Woodford
WOODFORD: Private company aerodrome with limited GA activity
First picture by the author. Taken in the evening gloom whilst holding for a gap in airliner arrivals and departures to land a Cessna 172 at MANCHESTER.
The second picture from a postcard was kindly sent by Mike Charlton who has an amazing collection. See: www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
Operated by: Pre 1940 to early 1960s: A. V. Roe Ltd
1960s/1970s: Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd
1980s/1990s: British Aerospace plc
2000: British Aerospace Regional Aircraft
2001: BAe Systems
Military user: WW2: US Army Air Force liaison
Private users: Pre 1940: Light Planes (Lancs) t/as: Lancashire Aero Club 1925 to 1928 only?
Manufacturing: Avro, (A.V.Roe & Co Ltd), later British Aerospace factory
Flying clubs: Pre 1940: Lancashire Aero Club, Liverpool & District Aero Club
PICTURE GALLERY PROVIDED BY MICHAEL T HOLDER
Note: Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide' unearthed these pictures from the Flight magazine archive, published on the 22nd April 1926, regarding a display held here by the Lancashire Aero Club on the 16th April. The first picture shows three DH Moths with the Avro 504N, G-EBKQ, in the foreground.
The third picture is also of interest, as the presentation of an Avro 504R Gosport by the A V Roe company to the Lancashire Aero Club. This was a military variant intended for export, and indeed many went to Argentina, Peru and Estonia. Bert Hinkler is in the pilots cockpit.
The fourth picture shows from left to right: Bert Hinkler, H E Broad, J J Scholes, T N Stack and J C Cantrill. The flying career of Bert Hinkler is well worth looking into - quite astonishing in many ways, but with a sad ending.
THE LANCASHIRE AIR PAGEANT
Note: These four pictures, also unearthed by Mike Holder, were published in Flight magazine on the 30th September 1926, the Pageant being held on the 29th. The two aircraft whose registrations I can make out are: G-EBMF, a DH60 Moth, and G-EBUS, a DH60X Moth.
Charter/air taxi: Post 1945: Air Compton, Air London
Gliding: 1950s to 1990s only? Avro Gliding Club
Note: In the 1957 The Aeroplane directory, the Avro Gliding Club were listed as operating: One Slingsby Skylark, one Slingsby Tutor and one Slingsby T.31B.
Location: S of A5012, 3nm ENE of Wilmslow, 5nm NNW of Macclesfield town centre
Period of operation: 1920 to present day. Some say it opened in 1922
Note: These maps are reproduced with the kind permission of Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd. Copyright Robert Pooley 2014:
Runways: Presumably originally a more or less 'all over' grass aerodrome?
1965: 02/20 1018x46 hard 08/26 2277x46 hard
1990/2000: 07/25 2292x46 hard
NOTES:
The famous Fokker F.VIIA G-EBTS was overhauled here by A.V.Roe during 1929/30 which says a lot for the abilities of their staff and workers in those days. This aircraft had a celebrated history starting off with a failed trans-Atlantic flight in 1927. It later flew to India twice during 1928/29 the second return attempt being made in seven and a half days! Exceptionally good going at that time. After overhaul at Woodford it flew a successful return ‘Cape’ flight to South Africa. It then undertook intensive joy-riding work with C.D. Barnard Air Tours in the UK before being leased to British Air Navigation in 1931 for two to three years as an airliner on the HESTON (LONDON) to Le Touquet in France service. 1n 1934 it went back to India with the C.D. Barnard Air Tours circus to India and stayed there. Does anybody now know what was that all about? In May 1935 it became the private aeroplane of Sir Dossabhor Hormasji Bhuwandiwella at Colaba, Bombay for a year or so. Sir ‘Tossabhor’, (my probably unfair opinion), then allowed this illustrious aeroplane to be scrapped. But that was the norm everywhere in those days
A FLYING CIRCUS VENUE
Venue (10th June 1933) for Alan Cobham’s No.1 Tour of the UK
Venue (23rd June 1934) for Alan Cobham's 1934 Tour of the UK
Venue (30th May 1935) for Alan Cobham’s 1935 Tour of the UK
THE LANCASHIRE AERO CLUB
Between the wars, (I’ve yet to get any definitive dates), the Lanacashire Aero Club moved here after being formed at ALEXANDRA PARK initially with just one Leeming Glider later augmented by an Avro 504K, (what else?), and once established at WOODFORD the Air Ministry subsidy scheme provided two D.H.60 Moths G-EBLR and G-EBLV. Sir Charles Wakefield (of Castrol oil fame), then donated another Moth G-EMBQ which appears to have been the normal ‘penalty’ in those days for being elected a club President! Hmmmm, maybe the last flying group I was involved with should now go in search of a ‘Sir’? It’s good to keep old traditions alive I’d say! A V Roe who owned the airfield donated an Avro Gosport G-EBNF.
