Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre

Montrose airfield was the first operational airfield in the UK of which more in another post. Flying had ceased by 1952 and some 40 years later it reopened as a Heritage Centre which has gone on to win many awards. Based around some original buildings the centre tells the story of the airfield and holds a few airframes, some of which are replicas and only recently took delivery of a Tornado which is displayed in an original hangar.

The centre is fairly small but staff are friendly, the exhibits interesting, including a poppy memorial area to which we contributed, and it is worth visiting.

RAF Milltown

Milltown, a short way from Elgin in Scotland started life as a decoy for nearby Lossiemouth. However the decoy site ceased to be used in October 1941 and construction began on a real airfield which opened in June 1943. Initially used by Bomber Command the airfield soon passed to Coastal Command although it was a base for 617 Squadron in 1944 for their missions to sink the Tirpitz which ultimately succeeded in November of that year.

Following the end of hostilities the airfield transferred to the Fleet Air Arm in 1946 as a training base and remained in use until it reverted to RAF control in 1972. Apart from deployment exercises no further aircraft were based at the field and flying ceased completely in 1977.

The field was then used by the RAF as a signals station until 2003 before being sold off 10 years later.

I went for a look a few days ago and most of the runways and one original hangar remain. There are few buildings and the site is used for sheep and cattle grazing as well as an HGV school and skid pan training. Although there was no sign of it plans are afoot for a solar panel farm. 

RAF Great Orton

Great Orton airfield was opened in 1943 as a satellite to nearby RAF Silloth. It was used by Wellingtons of 6 OTU and Hurricanes of 55 OTU. Additionally air sea rescue Warwicks were based there. At wars end it became 249 Maintenance Unit and was used for bomb storage. The station closed in 1952 and after a period of disuse it has been developed as Watchtree Nature Reserve. I went for a wander a few days ago and found evidence of old runways and a derelict control tower along with a modern day wind farm and cycle tracks.

Solway Aviation Museum

This museum is on the edge of Carlisle Airport. My visit is a bit of a cheat as it just an 'over the fence' exercise as the museum is not open during the week and I will not be around at the weekend.

The museum star is probably the Vulcan which is easy to capture from the road side. The aircraft was still active in 1982 at the time of the Falklands and surrendered one or two parts to other aircraft. It was then retired from the RAF and flown to Carlisle in 1983 and has been on display since.

Vulcan XH558

A press release today explains that the last Avro Vulcan to fly must leave its home at Doncaster airport by June 2023. Options are being explored with, apparently, a couple of destinations in mind and Vulcan to The Sky Trust are even talking to the CAA about a short ferry flight to a new home. This sounds unlikely to me but who knows. The alternative would be to dismantle it which is no small task either. Fund raising is under way, as it has been for most of the time since plans to return XH558 to the air all those years ago were first touted.

Hurricane crash

 Very sad to hear yesterday of the loss of the pilot and his Hawker Hurricane in a crash at Cheb airshow in the Czech Republic. My thoughts are with all those close to the pilot.

https://www.key.aero/article/hurricane-fatal-crash-czech-show

Airbus A400

Spotting from the back garden! An A400 caught high overhead yesterday evening.

Almost ready!

The world's only airworthy Bristol Blenheim last flew for a remembrance service late in 2019. As a result of Covid it was elected to inhibit the engines and the aircraft has sat silently in a hangar at Duxford since. However, the Blenheim has recently been receiving attention and today reached the stage of ground engine runs. Hopefully a return to the air is just around the corner.

Hurricane flies

Seen here at Temora, Australia, back in 2018 this Hawker Hurricane XII was exported to the UK a little while back and is now at Biggin Hill from where it made its return to the air a couple of days ago. Hopefully I will get to see it again before too long.

Colourful A380

Caught high over head on Friday was this Airbus A380 still sporting a promotional scheme for the Dubai Expo