Members of the Ashburton Aviation Museum are still coming down off cloud nine after officially opening their new hangar extension at the weekend.

It is named, Heslerton Hangar, after the support of member Murray Marshall and his wife, Wendy, of Heslerton Station.

Among the more than 250 attendees on Sunday was patron Pat Scotter, Ashburton Mayor Liz McMillan, MP James Meager, funders including the Lion Foundation and Ahu Community Trust, and aviation historian and chaplain Dr Richard Waugh.

Waugh, in a blessing, said the museum was ‘‘a place where the courage of our forebears is remembered, the sacrifices of military and civilian aviators, pilots and engineers and many others are honoured, and especially where Mid Canterbury’s stories are well preserved.’’

‘‘(May) the museum always be a place of education, wonder and profound respect for the vision, discipline and skill it took to conquer the skies,’’ he said.

Museum president Stephen Johnston welcomed everyone to the ‘‘most magnificent occasion in the history of the Ashburton Aviation Museum’’.

‘‘It’s great that we have got to where we have,’’ he said.

Ashburton Aviation Museum members, from left, Ron MacFarlane, president Stephen Johnston and building committee chairman Owen Moore at the official opening of Sunday of their latest hangar extension. Photo: Toni Williams

While building committee chairman Owen Moore spoke of humble beginnings, sparked by a conversation on forming an historic aviation society by nine men sitting around the table in the Ashburton library on October 29, 1974.

They met, had a cup of tea, ate a few biscuits and decided to give it a go, he said.

Aircraft soon followed despite not having a base.

He said initial attempts to set up in Tinwald were stymied, before land was secured at Ashburton Airport.

The entrance to the Ashburton Aviation Museum is now an open space full of aviation memorabilia and collectables. Photo: Toni Williams

The first hangar was completed in August 1990 “finally giving the museum a proper home for its growing collection of aircraft”.

‘‘Although, as it turned out, the collection was already getting too big,’’ Moore said.

The Ashburton Aviation Museum has a growing collection. Photo: Toni Williams

An adjacent building became available and was snapped up with a fundraising effort. Grants secured and mortgage rearranged.

By 2000, it was paid off and plans for the Super Hangar were developed.

It cost $700,000 to build and opened in 2011.

The Ashburton Aviation Museum has a growing collection of exhibits with more than 30 aircraft, 10 gliders and microlights, six helicopters, 12 engines, model aircraft, cockpits, and other exhibits. Photo: Toni Williams

The latest addition, which links the two hangars and includes a function area and members library, was estimated at $2.5m ‘‘a pretty daunting figure’’.

But thanks to ongoing fundraising efforts the work got started.

Now it was open, and almost finished.

Aviation museum members will have no trouble filling the new space with a Cessna Agwagon ZK CSD, a Fletcher ZK WLP, a Bede BD5 Snoopy&Co and a Flying Doctor Cessna 421b ZK KBF in the workshop but a GAD Nomad ZK NMC, a Slingsby T35 Glider and an Auster MK5 ZK ARR due to arrive. Photo: Toni Williams

He thanked all the funders, and the people who had been involved in the Seafield Rd project, including members’ wives and families.

‘‘This museum has always been built on the same things that those nine met had when they (first) met... a passion for aviation.

"A willingness to have a go.

‘‘A lot of hard work. and above all, the support of the Ashburton community,’’ he said.

‘‘Today, we have a remarkable aviation museum, a collection of aircraft that continues to grow, a wonderful team of volunteers and these fantastic new facilities.’’