Ontario Regiment Museum

The museum is housed on the South Field of the Historic Oshawa Executive Airport. The airport opened in June 1941 under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan as No. 20 Elementary Flying Training School RCAF Station Oshawa. Only three of the original buildings are still standing. Potential military pilots from Commonwealth and Occupied countries were trained in this field. There is one primary museum building composed of the Static or Museum Section, three workshops (not open to the public), a vehicle bay, and the Military Vehicle Conservation Centre. The Museum has the use of two other building but these are not open to the public.

The Museum Section documents the story of the Ontario Regiment RCAC from its beginnings in 1866 as the 34th Ontario Battalion of Infantry, through WW1 as the 34th and 116th Battalions, 11th Armoured Regiment (The Ontario Regiment (Tank)) in WW2 and the Ontario Regiment (RCAC) today. Members of this regiment have served Canada in every military operation since the Fenian Raids.

The museum recounts the history through the display of artefacts grouped by type and period - Pre-Confederation, South African War, WW1, WW2, Afghanistan. These artefacts include uniforms, personal items, weapons (deactivated), medals, pictures, and trophies. The Museum Section can be enjoyed by the visitor alone, but the use of a guide is recommended to get some of the backstories behind the artefacts.

The Military Vehicle Conservation Centre was added on in 2018 and provided an additional 15,300 square feet for the vehicle collection. While in this section of the museum, visitors will experience the largest operational, historical military vehicle fleet in North America and teams of volunteers maintaining and restoring them.

The vehicle collection started in 1976 when the then Honorary Colonel of the Ontario Regiment, Norman Wilton purchased nine Ferret Scout Cars for use as a ceremonial troop. The original nine cars soon grew with the addition of BART - M4A2(76) W HVSS. Bart was acquired after WW2 from the US and was used as a training vehicle by the Ontario Regiment until the mid-1970s. Since then, the vehicle collection has continued to grow. Some (but not all) of the current inventory are:

Bart on the move at the Ontario Regiment Museum

Panzer III J at the Ontario Regiment Museum

• M4A2(76) W HVSS - BART and BILLY
• M3A1 Stuart
• M24 Chaffee - one of 24 acquired from the US after WW2
• M8 Greyhound
• Several CMP Trucks including a Radio Van with serial number 1 built in Oshawa
• Universal Carrier
• Panzer III - Our Panzer II is a reproduction using authentic German Parts and/or parts cast from original
• Hetzer - The Museum's Hetzer is a G-13 retrofitted to German Army Specifications
• Sd.Kfz. 251 - There is a C and D variant. These are Czech OT-810s retrofitted to German Army Specification.
• T-34/85 - Iconic Soviet Tank of WW2
• FLAK 88 - One of three in Canada, undergoing Restoration
• Willys MB - The Museum has several Jeeps including one used by the Ontario Regiment in Sicily and

Leopard in the snow at the Ontario Regiment Museum

T-54A and BMP 1 at Ontario Regiment Museum during Tank Saturday

• T54A - Our T54 is in Iraqi colours
• BMP-1 - Along with the T54A, this was the bulk of Soviet Cold War Armour
• M60 - The Museum operates a US Army and US Marine Corps M60A3
• Leopard 1 - Five Leopards including C1 and C2 variants.
• M113 - Both US and Canadian versions along with engineering, TOW, and Communications variants.
• Centurion - Running again after 40 years.
• Chieftain - Mark 10 and Mark 11
• FV432 - British Armoured Personnel Carrier
• M151 MUTT - Canadian and US Jeep
• M551 Sheridan - Air droppable and amphibious tank

• CVR-T - British Family of Combat Vehicles Reconnaissance - Tracked, Examples of all members of the family are at the Museum
• AVGP - Canadian Family of Armoured Vehicles - Cougar (Fire Support), Grizzly (Personnel Carrier), Husky (Recovery)
• HUMMWV - USMC version with .50 cal mount

• LAV III - Iconic vehicle used by Canadian Forces in Afghanistan
• M113 TLAV - M113 A3 upgraded for Canadian Service
• Sandcat Armoured Patrol Vehicle
• Land Rover Wolf

For December 2022, a new exhibit will feature a rare WW2 Howitzer Motor Carriage M7B1, often referred to as the M7 Priest. More than 4,000 of the U.S.-made M7 Priests were built during the war. The tank was used by the Americans, the British, the Canadians and the Free French. Many of the Canadian soldiers who stormed Juno Beach on D-Day advanced in M7 Priests.[3]

Tank Saturdays are single-day events, normally on the second Saturday of each summer month (May to October). These are themed events with a one-hour display show based on that theme. Often, re-enactors will be a part of the show. Armoured vehicle rides are usually available. Tank Saturdays conclude with a "Battle Royale" where two tanks and their crews go head-to-head in the museum's tank arena.

Aquino Weekend is a two-day world-class event held during the second weekend in June. There will be two themed one-hour battle demonstrations on both Saturday and Sunday. Common themes are "WW2 - Western Front", "WW2 - Eastern Front", "Gulf War", and "Viet Nam". Each simulated battle will compose of vehicles, reenactors, firepower and pyrotechnics. There are also vendors and static reenactor displays. Each day concludes with a "Battle Royale" where two tanks and their crews go head-to-head in the Museum's tank arena.

The Museum offers experiences in their historic vehicles. These experiences are more than rides; they can be a full experience working with the crews preparing the vehicle and a complete tour of all the crew positions.

Group or specialized tours are available.