RAF Woodvale
THE STATION
Royal Air Force Woodvale, near Formby in Merseyside, is currently home to flying units providing flying training to future University Air Squadron students and giving air experience flights to Air Cadet Organisations within the North West. It is also home to 611 Squadron RAuxAF who meets there to conduct regular training.
Commander
Wing Commander D Hooton RAF
ADDRESS
Formby By-pass
LIVERPOOL
L37 7AD
KEY DATES
1941 - Station opened with 308 (Krakowski) Squadron being the first flying unit.
1945 - Station closed at the end of the War after acting briefly as a Royal Naval Air Station.
1946 - Re-opened with 611(R) squadron flying Spitfires, and later Gloster Meteors.
1957 - Saw the last operational RAF Spitfire flight as part of the meteorological unit based there.
2006 - 631 Volunteer Gliding Squadron moved to the Station.
HISTORY
RAF Woodvale was opened in 1941 as a night fighter station for the defence of Liverpool and the docks there after the Liverpool blitz in May. The station was used as a rest area for fighter squadrons after being in combat in the south of the UK throughout the war. The Station closed in 1945 after a brief period of use by the Royal Navy. In 1946 Spitfires of 611 Squadron reopened the airfield and the squadron stayed there until it was stood down in 1957. Since 1971, the Station's role has been largely training, with 611 reforming there in 2013.
