Monument record 4054 - RAF Burtonwood and USAAF Station 590

<1> Willis S & Holliss B, 1987, Military Airfields in the British Isles 1939-1945, p.37 (Book). SCH8083.

Burtonwood SJ 568 910. Opened 1940. Landing surface concrete covered with tarmac. Function (1944) USSTAFE Base Air Depot. hangars provided: 513605 square feet of storage, and 1074291 square feet of work shops. Use in 1985 stated to be still by United States Forces, Europe

<2> Airfield Research Group, Airfield Review, No.71, p.23-26 (1996) (Journal/Periodical). SCH8293.

A former military airfield with attached aircraft assembly and maintenance facilities, and military depot. Burtonwood was opened in 1940, and was run under the aegis of the Air Ministry then the Ministry for Aircraft production. Burtonwood Repair Depot was located to the south of the flying field. From 1940 to 1942 the depot site was used by British companies, Fairey aviation and Rootes Securities, mainly to assemble, repair and modify imported American built aircraft. Rootes also finished off and test flew British Bristol Blenheim aircraft. By March 1942, in addition to the personnel of the Royal Air Force Number 37 Maintenance Unit there were 4000 civillian workers on site. During 1942 there was an inceasing US presence at the base, and an offical hand over to the United States Army Air Force took place in October 1942. By 1945 the airfield had been redeveloped with more facilities and longer runways

<3> Airfield Research Group, Airfield Review, No.77, p.37 (1997) (Journal/Periodical). SCH8293.

The course of the main runway at Burtonwood was chosen as the route for the M62, building began in 1973. The base had been prone to subsidence problems and the road builders added 1.5 m of fill to the area to stabilise it

<4> Aldon P Ferguson, 1989, Royal Air Force Burtonwood: Fifty Years in Photographs (Book). SCH4451.

Royal Air Force BurtonWood: the unpaged collection of photographs records the use of the base during World War two and in the post war period and subsequent demolition. During the Berlin Airlift (1948-1949) the American 59th Air Depot Wing helped to supply Berlin from Burtonwood. In 1953-1954 the Americans made the base the "Northern Air Material Area", which involved the construction of a massive warehouse named Header House alongside the older depot . At the time this was said to have been the largest warehouse in Europe. Flying ceased in 1959, and in 1967 the US army took over the base as storage depot. Aside of the building of the M62 in 1973, Demolition of most of the remaining airfield site took place from 1986-1988

<5> Robert Truman, 2002, World War 2 Airfield and Control Tower Home Page, http://www.controltowers.co.uk/B/Burtonwood.htm (Web Site). SCH4525.

By 2003 the site was used for agriculture, housing and industry. The former control towers and airfield buildings said to have been demolished. The website provides some extra details on units that used the base

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1995-2017, Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 Scale Map, SJ 59 SE 1978 (Maps and Plans). SCH2427.

Burtonwood Airfield (disused).

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1995-2017, Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 Scale Map, SJ 58 NE 1975 (Maps and Plans). SCH2427.

Depot.

<8> Airfield Research Group, Airfield Review, No.92, p.147-148 (2001) (Journal/Periodical). SCH8293.

Additional reference with photographs of the site

<9> Historic England & Archaeological Research Services, 2017, Cheshire National Mapping Programme and Lidar Mapping Project: Sampling the Peak Fringe, Cheshire Plain and Mersey Valley, 1390446 & 1605262 (Digital Archive). SCH8172.

The site of a former military airfield with attached aircraft assembly and maintenance facilities. Burtonwood was opened in 1940, and was run under the aegis of the Air Ministry then the Ministry for Aircraft production. Burtonwood Repair Depot was located to the south of the flying field. From 1940 to 1942 the depot site was used by British companies, Fairey aviation and Rootes Securities, mainly to assemble, repair and modify imported American built aircraft. Rootes also finished off and test flew British Bristol Blenheim aircraft. By March 1942, in addition to the personnel of the Royal Air Force Number 37 Maintenance Unit there were 4000 civillian workers on site. During 1942 there was an inceasing US presence at the base, and an official hand over to the United States Army Air Force took place in October 1942; the base became Base Air Depot 1(USAAF Station 590). By 1945 the airfield had been redeveloped with more facilities and longer runways. From 1946 to 1950 the Royal Air Force 276 maintenance Unit used part of the base. During the Berlin Airlift 91948-1949)the American 59th Air Depot Wing helped to supply Berlin from Burtonwood. In 1953-1954 the Americans made the base the "Northern Air Material Area", which involved the construction of a massive warehouse named Header House alongside the older depot . At the time this was said to have been the largest warehouse in Europe. Flying ceased in 1959, and in 1967 the US army took over the base as storage depot. Elements of the base closed between 1973 and 1985 and the main runway was used for the route of the M62 Motorway. Demolition of most of the remaining airfield part of the site took place from 1986-1988. The US depot closed in 1994. By 2003 the site was used for agriculture, housing and industry, principally for the "Chapelford Urban Village " development. A further industrial site was planned in 2011

