Royal Air ForceWoodvale or RAF Woodvale is a Royal Air Force Station located next to the town of Formby in an area called Woodvale which is located to the south of Southport, Merseyside. Woodvale was constructed as an all-weather night fighter airfield for the defence of Liverpool. However, it did not open until 7 December 1941 which was just after the Liverpool Blitz which peaked in May of that year.
During the Second World War RAF squadrons were brought up from the south of England to 'rest' for short periods, during which time they defended Merseyside. 308 Squadron was the first to arrive, on 12 December 1941, from RAF Northolt before leaving on 1 April 1942. Squadrons were rotated regularly. Several were Polish, including 315 Sqn and 317 Sqn. Spitfire IIs and Vbs were operated by these units. Support units working with all three Services also served there, calibrating anti-aircraft guns and towing targets for the Royal Navy. In April 1945, Woodvale briefly became a Tender for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm airfield at Burscough, HMS Ringtail, being given the name HMS Ringtail II.
Post war
After a period of inactivity, Woodvale reopened on 22 July 1946, when the Spitfire F14s of No. 611 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, moved here from Liverpool Airport at Speke. The squadron re-equipped with Spitfire F22s in February 1949. Gloster Meteor F.4 and F.8 jets were flown between May 1951 until 9 July 1951. Because of the need for better facilities, the Squadron moved to RAF Hooton Park, joining No. 610 Squadron, where it remained until its disbandment on 10 March 1957. The Temperature and Humidity Flight, operating Spitfires and Mosquitos, was based there from 1953 to 1958. The last operational flight by a Spitfire in active British military markings, flew from RAF Woodvale in 1957. No. 5 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-Operation Unit moved to Woodvale on 1 January 1958, and operated target-towing Meteors until 30 September 1971 when the unit was disbanded.
In 1971, RAF Woodvale hosted the first annual Woodvale International Rally. The event is a charitable event, that originally began as a model aircraft show. It has grown over the years to include car clubs with both classic cars, vintage cars and other vehicle displays. It usually occupies the first weekend in August. The 2012 rally had to be re-located and rescheduled to nearby Victoria Park, Southport, Merseyside, on safety grounds. Asbestos was discovered from old World War II structures that had been buried long ago.
Basing the Merseyside Air Support Group at RAF Woodvale made the station something of a target for criminals. Just before 2230 on Friday 9 October 2009 a window of the helicopter was smashed and petrol poured inside causing the helicopter to be grounded. On 17 May 2010 the Merseyside Police helicopter was again attacked and grounded, after four masked intruders broke into the airbase at around 04:00 causing what was described as minor damage. As part of the reorganisation of Police Air Support in England and Wales and the formation of the National Police Air Service, Merseyside operationally retired its dedicated Police helicopter G-XMII in July 2011. Cover would then be provided with four aircraft from Cheshire, Lancashire, North Wales and Greater Manchester, the nearest to Merseyside being based at Hawarden Airport with G-XMII providing back up. From 1 June 2012, Merseyside Police signed a four-year deal to lease the helicopter to the Norwegian Police Service in response to the 2011 terrorist attacks in Norway.
