RAF Burtonwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids RAF Burtonwood
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| Near Warrington, Cheshire in England | |||||||||||
The RAF Burtonwood control tower in 1954.
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Ut aquilae volent (Latin for 'That eagles may fly')
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 RAF Burtonwood
Location in Cheshire
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| Coordinates | 53°24′50″N 2°39′04″W / 53.414°N 2.651°W | ||||||||||
| Type | RAF station (US Visiting Forces) | ||||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||||
| Owner | Ministry of Defence | ||||||||||
| Operator | RAF (1940–1942, 1946–1948 & 1965–1967) US Army Air Forces (1942–1946) US Air Force (1948–1965) US Army (1967–1994) |
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| Condition | Closed | ||||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||||
| Built | 1938–1940 | ||||||||||
| In use | 1940–1994 | ||||||||||
| Fate | Buildings demolished and site sold for redevelopment, including Omega Business Park and junction 8 of the M62 motorway. | ||||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||||
| Identifiers | ICAO: EGOB | ||||||||||
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RAF Burtonwood was a large air base located near Warrington in Cheshire, England. It was first opened in 1940 by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II. In 1942, the base was given to the United States of America to help with their war efforts.
By the end of World War II, about 18,000 American service members were based at Burtonwood. After the war, in 1946, the base was returned to the United Kingdom. However, American forces continued to use it for many years. The base officially closed in 1991. Most of its runways and buildings have since been taken down. Today, a special place called the RAF Burtonwood Heritage Centre tells the story of the base, its people, and the airplanes that were there.
Contents
What Was RAF Burtonwood?
Burtonwood airfield started on January 1, 1940. Its main job was to fix and store British aircraft. The RAF managed it until June 1942.
How Did the US Army Air Forces Use It?
In June 1942, the base was given to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). It became a major repair center for American planes from different air forces. Burtonwood was also known as Base Air Depot 1 (BAD 1). Even then, the RAF Police still helped keep the base secure.
Burtonwood was the biggest airfield in Europe during World War II. It had the most American personnel and aircraft repair facilities. The loud noise of airplane engines being tested could be heard far away, especially at night. By the end of the war, 18,000 service members were stationed there.
Some people thought Burtonwood was built far from German bombers, but this wasn't true. German planes did bomb the area sometimes. During their time off, American service members from Burtonwood often visited the nearby town of Warrington.
How Did the US Air Force Use It?
After World War II ended, the RAF took control of Burtonwood again in June 1946. It became a storage place for equipment.
In November 1946, six B-29 Superfortress bombers from the US Army Air Forces came to Burtonwood. They were part of a "training deployment" to Europe. More B-29s arrived in May 1947. This training was actually a secret plan to keep a strong American air force in Europe. American forces continued to use Burtonwood to maintain C-54 Skymaster planes. These planes were used during the Berlin Airlift, which delivered supplies to West Berlin.
From 1953 to 1959, the USAF 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew from Burtonwood. They used planes like the WB-29 and WB-50D Superfortress to gather weather information. This data helped create forecasts for the Air Force and the US Weather Bureau.
Burtonwood was also a busy place for cargo and passenger flights until 1958. Many types of transport planes, like the Douglas C-54 and Lockheed C-130, flew through the base. In the 1950s, American planes based in Europe, such as F-84 Thunderjets and F-86 Sabres, were repaired or updated at Burtonwood.
A small village was built on the base for the many US service members. It had its own school and shop. These buildings were called "Tobacco Houses" because the land lease was paid with American tobacco.
Major US Air Force use of Burtonwood ended in April 1959 when the flight area closed. The RAF Air Training Corps used the runway for gliders for several years. In 1965, the US Air Force returned the base to the Ministry of Defence.
African-Americans at Burtonwood
In the early 1950s, many American soldiers, including African-American GIs, were stationed in Britain. Some British women formed relationships with these soldiers. When these relationships involved African-American soldiers, there were sometimes social concerns. However, many women who met African-American men at bases like Burtonwood found a supportive community. They became good friends and formed a "large extended family" with their mixed-race children.
One example is Venessa Baird, born in 1958. Her mother was from Liverpool, and her father was an African-American GI at Burtonwood. Venessa's mother and grandmother moved to Norwich, where they found friends who also had relationships with African-American men at other US Air Force bases.
How Did the US Army Use It?
The U.S. Department of Defense returned to Burtonwood in 1966. This happened after France left its military support for NATO. Burtonwood became a place to receive equipment and supplies from French NATO facilities. Later, the US Army took over the base and renamed it Burtonwood Army Depot.
The Army turned Burtonwood into a large storage and supply base. Its main warehouse was said to be the biggest building under one roof in Europe. The idea was that if there was an emergency, US troops from America could fly to Burtonwood, pick up their gear, and then go to the battle front in Europe. This plan was never fully tested, but the base did help supply the 1991 Gulf War.
When the Cold War ended, Burtonwood Army Depot was no longer needed for NATO. It closed in June 1994.
What Happened to the Runways?
The M62 motorway now cuts through the old airfield. It goes right over where the main runway used to be. Before a new motorway junction (Junction 8) was built, you could still see part of this runway. Now, Junction 8 covers it. Part of the airfield is also home to the Welcome Break Burtonwood service station.
What Is There Now?
In late 2008 and early 2009, the last remaining buildings, including the storage bunkers, were taken down. After that, some of the old World War II aircraft parking areas and parts of the old airfield roads were still visible.
During 2016, the rest of the airfield was removed. A new industrial estate was built on the land. The main road through this new area is called Skyline Drive.
One building from the old base still stands and is used today (as of 2008). It is a Royal Mail building, built before 1945. It is the only original building left from the base.
RAF Burtonwood Heritage Centre
A museum and heritage center is located on a part of the former base. You can find it at the Gulliver's World theme park in Warrington.
The center has five areas that tell the story of Burtonwood. These include exhibits about the lives of the GIs, the planes that were at the base, and everyday life. You can see models of planes like the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-29 Super Fortress. There are also different types of airplane engines on display.
See also
- List of former Royal Air Force stations
- RNAS Stretton