Source 3 states that the course of the runway was along the line of the M62, in fact the main runway ran across the M62 at a slight angle to it.

The major features, including runways, taxiways and hangars were depicted, along with the total extent of the airfield. Two clear phases of activity were identified from aerial imagery - the Second World War airfield as seen in 1945, and the large mid- 20th century expansion to the runways to the east. The airfield was demolished in various phases and very little remains extant on the latest 2010 vertical imagery. Alongside the large military camps contained within the perimeter, two further probable associated camps external to the airfield perimeter were identified to the south (UID 1462595, mapped as part of the North-West Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment project) and north (UID 1605126, mapped in the Cheshire NMP project), along with a small compound (UID 1605190) probably associated with the airfield and the large military depot located to the south (UID 1605262) and described above.

<10> Aldon P Ferguson, 1993, Proposal for the Development of the Burtonwood Heritage Centre Warrington. (Unpublished Report). SCH4452.

RAF Burtonwood. War-time planning in 1938 called for an expansion of military and civilian aircraft repair depots and proposed 6 large general repairs depots. Of the 3 civilian deposts proposed only Burtonwood was founded and by Oct 1939 buildings were complete. Depot originally managed by Morris Motors Ltd. In 1940 it became known as the Burtonwood Repair Depot Site and erectedaircraft and undertook the manufacture and repair of aircraft components and engines.

Airfield completed in April 1940 when RAF Burtonwood opened. In 1942 it became an American base for the USA Air Force and it wsa constantly enlarged throughout WWII. It supported the 8th American Air Force, then the 9th and ultimately the 12th and 15th Air Forces as well. At its peak it covered 1430 acres, housed 18,500 personnel and controlled 27 satellite units. Over 11,500 aircraft were assembled, modified or repaired between 1943 and 1945. In 1940 there were 2 runways, both 3,150 ft long. By 1945 there were 3 runways ranging from 4,200 – 5,280 ft long.

After WWII Burtonwood returned to the RAF for 2 years as a maintenance unit and then reverted to the USAF in 1948 to support US bases in Britain and aircraft involved in the Berlin Airlift. During this time major redevelopment took place with the construction of the Header House on Site 8, the extension of the run way to 9,000 ft (others closed), to be one of the longest in the UK, and the construction of a new control tower and passenger terminal.

In 1959 it was reduced to non-flying status. In 1965 base passed back to RAF control, but 2 years later the US Army took control again using the base as a forward storage area for material needed in the event of war in Europe, until its closure in 1993. Most buildings now demolished and the main runway forms the base of the M62 motorway.

<11> Royal Air Force, 1944-1947, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review, RAF/106G/UK/622 RP 3090 10-AUG-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8041.

<12> Royal Air Force, 1944-1947, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review, RAF/106G/UK/626 RS 4365 10-AUG-1945 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8041.

<13> Royal Air Force, 1945-1979, RAF Aerial Photographs, RAF/58/3098 F22 0221 20-AUG-1959 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8316.

<14> Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery (2010), SJ5690, 31/08/2010 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8173.

<15> C S Dobinson, 2000, Twentieth Century Fortifications in England. Volume X. Airfield Defences in WWII (Report). SCH4450.

Associated is a Picket Hamilton Fort that is a scheduled monument (CSMR 4045/0/1 and SAM 33885), one of three that were built at the airfield (3)

<16> Historic England, 2011, The National Heritage List for England, 1464711 (Web Site). SCH6528.

The Pickett-Hamilton fort was scheduled in December 2002. In 2018 Scheduled Monument Consent was granted for the fort to be moved approximately 600m south to enable development of the site. After restoration the Pickett-Hamilton fort was relocated to this new position. It is now displayed raised and partially set into a sloping embankment, enabling more of the structure to be seen.

Now Grade II listed in its new location