023

IMPORTANT!
Due to popular demand we will now remain open on Fridays for the rest of October !

18/09/2023

Don’t just take our word for it !

These are just a few of the comments from our visitors book over the past couple of weeks.

Sounds like we must be doing something right 😎

Onwards and Upwards. . . . Together !

17/09/2023

Always a pleasure to support an important charity Prostate Cancer - Awareness and Support as well as our colleagues at Rotary in Montrose.

A big thanks to the large Sunday Museum volunteer team who turned up today to ensure the safety and security of our charity partners.

Onwards and Upwards . . . . Together !

15/09/2023

15/09/2023

Information for the Rotary in Montrose Prostate Cancer Charity ride.

15/09/2023

Important information for the Rotary in Montrose Prostate Cancer Charity ride.

12/09/2023

It’s not always about aeroplanes !

A significant amount of planning and resources go into updating and repairing the infrastructure at the museum.

A huge thank you to the team who work extremely hard to ensure that our wonderful museum meets our visitors needs and expectations.

Onwards and Upwards. . . . Together !

08/09/2023

The team at the Museum are delighted to add their congratulations to Lucia and her husband Edward on the occasion of their recent wedding.

Lucia is a long serving member of the Museum team and continues to support the research team on a regular basis.

Onwards and Upwards . . . . Together!