|  The
story of this coastal airfield built in 1941 for the defence
of Merseyside. The base is probably the only ‘utility' type
RAF airfield still operational today with the RAF.
Woodvale acted as a fighter base for squadrons resting from
the heat of battle in the south of England whilst they defended
Merseyside, rested and re-equipped and returned to the fight
further south.
There were also a large number of support units working
with all three services, calibrating anti-aircraft guns and
their radars and towing targets for the Royal Navy
Towards the end of WWII Woodvale was transferred to the
RN and after a period of uncertainty Woodvale reopened in
1946 with No 611 ( West Lancashire ) Squadron reforming there.
Meteor jets arrived in 1950 and remained until 1971 when
No 5 CAACU disbanded. Remaining a training base since 1951
Woodvale is now home to Manchester & Salford, University
Air Squadron, Liverpool University Air Squadron and No 10
Air Experience Flight, all flying Grob Tutor aircraft. There
are many civilian aircraft based here together with the Merseyside
Police helicopter.
100 pages with over 220 photos and full appendices including
CO's dates and details of each unit, accidents, representative
aircraft, local graves, plans, airfield technical information,
this handbook gives a complete history of Woodvale in flowing,
easily read narrative with full photographic coverage.
You can view a selection of the photographs here |
