RAF Burtonwood History

RAF Burtonwood was probably the largest military base in Europe during World War II, processing over 11,500 aircraft between 1943 and 1945 alone, but beyond that it was responsible for the support of initially the 8th Air Force, then additionally the 9th and ultimately the 12th and 15th Air Forces as well. Over 35,000 men were under the direct control of Burtonwood with 18,500 on the base itself. Nothing was too big or small, from rebuilding battle damaged bombers to manufacturing valve springs for aero engines, manufacturing timber packing cases or converting gliders into powered aircraft.

Work began on the construction of RAF Burtonwood in 1938. The RAF began to occupy the airfield in April 1940 as the countries Aircraft Storage Unit run by No 37 MU, Burtonwood also came to specialise in the preparation, maintenance and repair of American aircraft many of which were supplied under the Lend Lease program.

After a search of suitable sites for the USAAF Base Air Depots, Burtonwood was chosen as one of three and the USAAF took joint charge of the site on 11th June 1942 and complete charge in October 1943. The purpose of the depots was the preparation, assembly, overall and repair of USAAF aircraft and their systems many of which were damaged in battle, the depot also supplied spare parts to the squadrons. As the war progressed the airfield was extended. By September 1942 a new main runway 09/27 had been added and by January 1944 the base had a strength of over 18,000 US airmen.

After World War Two Burtonwood run down as a USAAF base and returned to the RAF for two years as a maintenance unit and then reverted to the USAF in 1948 to support the US bases here, and it undertook the entire major servicing for the C-54 Skymaster aircraft involved in the Berlin Airlift. Major redevelopment took place with the construction of the Header House on Site 8, In 1953 despite local opposition to the closure of Burtonwood Road an extension was carried out to extend the main runway to 9,000 feet to become one of the longest in the UK and the construction of the new control tower and passenger terminal. The terminal building which had been part of the new building work became known as the Gateway to Europe, because RAF Burtonwood was to be the first sight of Europe for most servicemen and their families.

RAF Burtonwood grew to become the focal point for the arrival and departure for many millions of pounds of freight each year, while also receiving US service personnel and over 6,000 of their dependants each month. By 1965 the base had passed back to RAF control. Two years later, however the US Army took command and remained there until its closing in 1993, only occupying only a fraction of the original site, It then operated with fixed wing and helicopter communication aircraft until the construction of the M62 over the main runway in 1973 restricted the depot to the use of helicopters until 1976.

Meanwhile in 1959 No 635 Gliding School opened to give flying experience to cadets from the Air Training Corps and to the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Corps from local schools. Due to the sale of the main part of the airfield in 1982 and the removal of the remaining runways and hard standings. On the 25th September 1983 all flying ceased when No 635 Gliding School made its last take off from Burtonwood and probably made the last ever fixed wing aircraft flight from the site. The main sites were around the airfield were systematically cleared and were used for the construction of a New Town scheme for Warrington. There were once suggestions that the site could have been the site of a new regional airport to replace Liverpool and Manchester however mining subsidence put paid to this idea.

“A” site and “E” site hangars remain alongside the motorway and are currently in use by local companies, but are expected to be demolished in the next few years thus removing the last traces of RAF Burtonwood. That remaining section of the main runway was dug up in July 2001 during the construction of a new motorway junction at that location. The first part of Header House (site 8) was also demolished in 2002/2003 as the remainder of the site was finally sold off by the Ministry of Defence to a development company in what was thought to be the biggest ever land sale to date by the MOD.

The Burtonwood Association currently have a Heritage Centre in the remaining part of Header House and are expected to remain here for at least three years, before moving into a purpose built building as part of the new urban village scheme currently being built on the site.

Engine test beds at Burtonwood

P-61 aircraft at "E" Site

Shift change at Burtonwood

Main Runway with tower in background

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