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.HistoryThe 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.