History of Manchester Airport

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Ringway Airport in September 1939. Pictured are the terminal building and control tower (= hangar 1), and hangars 2 and 3 (in order from left) with a De Havilland Dragon Rapide of Great Western and Southern Airlines. Image taken from a little south of west. (After World War II they were renumbered 2,3,4.) Ringway Airport 1938.jpg
Ringway Airport in September 1939. Pictured are the terminal building and control tower (= hangar 1), and hangars 2 and 3 (in order from left) with a De Havilland Dragon Rapide of Great Western and Southern Airlines. Image taken from a little south of west. (After World War II they were renumbered 2,3,4.)

The origins of Manchester Airport in England, UK, date back to the 1930s. Construction started on Ringway on 28 November 1935 and it opened partly in June 1937 and completely on 25 June 1938, in Ringway parish north of Wilmslow, from which it derived its original name Manchester (Ringway) Airport. Its north border was Yewtree Lane. Its southeast border was a little northwest of Altrincham Road (Styal).

Contents

In World War II, it was the location of RAF Ringway, and was important in the production and repair of military aircraft and training parachutists.

After World War II, it gradually expanded to its present size, including massive expansion of aprons, runways and car parking areas. Among the first expansions was car parking and service buildings north of Yewtree Lane.

From 1958 to late 1962, Terminal 1 was built: this was the first of Ringway's modern large terminals and the first major public building north of Yewtree Lane.

In 1997, the second runway was planned and construction on it started, with protests about it intruding on woodland in the Styal area.

Local airfield history

Manchester, England, has been served since 1911 by the following airfields:

Area where Manchester Airport and Wythenshawe are now, as around 1925 Aa oldwythenshawe 00.jpg
Area where Manchester Airport and Wythenshawe are now, as around 1925

Origins of Manchester Airport

World War II

General Sir John Dill, Chief of the Imperial General Staff inspects gliders at the Central Landing Establishment at RAF Ringway, December 1940. The British Army in the United Kingdom 1939-45 H6215.jpg
General Sir John Dill, Chief of the Imperial General Staff inspects gliders at the Central Landing Establishment at RAF Ringway, December 1940.
No. 613 Squadron RAF Spitfires at RAF Ringway in 1947 613 Squadron Spitfire F.14s at RAF Ringway in 1947.jpg
No. 613 Squadron RAF Spitfires at RAF Ringway in 1947

In World War II, aircraft dispersal and work areas with hard standings were built outside the old airfield area: north of Yewtree Lane by Fairey's area, and southeast of Altrincham Road (Styal) by the three southeast hangars. These were linked to by "level crossings" across those two roads, which were closed to the public except to those with a local resident's pass from early 1940 to mid 1945. After the war these hard standings were removed and the land was returned to farming, and the two roads became public again.

Airfield buildings as at end of World War II

At the end of the war the airfield had these buildings (In the pairs of hangar numbers, the first number is the hangar's original number and the second is its later renumbering.):

See also RAF Ringway.

After World War II: back to civilian use

Pier B of the 1962 Terminal (now Terminal 1) in summer 1964 showing the angled parking then used and a Dan-Air Douglas Dakota, KLM Vickers Viscount and Dan-Air Airspeed Ambassador. The public viewing terrace on the pier is visible Manchester Airport 1964.jpg
Pier B of the 1962 Terminal (now Terminal 1) in summer 1964 showing the angled parking then used and a Dan-Air Douglas Dakota, KLM Vickers Viscount and Dan-Air Airspeed Ambassador. The public viewing terrace on the pier is visible

After World War II the airport grew massively.

Start of the modern terminals

The widebody era and further expansion

This BOAC Boeing 747 was the first widebody airliner to arrive at the airport on 17 August 1970 Boeing 747-136 G-AWNC BOAC RWY 17.08.70 edited-3.jpg
This BOAC Boeing 747 was the first widebody airliner to arrive at the airport on 17 August 1970
The burned wreckage of British Airtours Flight 28M on runway 24 at Manchester International Airport in August 1985 BrAirtours 28M 8-1988 A.jpg
The burned wreckage of British Airtours Flight 28M on runway 24 at Manchester International Airport in August 1985

3 terminals

Railway station

Second runway

Aircraft stands at Terminal 3 Manchester T3 043.JPG
Aircraft stands at Terminal 3

21st century

Manchester Airport railway and tram station Tram 3074 at Manchester Airport (2).jpg
Manchester Airport railway and tram station

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References

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Bibliography

Commons-logo.svg Media related to History of Manchester Airport at Wikimedia Commons

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