WORLD WAR TWO
In the early years of WW2 Anson, Blenheim and Manchester aircraft were completed here. Conversion work on Boston types was also undertaken. During WW2 Avro assembled the famous Lancaster bombers here as well as some small US Army liaison aircraft. Or, were a separate US Army team based here?
THE JET AIRLINER ERA
It is still a commom myth that the first British jet airliner was the DH.106 Comet. It wasn’t. The jet four-engine Avro Tudor 8, powered by four RR Nenes, first took-off here on the 6th September 1948 flown by Jimmy Orrell; the Comet I first flew on the 27th July 1949. Both were heavily flawed designs with a limited future. The concept was correct of course, but the vision was too limited? Boeing came up with the answer, putting those often unreliable jet engines on pylons beneath the wings which were easy to replace. Plus going faster for longer with more passengers - Boeing got it right with their 707.
But, it does make for an interesting discussion. All three of the British ‘V-Bombers’ had their engines enclosed near to the wing roots, a nightmare to service and especially to replace. But, the Vulcan could, without any doubt, make mincemeat of the B.52 in performance terms. During the ‘Cold War’ the B.52 was nigh on useless whereas all the British 'V' bombers could run circles around virtually anything opposing them, and, the Vulcan especially stood a very good chance.
A VERY ODD ERA
Can anybody help me out here? And explain the perceived benefits to humankind of annihilation of not only our species, but virtually all other forms of life on earth. The fact that any major full-scale nuclear war would have pretty much put paid to several thousand years of humanity trying to establish some form of civilisation doesn’t seem to have bothered those in charge? Odd indeed that for so many years all the military, and the politicians on both sides, much preferred a potentially suicidal nuclear war scenario rather than negotiate? Or so they said!
But of course some devious, scheming and very dangerous person, (or persons), had invented the term "deterrent". A brilliant money-spinner!
I have often wondered over the years, how the people involved in this actually felt at that time. From the person installing a rivet in the factory to the aircrew - knowing that if what they were all involved in came to be used, they and the rest of us would all be dead PDQ.
I now get the impression that the whole fiasco of the ‘Cold War’ was utterly contrived. Both sides knowing it could not happen but content to spend massive amounts to score points. A situation not so far removed from the elementary school playground mentality. It was of course the Russians, who really understood the implications of ‘all out’ war who decided to call an end to all the nonsense.
AN INSIGHT
For an insight into WOODFORD between 1977 and 2001 I can highly recommend Avro One by Wg Cdr J A ‘Robby’ Robinson. In a forward to this book Sir Charles Masefield makes an interesting comment: “ “Avro One” is the much coveted radio callsign, handed down from generation to generation, of successive Chief Test Pilots of the famous Avro Company based at Woodford, Cheshire – now, more prosaically, known as the Woodford Unit of BAE Systems.” Or it was when written 2005. Not only is this much prized and jealously guarded “Avro One” callsign of the Woodford Chief Test Pilot preserved to this day – surviving company name changes over the years from Avro through Hawker Siddely and British Aerospace to BAE Systems – but also, uniquely in the history of aviation, the succession of “Avro” Chief Test Pilots stretches back unbroken for 97 years.”
This might be ‘gilding the lilly’ to some extent but I think we can accept the point? It appears it was the famous Avro Chief Test Pilot H A (Sam) Brown who coined the term “Avro One” when radios were first fitted in Avro aircraft in the 1930s. ‘Sam’ Brown served as Chief Test Pilot from the early 1930s until after the end of World War 2 and therefore first flew the first example of what was, without too much argument, the best WW2 heavy bomber, the Avro Lancaster.
HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?
