BAe Warton

Warton Aerodrome
Aerial photograph of Warton airfield, the main runway runs NE/SW, hangars and technical buildings are to the southeast, 10 August 1945.
IATA: WRT ICAO: EGNO
Summary
Airport type	Private
Owner/Operator	BAE Systems
Location	Preston
Elevation AMSL	55 ft / 17 m
Coordinates	53°44′42″N 002°53′02″W / 53.74500°N 2.88389°W / 53.74500; -2.88389Coordinates: 53°44′42″N 002°53′02″W / 53.74500°N 2.88389°W / 53.74500; -2.88389
Map
EGNO Location in the Borough of Fylde
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 07/25 2,422 7,946 Grooved Asphalt
Sources: UK AIP at NATS

Warton Aerodrome (IATA: WRT, ICAO: EGNO) is located near to Warton village on the Fylde in Lancashire, England. The aerodrome is 6 NM (11 km; 6.9 mi) west of Preston, Lancashire, UK.

Today the airfield is a major assembly and testing facility of BAE Systems Military Air & Information. It is also part of Lancashire Enterprise Zone.

Warton Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P748) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (BAE Systems (Operations) Limited).

In 1940 new runways were built at Warton so that it could act as a "satellite" airfield for the RAF Coastal Command station at Squires Gate airfield in Blackpool.

The airfield was first operated as an air depot of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II, as thousands of aircraft were processed on their way to active service in Britain, North Africa, the Mediterranean and mainland Europe. On 14 August 1944 Glenn Miller, recently promoted to the rank of major, played a concert to 10,000 servicemen on a platform erected in front of No. 4 Hangar. On 23 August 1944, the accidental crash of a USAAF Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bomber caused the Freckleton Air Disaster.