From world war to Cold War and beyond: National Museum of Flight turns 50
A museum which houses one of the finest collections of military aircraft in the country is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
The National Museum of Flight is situated in one of the best-preserved Second World War airfields in the country – East Fortune near Edinburgh.
Since opening its doors in 1975 it has welcomed generations of visitors.
Iconic warplanes like the Spitfire, Harrier, Vulcan and a Red Arrows Hawk are on display alongside civilian aircraft like Concorde, telling the story of aviation through the years.
Curator Ian Brown said: "We opened to the public in July 1975 so it's a very big occasion.
"I don't know how many people we've seen through the door since then, so hopefully the public will continue to come and enjoy the museum.
"East Fortune airfield itself has a lot of history over and above the collection, but having this collection of aircraft as well as displaying them on a Second World War airfield I think provides context.
"Museums normally take objects out of their context and put them on display, but we've brought all these aircraft and put them into this context and display them in hangars similar to what they would have been kept in during their operational lives."
During its time as RAF East Fortune, the airfield was home to aircraft like the Bristol Beaufort and de Havilland Mosquito, which played a vital part in the effort to secure the UK skies from the Luftwaffe.
Like many airfields across the country, it found itself redundant after the war but it got a new lease of life as home to some of the most famous military aircraft in the 1970s.
RAF veteran and museum volunteer Iain Bartholomew said: "I still love aeroplanes. We just have some wonderful stuff here with great volunteers, great staff.
"All the visitors we get are fascinated as well and I've met so many ex-RAF personnel and military people.
"It's an honour to be here."
The collection spans the early days of flight, throughout both world wars, right through the Cold War and up to recent history.
The aircraft have been capturing the imagination of people for generations.
RAF Reservist and volunteer Mike Parker said: "I think an awful lot of aircraft here are from an era.
"When I used to build models and I used to go up to the airport with my dad and come here with my dad, we used to go to airshows.
"The Lightning is massively poignant, the Sea Hawk was the first model I ever built. My dad worked for Ferranti and he was working at the time when the Gloster Meteor was flying, the Harrier and latterly Tornado, which was based at Leuchars.
"It showcases all the technology from ordnance and munitions – all different types of bombs.
"I think everything is here in the museum."
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