The Early Years
Prior to being developed as an aerodrome in l9l7 this site was a racecourse set in the grounds of Hooton Hall, which was requisitioned in 1914 for Army training purposes at the beginning of WW1. The first unit stationed at the new aerodrome was a Royal Flying Corps pilot training unit who remained until disbanded in 1919. In 1927, the site was purchased with the intention of creating a major airport serving Liverpool and the Northwest of England.
During the twenties and thirties Hooton was a flourishing centre for aviation and was visited by several celebrated aviators including Amy Johnson and Sir Alan Cobham with his Flying Circus.
Aeroplanes and engines were manufactured at Hooton - Nick Comper's famous record breaking Swift and the Pobjoy 7 cyl radial aero engine.
In 1930, Hooton officially became Liverpool Airport, a position it held for three years until near neighbour Speke took over in 1933. During the inter-war years Hooton was a thriving industrial complex.
Over seventy years ago, in January 1929, a band of avid aero enthusiasts formed an aero club on the former World War 1 aerodrome at Hooton Park.
This club was to grow over the next few years to be the most active flying club in Great Britain outside London, and became a national centre for light aircraft, at the time a very popular pastime. The club also ran local air races and derbies,
and Hooton Park was even a staging post for the famous Kings Cup national air races of the 1930s. The aerodrome was home for the Comper Aircraft Co, manufacturer of one of the most successful light aircraft of the time, the Comper CLA 7 Swift, and
the Pobjoy Aeromotor Company, who produced one of the finest light aircraft radial engines ever made. For a short time Hooton Park was the only commercial aerodrome in the North of England,
operations pre-dating those at Speke (Liverpool) and Ringway (Manchester).
On 10 February 1936, No 610 (County of Chester) Squadron was formed at Hooton as a light bomber unit in the Auxiliary Air Force taking possession of one of the Belfast hangars to house its Avro Tutors and Hawker Harts when flying commenced in the May.
1939-45
On 1 January 1939, the Squadron re-mustered as a fighter unit but retained Hawker Hinds until the beginning of the war when it received Fairey Battles and then Hurricanes. These were soon given up in favour of Spitfires.
All civil flying had now ceased, apart from Dragons on army co-operation work and 18 of Hooton's considerable population of light aircraft were immobilised and stored under the old grandstand.
All were destroyed in July 1940 in a disastrous fire.
During WW2 the station was used by Coastal Command, operating patrol flights over the Irish Sea from South Wales to Cumbria.
An important function of Hooton's war effort was the assembly and repair of RAF aircraft, undertaken by Messrs Martin Hearn Ltd founded on the site in the mid thirties by a former wing-walker with Cobhams Flying Circus.
During the retreat from Dunkirk, many types of aircraft landed at Hooton Park and as soon as they touched down, each aircraft was pulled off the runway to a parking position freeing up the runway for the next aircraft to land. Examples of
all type of machine were in evidence, the list including Gloster Gladiators, Walruses, Douglas C-47s (DC3s or 'Dakotas'), Bostons, Blenheims, Swordfish to name just a few.
Post war
In June 1946, No 610 Squadron reformed with Supermarine Spitfire XIVs, giving way to Spitfire 22s, then moving over to the Meteor 4 jets. 663 Squadron formed at Hooton Park in 1949 with Tiger Moths and Auster 5s. These were later replaced by De Havilland Chipmunks, and Auster 6s and 7s. Aircraft assembly and repair continued until the mid 1950s, with work being undertaken on aircraft for both civil and military operators. In its final years three Auxiliary Air Force Squadrons operated from Hooton including the reformed No 610 - by this time flying the Gloster Meteor jet fighter. Hooton Park finally shut its gates as an aerodrome in 1957, and in 1962, was purchased by Vauxhall Motors. The last aircraft to use the site was in 1988, during the "Wheels" show, when two Harriers used part of the old runway prior to their display.
