The Queen’s wartime van is rolling into Angus this weekend.
And Her Majesty’s wartime Austin Tilly will be just one of a host of attractions on the ground and in their air at what is now Scotland’s biggest aviation event.
Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre is hosting the two-day spectacular, with 50 aircraft due to take part in a fly-in at what was Britain’s first operational military airfield.
A replica SE5 biplane of the kind which first landed at Broomfield will be there, as well as two Second World War Piper Cubs.
Home-built aircraft will be flying in from as far afield as Oxford.
There is even a chance for visitors to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the event with Alba Airsports of Perth who are bringing their microlights and gyrocopters along.
Vehicle display
The Royal connection comes as part of a vintage vehicle display which will cover everything from classics and wartime to more modern high-powered machinery.
And it includes the Austin 10 Light Utility which was actually driven by the then Princess Elizabeth during her time in the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service.
It’s now owned by an Aberdeenshire enthusiast and has previously been to Balmoral to be re-acquainted with it famous mechanic.
Neil Butler of MAHSC says the demise of other aviation events in recent years and since the pandemic means the Montrose gathering is the country’s biggest.
“It’s quite special that these planes will be using the original 1913 landing grounds,” said Neil Butler of MAHSC.
“We are very lucky and privileged to be able to host an event of this size and there is a lot going on over the weekend,” he said.
Museum on a high after successful summer
The museum has been pulling in the crowds since properly re-opening its doors after the pandemic.
And it landed a star attraction earlier this summer.
An RAF Tornado GR4 was gifted to Montrose and now has pride of place in one of the historic hangars there.
It was one of the last of the multi-combat aircraft to touch down when the Tornado was retired from RAF service in 2019, and is the only one on display in Scotland.
The family open day runs on Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