To me the story of how British aviation developed after WW2 is fascinating. Without any doubt several interests, (mostly political? probably US led?), were already in place determined to destroy the British aircraft industry. And yet, during this time and concurrent with building quite probably the most inept series of seriously flawed airliners, (the Tudor types), this company was engaged in designing and producing what was, and still is, the most sensational heavy bomber type ever – the Avro Vulcan. And, I don’t think I’m over egging this appraisal?
On the 30th August 1952 the prototype Avro 698 first flew from here. Later named Vulcan this delta-winged “V” bomber really was an extraordinary aeroplane by any standards. It’s performance in nearly every aspect was way ahead of anything operated by other Air Forces during most of it’s operational life. Despite it’s size it had almost fighter like flying qualities in many respects. It was also capable of flying at very high altitudes and during the earlier phase of the “Cold War” was regularly used on “spy” missions over the USSR.
SOME AVRO HISTORY
In Avro One ‘Robby’ Robinson tells this story: “Since it’s opening in 1922, the airfield had constantly grown to accommodate ever-larger aircraft. In the forties it had acquired hard surfaced runways so that Woodford could deliver up to ten Lancasters a day to Bomber Command and, in the fifties, the main east-west runway had been lengthened to allow the Vulcan V bombers to be built here. This new extension crossed an ancient footpath and, British law being what it is, we could do nothing to close it, or even to divert it round the end of the runway. It was a constant challenge to ramblers, especially at the time of the annual Woodford Airshow, when foolhardy citizens would encroach on the runway despite the efforts of the police.”
I love this story. If my memory serves the UK was engaged, along with many other countries, around this period, in a contretempts with the Soviet Union known as the ‘Cold War’ and we were lead to believe that there was a most serious threat of nuclear war and, our V bomber force was a significant deterrent to prevent this inconvenience to ramblers happening. As it happens I am, on the whole, much in favour of preserving our ancient footpaths although not a rambler myself, as they are a key element of our heritage. But surely, the fact that a footpath couldn’t be diverted around a runway at one of the major V bomber production facilities beggers belief? A very interesting contrast to the official attitude in WW2 when, if a runway severed a main road, cutting it off, they didn’t hesitate to do so. But, if a request to move a church spire on short finals, (with a guarantee to restore it should the war be won), the local Bishop kicked up merry hell. See NUNEATON in LEICESTERSHIRE. As pointed out elsewhere, I’d failed to realise the TV programme Dad’s Army was actually a documentary.
ALSO HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING
The books Vulcan Boys and Victor Boys by Tony Blackman are a source of great insight into the history of this airfield, and much else besides.
WHO WAS THE MAIN PROTAGANIST?
As an aside, over many years I have become increasingly convinced the USSR were not the main protaganist in the Cold War. The principal aggressor was the USA. The Russians knew, perhaps better than any nation, what an ‘all out’ war entailed and had suffered immensely. And Stalin of course was hell bent on a most extreme form of war against so many terribly unfortunate people within his own regime. Looked back on, quite possibly the period on which humanity should be most ashamed? Can we even to begin to imagine how such immense resources might have been deployed to improve all our living conditions and infrastructure?
One question, perhaps the biggest when you think about it, is how the hell did this utterly absurd situation develop so soon after WW2 ended? Hitler and the Nazi regime had been disposed of, and yet so quickly replaced on both sides with a phalanx of even greater and utterly manic and deluded individuals, (including scientists), who today can only be regarded as utterly insane? Arsenals of nuclear weapons were stockpiled capable of destroying the world several times over. Not one of them apperaring to realised that the world can only be destroyed once! Plus, why in those days did populations elect such suicidal maniacs to govern them? It is all very odd.
Thankfully, within Europe, far more sensible and thinking people prevailed and it was decided that war within European nations had to be abolished forever and a Community established. I suppose the ‘criminal’ element getting involved in governments and big business was to be expected? A problem still to be resolved of course. But, I have seen over forty years a massive improvement across Europe and this really must be applauded, it’s the way forward without any doubt. The sheer ease with which I can travel across Europe, with the welcome and hospitality afforded is a delight. Isn’t this how life should be lived?
THEN THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED
Then, on the 23rd June 2016, the unthinkable happened - a very small majority of the public voted for the UK to leave the EU. Even by the middle of 2017 nobody, including our goverment, had any idea of the ramifications - but it will be very, very expensive. The legal profession will have a hey-day never before seen in the history of the world, and the UK has to pay this truly enormous price. Will it be worth it? Of course not - most of the UK population will surely suffer as a consequence.
