Former USAF Base Burtonwood. When developer's get things wrong

**HARRY THE MOLE** · 11-28-2012, 12:35 PM

I'm not sure if anyone else has picked up on this before, but just in case they've not...

I live just across the road from the former USAF base of Burtonwood, and I often used to watch the going's on from my bedroom window. The camp has now gone, and very little remains to be seen.

In it's place has sprung a modern 'Village' development called 'Chapelford.' The developer's have tried their best to to remind people of the sites link to the US, and many of the roads are named after places in the US.

This summer, a dedication ceremony was held for the opening of a new park within the village which was to serve as a reminder to future generations of the history of the former airbase. The following pictures show what happens when developer's have little knowledge of anything military.

DSCF4201.jpg DSCF4204.jpg DSCF4202.jpg DSCF4203.jpg

**harry211** · 11-28-2012, 01:26 PM

oh dear...even the most basic research would have spotted this one and someone might have said that ain't a dakota chaps!

**Danmark** · 11-28-2012, 01:28 PM

At least they didn't turn it into a car park or shopping mall!!!!

**harry211** · 11-28-2012, 01:41 PM

by Danmark

At least they didn't turn it into a car park or shopping mall!!!!

very true - a good effort...

**Steve T** · 11-28-2012, 01:58 PM

Oh deary me........

**moaning minnie** · 11-28-2012, 02:35 PM

How on earth did they manage to make a complete pigs ear of something so simple,mind you most folk walking past wont spot the mistake anyway!!!!!regards Dave.

**Alexander** · 11-28-2012, 05:18 PM

I quite like the look of this park. The planes look like Hellcats, had to look up to see what you meant. I see now that you British call the C-47s Dakotas. So what? This former USAF base would have been British originally, so why not call it after a British (American) plane. The sculpture has a engraved layout of the former airstrip on it, not seen in the photo here. So, to give the developers their due, they did all right in my opinion. I don't think that the average Britisher who will live here knows, or cares, that the hellcats were mostly used in the Pacific. The fact is that the American link will remain, though I guess that the murals will be covered up by graffiti before too long anyhow.

**Gunny Hartmann** · 11-28-2012, 05:22 PM

Shouldn't that be Thunderbolt park!......

**Gunny Hartmann** · 11-28-2012, 05:37 PM

I remember dodging the MOD police on Burtonwood in the early 70s, a few of us used to go digging on the dumps and even though Burtonwood wasn't a combat base you'd find the odd 30 and 50 cal round, we'd take 'em home and set 'em off in a vice with a centre punch

My Dad reckons in the 50s Warrington at the weekend was more like Dodge city, All the local pubs filled with GI's. My Mums sister married one of the GI's and is still living in the states now.

**Alexander** · 11-28-2012, 05:51 PM

I like the name Dakota Park, it sounds American. If I recall rightly from my high school days, Dakotas were part of the Sioux Native Americans. It implies that American Romance many Europeans have. Keeps that US link alive.

Anyhow, Thunderbolts have a different canopy to the planes on the mural.

Shows our different upbringings, Gunny. I was a 'army brat', we were taught never to mess with live ammo. In all my years as a brat I never heard of any kid hurting themselves with live ammo. On the other hand, when I was back in 'the world' there were three civilian kids who found a 155mm shell on a range. They took it home and drilled into it. It exploded, killing all three and left three devastated families. Sorry, setting off .50 cal ammo with a hammer is just plain dumb. I could have told you that aged eight or nine!