When the US left much of the stored equipment and vehicles were written off as too costly to transport elsewhere and went for surplus sale or scrap metal and tons were dumped in landfill. Large wooden aircraft shipping containers were popular and many were bought locally for garden or chicken sheds 😎 Rumour has it some was even dumped down disused mine shafts, of which there plenty in the area!
By January of 1967, the base had been abandoned by the U.S. Air Force for around two years. When Charles De Gaulle kicked all U.S. forces out of France, most of the items in storage facilities were transferred to Burtonwood. The unit responsible was the Army's Communication Zone Europe. I was sent, from Poitiers, France, as one of the first soldiers to be stationed at Burtonwood. Warrington was then in South Lancashire. It slipped into Cheshire in the early 70s. We took a U.S. Army AN/GRC-26 radio van to the base in late January. It was actually an HF radio-teletype van. When we arrived at the base, a landline cable was installed. I was the only radio-teletype operator sent from our detachment. I held down the post of radio NCOIC (non-commissioned officer in charge) of all radio communications. I laughed at this title, since we NEVER used our radio even once while I was there. Our radio van was parked inside the warehouse closest to the very front offices of the Header House. This landline teletype set-up, which aside from telephone and telex, was the only communications we had. They sent landline teletype operatiors, or communications specialists to operate in the tiny van. For me, it was an easy transition from a radio-teletype to use landline. Having spent nine months, back in France, actually using the radios, I would have preferred my old duty. So, from January 1967 until I left in June of 1968, there was absolutely no radio operation going on at Burtonwood. BTW, we had a tiny detachment of Army aviation stationed at the field. They were on temporary duty from their home base in Germany. The had one light plane and one helicopter. I was used as a temporary photographer, towards the end of my time, so I got to go on missions in the plane and chopper. I liked your video, but I hope I cleared some things up.
After the USAAF left in the 1980s/1990s The two massive hangars were used as a Storage facility for Washing Powder made in Trafford Park by Colgate Palmolive, I remember seeing the Hangar door being open on the Day I passed my LGV Licence (Articulated Large Goods vehicles) Test. The smell of Lemon floated through the Air as I did a little celebratory Jig back to the waiting minibus back to the Office. Then In front of the rest of the other Dozen people taking their tests also I caught my foot in a pothole in a part of a Old taxiway and Fell Arse over Tit as the saying goes. AH such sweet memories 😒
I was a staff cadet with 635 Gliding School in the early 70's, happy days. When the M62 first opened, along the line of the old main runway we had to be careful with the winch cable if operating adjacent to the motorway. On one easter weekend there was an incident when a second winch cable was caught in the tail skid of a Cadet MkIII during a winch launch. Luckily disaster was averted by the swift action of the winch driver who chopped the cable. However, the trailing cable was dragged over the motorway, causing some fuss. Traffic was very light in those days so no real harm done. Aldon P Ferguson has written two excellent books on the history of RAF Burtonwood for anyone wanting more info.
The aircraft and US Army Helicopters that visited Burtonwood in the 70s and 80s commonly used the Callsign "Lord + 2 numbers". The base had offices at major ports on the South and East coast to facilitate the loading of all the truckloads of men heading to Europe. The road and motorway signs had small symbols on them so drivers from the US could easily follow the designated route.
Another fascinating episode. The M62 used one of the runways as its route when it was built. Next time I am in the area I will try and get to the museum. Just sent £ 2 via Paypal. All the best.
Thank you for sharing your information on Burton Wood, nice to see and listen about the back ground of the old US and RAF Station. My colleagues and I used the base for training in the early to mid 1980s as did the only other 24/7 operational military organisation back then. Even in the dilapidated and rundown state it was a truly impressive camp, and great for exactly what we required. Brings back many memories, including our annual stays in a Warrington hotel and literally taking over many Blackpool hotels for thousands of police officers to stay 2 or 3 nights during their training.
Great video, I live the BRD side of the base on the opposite side of what was Header House. Also went to one if the last open day's at HH before they shipped everything out. 👍👍
Stumbled across this vid last night looking for info re the Burtonwood Radio Range An advanced type NDB tx MF which was also use by civil aircraft and airliner.....it was one of 4 such radio Ranges located around the UK to give a good UK navigation service. A retired BEA captain was telling me how he used it many times over the years flying DC-3 and Viscount aircraft. I was trying to find the transmitting site or location of the Radio Range Site in Warrington to see if anything remains or gives a clue to its time in the area. Seems the transmitter was located 2 nautical miles east of the Burtonwood main base....which would put it around Winwick Road near the M62. I wonder if anything is known to pinpoint the transmitter site. I remember the Bell Huey Choppers flying from Burtonwood to the nearby Speke Airport....were lots of USAF still operated in connection With Burtonwood....as burton wood had no operational runways. This was late 60s.... Those Huey Choppers had a very distinctive boom boom sound from the 2 blade rotor.....carried for miles.....how I loved that sound heard in my home in liverpool as a kid. Types of aircraft we saw at Liverpool in connection with Burtonwood where DC-3 DC-4 DC-6 Convair 440s I think there were and small but stunning looking Beech Seminoles types. Loved heard the pilots America drawl on my early VHF airband radio Prob lots of other aircraft types that I am not aware of operated into Liverpool Speke at that time. Keep up the good work Ryan.
Hi I’m just wonder how using the cb radio to connect to the tower, because my cb radio under a bus and need to light up the Christmas tree but I never used cb radio before is it free
