I was stationed at Burtonwood from 1968 to 1969, a little more than a year as a U.S. Army helicopter crew member. I was a replacement crew member for one of those killed in a 1968 helicopter crash. My tour was just a short time, but I will never forget my wonderful experience there. It has stayed with me all these years, and here I am almost 76 now.
I live about 10 minutes away from here. Mid to late 90’s I’d occasionally visit what was then remaining of the site for work purposes. Couple of occasions I’d be inside a disused building or hanger, always on my own. There was always an eerily spookiness about a these big buildings that once thrived with hundreds of men tinkering about with aircraft components now sitting empty & lifeless, it made the hairs stand up on the back of your neck as it felt like their ghosts were watching your every movement.
My father was an aircraft mechanic in the US Army Airforce and was stationed there during World War 2. Those were some of the most memorable times in his life.
I grew up locally in the 60's but was unaware of the base and history until I joined the ATC, 1330 sqdn, in the early 70's. I was a staff cadet there with 635 Gliding School for a few years up until the M62 motorway was built along the main runway. Happy days, racing landrovers all over the base, setting up the winches and helping out with the gliding operations. The school was based in the old MT section and most of the airfield infrastructure was still intact, sadly all gone now. A great book by Aldon P Ferguson details the history, plus a follow up book of photographs tells the story and highlights the scale of the airfield, wonderful stuff. Happy days.
I flew out of this unit as a brit soldier in 1975 by Helicopter to RAF Upper heyford with a maint crew for F111 , i was stationed at COD Bicester oxon and a week later flew out of Waterbeach Cambridge to RAF Gutersloh and ended up at 7 OFP RAOC Scheuen nr Celle
My father was in the RAF and was seconded to Burtonwood around 1943. He told me that one night he woke to find that the rest of his 'hut' had pushed his bed onto the runway and it was gently snowing on him. He had nothing but admiration for the efficiency of the USAAF operation.
I visited the Mighty Eighth museum in Savana Gorgia USA , Burtonwood is commemorated along with all the rest of the airbases on a wall 120 x 40 ft with the flight lanes , the museum brought me to tears when i finally realised the extent of the yanks had in the UK and what they lost
I was stationed at Burtonwood from 1968 to 1969, a little more than a year as a U.S. Army helicopter crew member. I was a replacement crew member for one of those killed in a 1968 helicopter crash. My tour was just a short time, but I will never forget my wonderful experience there. It has stayed with me all these years, and here I am almost 76 now.
I live about 10 minutes away from here. Mid to late 90’s I’d occasionally visit what was then remaining of the site for work purposes. Couple of occasions I’d be inside a disused building or hanger, always on my own. There was always an eerily spookiness about a these big buildings that once thrived with hundreds of men tinkering about with aircraft components now sitting empty & lifeless, it made the hairs stand up on the back of your neck as it felt like their ghosts were watching your every movement.
My father was an aircraft mechanic in the US Army Airforce and was stationed there during World War 2. Those were some of the most memorable times in his life.
I grew up locally in the 60's but was unaware of the base and history until I joined the ATC, 1330 sqdn, in the early 70's. I was a staff cadet there with 635 Gliding School for a few years up until the M62 motorway was built along the main runway. Happy days, racing landrovers all over the base, setting up the winches and helping out with the gliding operations. The school was based in the old MT section and most of the airfield infrastructure was still intact, sadly all gone now. A great book by Aldon P Ferguson details the history, plus a follow up book of photographs tells the story and highlights the scale of the airfield, wonderful stuff. Happy days.
625 GS South Cerney 1973 - 1978
I flew out of this unit as a brit soldier in 1975 by Helicopter to RAF Upper heyford with a maint crew for F111 , i was stationed at COD Bicester oxon and a week later flew out of Waterbeach Cambridge to RAF Gutersloh and ended up at 7 OFP RAOC Scheuen nr Celle
My father was in the RAF and was seconded to Burtonwood around 1943. He told me that one night he woke to find that the rest of his 'hut' had pushed his bed onto the runway and it was gently snowing on him. He had nothing but admiration for the efficiency of the USAAF operation.
Flew from here and Woodvale with the Air Cadets in the mid 1960’s.
Chipmunks at one and gliders at the other.
Me too. Good Times. Still flying and gliding 56 years later.
Great video, I flew from Burtonwood as a boy in gliders with the air cadets and watched the whole place die from the motorway week after week.
I visited the Mighty Eighth museum in Savana Gorgia USA , Burtonwood is commemorated along with all the rest of the airbases on a wall 120 x 40 ft with the flight lanes , the museum brought me to tears when i finally realised the extent of the yanks had in the UK and what they lost
Another great video ,thanks👍
Thanks Robert 👍
Identifiable as a USAF base by the golf course to the WSW of the base. :)
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So the M62 was built on the old runway..