Woodford Aerodrome

Woodford Aerodrome Manchester Woodford Aerodrome
IATA: ICAO: EGCD
Summary
Airport type	Private
Operator	BAE Systems
Location	Woodford, Greater Manchester
Elevation AMSL	295 ft / 90 m
Coordinates	53°20′17″N 002°08′56″W / 53.33806°N 2.14889°W / 53.33806; -2.14889Coordinates: 53°20′17″N 002°08′56″W / 53.33806°N 2.14889°W / 53.33806; -2.14889
Map
EGCD Location in Greater Manchester
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 07/25 2,292 7,520 Asphalt

Woodford Aerodrome or Manchester Woodford Aerodrome (ICAO: EGCD) is a former private airfield and aircraft factory located at Woodford, Greater Manchester. The site, which is 6 NM (11 km; 6.9 mi) north of Macclesfield, Cheshire, England, was opened by the Avro company shortly after the First World War. It became an important production centre for military aircraft during the Second World War. Notable planes made at the factory include the Avro Anson, Avro Lancaster, Avro Shackleton and Avro Vulcan.

After almost 80 years of continual aircraft manufacture at the site, Woodford was closed and sold off by BAE Systems in 2011.

The aerodrome opened in 1924 when successful aviation pioneer Alliott Verdon-Roe bought the original farmland to enable his Avro company to move its aeroplane assembly and test flying facilities from Alexandra Park Aerodrome in south Manchester. Originally it had a small grass landing area with several temporary Bessonneau hangars. The Lancashire Aero Club also used the aerodrome briefly in the 1920s until moving to the new Barton Aerodrome and used a converted farm building as a clubhouse and a 'Dutch barn' style steel-framed hangar built for A V Roe around 1927.

By the late 1930s, the aerodrome was upgraded to hard runways; the main runway was also extended to the east. Increased factory space, particularly at the northern edge of the aerodrome next to Woodford village, was constructed to allow vast expansion of aircraft production. During the Second World War, the Avro Lancaster was constructed at the site.

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