RAF Burtonwood

[johnmed]

It seems that the old large hangars at Burtonwood are being demolished after 68 years.

Shame.

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[M6AJJ]

Thanks for the photos, certainly bring back memories.

I would have liked to think that they would have kept at least one for posterity, particularly when you think that the rest of RAF Burtonwood (or should I say USAF Burtonwood) has gone, but I suppose it depends on who has bought the land and what they are going to do with it. I suppose it is hard to imagine a brand new housing estate, with a World War 2 hangar stuck in the middle of it.

In the 50's and 60's Burtonwood was a really important base and at least should have someting to remember it by.

[johnmed]

You're welcome. I've just got a new camera, so it was good practice! The best place to get photos from unfortunately is the M62. May have to 'break down' on the hard shoulder.

I feel the same about the place. First they put a motorway through it, then built the m'way services and junction, and well maybe we should just be grateful what is there has survived til now.

Terible shame tho.

[Cadfael]

Fred Dibnah had the job of felling the control tower there!

[johnmed]

^Everyday's a schoolday.

[johnmed]

Today:

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[Cadfael]

http://i454.photobucket.com/albums/qq264/sammo1976/Picture.jpg

[No-ones_Princess]

Does anyone have any little known RAF Burtonwood facts. I have a loose connection with an RAF website and our select group really love stuff like this.

Any photo's would be appreciated too.

Please and Thankyou.

[Devo]

Wonder if the "underground" area is still intact, heard many rumours about how big it was but never seen the proof!
Was once stopped in the area (in the 80's) by (?) the Department of trade and transport, and searched for radio equipment. At the time i had an old "firestick cb ariel" on my car, at the time i was working for BT and had stopped there for my dinner on route to Culcheth, an argument was soon won by me producing a "fake" (honest) mi5 id, and a blank refusal for them to search my car. Must be summit still going on there (maybe the radar on top of the nearby water building) or the reports of a humming noise in the area that could only be heard by women (in the 80's) gives us a clue that something there is worth looking at.

[johnmed]

Excellent Cadfael!

[danensis]

I used to go to RAF Burtonwood in the 1970s to service their photocopiers. There was one RAF officer on the gate, and everything else was American. They even drove on the wrong side of the road, which caused several near-misses.

I found it all a bit childish, they had a large picture of their commanding officer in the entrance, and had to change it every time there was an election.

All the power supplies were 100v 60Hz, which meant we had to import all the spares from America - but they seemed to have no trouble getting their hands on things - including lots of the local women from what I heard.

John

[johnmed]

Wow, thanks for that John. How interesting. I've commuted past this place so many times, and known so little about it.

Was it classed as American 'soil' then?

[danensis]

Very much so. They had their own police force (armed), catering unit (bagels and donuts), and it was just like an outpost of the US of A. An awful lot of saluting going on everywhere, which I just ignored.

The RAF had a poky little office by the gate. It was officially an RAF base, but the Americans ran the show.

John

[No-ones_Princess]

The RAF had a poky little office by the gate. It was officially an RAF base, but the Americans ran the show.

John


Does not matter where in the World you go the Americans take over :) I have served the Army and RAF in Britian and Abroad and no matter where I have been money always to go to American money. Even reportedly in the Gulf the Pog (cardboard currency) is based on the dollar.

[phredd]

My grandaughter lives in Burtonwood village and sent me this via email >>
"A potted history of the Airbase"

BBC - Liverpool Local History - The American Connection - Introduction to Burtonwood (http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/journey/american_connection/burtonwood/intro/facts.shtml)

My Army job took me to the airbase on numerous occaisions.
It was one of the busiest bases during the Berlin Airlift.

Phredd

[chazsam]

IS THERE NOT STILL PART OF BURTONWOOD AIR BASE
OPEN THE THE FAR SIDE OF WARRINTON I KNOW IT WAS THERE IN THE LATE 80s.

[chazsam]

YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT THE AMERICANS CLAIMING EVERY THING,I HAVE NOT LONG FINISHED WORKING ON
TWO AMERICAN AIR BASES IN SUFFOLK THE PEOPLE DOWN THERE WERE TELLING ME THE AMERICANS RAN EVERYTHING,NOT THAT I KNOW JUST WHAT I WAS TOLD.
I MET A FEW AMERICANS THAT HAVE SETTLED THERE AND THEY SEEMED LIKE NICE PEOPLE.:snf (41):

[confusedone]

I remember my nan telling me she and her friends were like screaming fans during the war when american soldiers were there (god i hope there arent any stealth americans in our family!!). Not sure how true this is (not the best with history) but wasnt the M62, or part of it, a runway?

[underworld]

The Burtonwood base/Control tower was used in the film "12 O'Clock high" featuring Gregory Peck.

[az_gila]

The Burtonwood base/Control tower was used in the film "12 O'Clock high" featuring Gregory Peck.

Which would have been quite appropriate.

My aircraft mechanic is an ex-B17 pilot - 93 years old and still flies his own plane - and he has mentioned Burtonwood many times. The B-17s used it in WWII as a base for the UK end of transatlantic flights as well as a major maintenance base.

I'd ask him more, but he just left for a 2 week Panama cruise...

My mother's friend Heather (who passed way 2 weeks ago...RIP) had a funny Burtonwood story.

In the 70's she wanted to make a pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving time.
She couldn't find a recipe (pre-Internet times, just to remind the youngsters...:)...) so she called Burtonwood, and actually got through to the cook.
His recipe was sized to feed a 100 minimum, and it did not translate well down to an individual pie - the pie never came out right...:Smiliz_Kingz_PDT_13

[anonymouse]

I read somewhere that Burtonwood had the largest underground hospital in Europe... not sure if this was a real hospital or a storage facility.
The runways have now been dug up and reduced to mountains of 'hardcore'.

Okie

[liverpoolkid2]

Yea you are 100% right it was a hive of activerty way back in the '60s ( when I was still in my teen's fit, healthy and had the girls falling over me ( I wish) when I was a conductor for ST Helen's Corpration I remember working the 329 to Burtonwood all day, there were 4 buses that day doing a shuttle service ( one at each terminus, other two travelling oh what memories)