Mr Aldon Ferguson: Burtonwood and the Berlin Airlift, Social Evening

 

 

In 1948 RAF Burtonwood was being handed over to the USAF by the RAF to act as the maintenance and support base for the USAF in Europe at the beginning of the Cold War. The Russian blockade of Berlin precipitated a rush to reopen the base to support the Air Lift to supply Berlin with all goods by air. Burtonwood became the main support base for the C54 Skymaster aircraft used by the USAF. Initially it took nine days to undertake a 200 hour overhaul but by the end of the Lift over 1500 overhauls had been successfully completed and the highest rate was nine in one day.

This presentation will be given by Aldon Ferguson, Founder of the RAF Burtonwood Association, accompanied by Roy Thorpe-Apps, UK Preident of the Association and Board member Peter Quinn.