Movie star’s Jaguar at heritage centre

RICHARD Burton’s big cat will add a dash of Hollywood style to a highflying Angus event where another British icon will be celebrated.

The sleek Jaguar XK120 which once carried the movie legend around the alpine roads near his Swiss home will be part of a display of special cars at Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre’s (MASHC) families event this weekend.

Famous marques including Bugatti and Austin Healey will sit alongside the centre’s Red Lichtie replica Spitfire, with a squadron scramble re-enactment due to be one of the highlights in honour of the flyers who trained for combat while stationed at the Broomfield base.

The heritage centre has enjoyed a remarkable year, with an expansion into surviving sheds which were part of the original airfield when it came into service in 1913, and recently played host to the Freedom of Angus reception for RAF No. 2 Squadron.

Montrose Rotary Club is organising the classic car element of the event and the beautiful 1953 two-seater Jaguar will make the short trip from owner David Barnett’s base at Classic Autosport in Inverkeilor.

He acquired the pastel green machine about 18 months ago and said: “It was put out to the 1953 Geneva Motor Show. Burton bought it and it remained out there at his home until about 10 years ago,” said David.

David hopes to take the Jag on a road trip “back home” to try to piece together more of its history in the hands of seven-time Oscar nominated Burton.