Burtonwood
BURTONWOOD: Military aerodrome, originally RAF Aircraft Maintenance and possibly Storage Unit.
Later US maintenance base, storage area for US Forces in Europe and transit centre for US personnel, and, used by civil airlines in the 1950s
Note: These three pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
I was quite surprised finding these pictures. I hadn't expected to find any evidence remaining in the 21st century. In the 2005 picture five hangars still existed north of the M62, as well as dispersals, taxiways and some evidence of the runways, in part at least if you look closely. It also looks clear that the M62 was built along the 09/27 runway, and the northern section of runway 15/33 remained.
By 2011 the hangars had gone, but traces in the grass of runways 15/33 and 02/20 can just be seen. By 2018 all traces had gone. Only Lockheed Road remains to give a clue as to the existence of this once thriving and important airfield.
Military users: WW2: RAF 1940 to 1942:
RAF 37 MU
Later USSTAFE
Post 1945: USAF 1858th Airways and Air Communications Service Flight
'V' Bomber dispersal airfield
1975: Listed as being US Army, closed to fixed-wing aircraft but still used by UH-1 helicopters
Civil airline users: 1950s: Scheduled service by Dakotas of Scottish Aviation Ltd (Scottish Airlines) en route from PRESTWICK to NORTHOLT. BOAC used BURTONWOOD on many occasions with Boeing Stratocruisers, Lockheed Constellations and DC-7Cs if weather conditions at RINGWAY looked unsuitable
Gliding: 1970s & 1980s
Note: In the 1981 British Soaring Yearbook, 635 Sqdn Air Cadet Gliding School is listed here. Except they state the site is in CHESHIRE!
Location: N of A57, straddled by the M62, 3nm NW of Warrington
Period of operation: 1940 to 1945? Reactivated for the US forces in 1948 until 1959? Closed in late 1980s?
Runways: WW2: Originally grass it would seem with two metalled runways later constructed and these were pretty soon replaced by the following:
09/27 1600x46 hard 04/22 1325x46 hard
15/33 1325x46 hard
Runway 09/27 was extended in the early 1950s
NOTES: During the first half of WW2, up to 1942, it appears that the RAF Maintenance Unit No.37 specialised in American aircraft, including assembly and conversion work. It appears they handled the following types from June 1940:
Martin Maryland, Brewster Buffalo, Curtiss Mohawk, Dougas Boston (converted to the RAF Havoc night fighter), Martin Baltimore, Boeing B-17C Fortress Mk.1, Curtiss Cleveland, Vought-Sikorsky Chesapeake, Fairchild Argus and the Vultee-Stinson Vigilant.
From July 1942 it seems this site was jointly managed by The Fairey Aviation Co and The Bristol Aeroplane Co as the Burtonwood Repair Depot. This said the Fairey civilian factory site which began operations in 1940 as the Burtonwood Aircraft Repair Depot operated on the opposite side of the airfield from the RAF 37 MU
An Air Terminal building was completed in 1953. Many thousands of U.S. military personnel transited through here to and from the U.S.A.
Alan Pennington
This comment was written on: 2019-06-06 11:36:40There is nothing left of Burtonwood RAF or US site, all areas have or are being built on 2019. Storage facilities and housing is the main use of the vast amount of land that was covered by base. The base was instrumental in the Berlin airlift and for a very short time Vulcan bombers were based there, I remember the country lane that crossed the runway and having to stop at the barriers whilst a V bomber took off. Burtonwood USAF also used to have open days with Superfortress aircraft and others on ground and air display. There were many accidents on and around Burtonwood, St. Helens and surronding districts during it's operating years but most happened during and just after WW11. One fuselage was for many years still visible in a farmers field off Reginald Road St. Helens opposite Junction Lane until the farmer wanted to utilise the whole field for modern farming etc. A museum used to be on the grounds of Burtonwood Airfeild and then moved to the Gullivers theme park but not sure if it is still there. When Burtonwood USAF base was in full flow Bob Hope, Delores Hope, Danny Kay, Nat King Cole and other artists appeared in Burtonwoods main dance and clubhouse on the base in one of the storage hangers. Also little known is that the day before Glen Miller left Bedfordshire for France and then lost over the channel he had been to Burtonwood and played with his orchestra in the hanger/club house which had a very large stage and dance area. It had been said that Elvis transitioned through Burtonwood from Germany, many thousands did, back to USA but no strong evidence of Elvis landing even for a re-fuel stop has ever been proved.
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Alan, Many thanks, much appreciated. Best regards, Dick
Aldon Ferguson
This comment was written on: 2020-04-03 15:18:14The RAF Burtonwood Heritage Centre is very much alive and active as at March 2020. It is signed all over Warrington by use of a propellor on the attractions road signs and is at Gulliver's World theme Park. Free entrance.
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