1975
In 1975 Hawker Siddeley were building HS.748s and Nimrods here. Ironic really regarding Nimrod production as this was a direct descendent of the DH.106 Comet, (the worlds first jet airliner to enter operations and an utter cock-up resulting in several disasters.
1977
In 1977 the following six aircraft are recorded as being based here: Southern Martlet G-AAYX, (airworthy?), D.H.104 Dove 8 G-ARHW of Hawker Siddeley Aviation Leasing Ltd, G-ARRV (?), Beagle B.121 Pup 2 G-AVLN and two H.S.748 Srs.2As G-BCDZ and G-BDVH of Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd.
THE BAe 146
The BAe 146 and later variants were built here. This was a phenomanal short haul airliner with, in airliner terms, STOL capabilities. The tale is told that BAe Systems decided to end production of the type with a full order book. If this is correct then something seems obviously wrong here and needs to be explained?
FIRST FLIGHTS OF SIGNIFICANT TYPES: FROM WOODFORD, POST WW2
Avro Vulcan 30 August 1952
Avro 748 24 June 1960
HS Nimrod May 1967
BAe 146 3rd September 1981
BAe ATP August 1986
A BONUS PICTURE
Note: This picture was kindly provided by Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide'. Flown down from KINLOSS, XV258 was the last Mk.2 to be delivered for conversion to AAR (Air-to-Air Refuelling) capability. They flew in on the 13th February 1984 and Mike is third from the right.
A COUPLE OF NOTES
In 1998 the first Lockheed Constellation to visit the UK (since ?) landed here after crossing the Atlantic. It went on to the PFA Rally at CRANFIELD and also landed on the grass at MIDDLE WALLOP.
There is also an account of a Sabena 727 landing here, mistaking it for Manchester airport. Any info?
MORE INFORMATION
In March 2016 Paul Tomlin e-mailed me. He pointed out that the Sabena airliner was actually a Boeing 737, and that other aircraft have made the same mistake.
He went on to say: "You appear to have little knowledge of Woodford. That which you have hoovered up from numerous sources contains errors. You are leaving the door wide open for these errors to be copied and perpetuated."
"Burnage and Didsbury are not in CHESHIRE and never have been. They are Districts of City of Manchester, which at that time was in LANCASHIRE, until more recently GREATER MANCHESTER. Same for Wythenshawe and Ringway."
AUTHOR'S NOTE
I am much indebted to Mr Tomlin for making these points. However, I trust that everybody who has visited this 'Guide' will not have found any claim by myself for being an authority on the subject, or any sort of expert. Indeed, any serious study of history will quickly reveal that it is constantly being re-written as more information comes to light. Also, this 'Guide' is packed full of questions, and, very few similar works actively encourage participation and debate. Indeed, every entry contains a comments section.
Finally, although Mr Tomlin dismisses my efforts over the last twenty years as "....hoovered up from numerous sources..." I do hope that others might kindly regard this task as legitimate research. It is for me very important that people regard this project as a 'Guide'. No claim has been made for this 'Guide' being in any way definitive - and it would be ridiculous to make such a claim.
THE END OF AN ERA
On a visit to Woodford in August 2016 the entire site was being demolished and being turned into mainly a housing estate, although it apears that many of the 'industrial' buildings may be used for similar purposes. Entry to take some pictures was, not unreasonably, denied. Being a weekday the Avro museum, on the northern edge of the airfield, was closed.
It therefore struck me that for people passing this site, on the A5102, this sign for the Avro Golf Club may well be the only visible sign that the airfield, and the once mighty Avro company, ever existed in this area. And I suppose, certainly for many younger people driving past, the significance of the 'Avro' badge on the sign will be completely lost.
Andy Tatton
This comment was written on: 2017-08-14 21:07:51Hi, I worked at Woodford for 38 years and I personally witnessed the Sabena B737 coming down the approach on the morning flight (07.00am in the morning). It came down the approach and broke off at about 3 or 4 miles out. It banked and climbed right to join the Manchester approach for runway 24 without incident. I also witnessed a Qantas B747 do the same. (I worked at flight sheds for a while and it was always second nature to check the approach for aircraft before crossing the runway - hence the eye witness accounts). I hope this info helps?
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Andy, Many thanks indeed. I shall certainly keep these recollections posted. Best regards, Dick
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
