Unit History: RAF Cranage

RAF Cranage was originally used as an aircraft storage facility. The base became No. 2 Navigation School (later Central Navigation School) at the outbreak of world war two. In December 1940 No. 96 (Nightfighter) squadron was formed at Cranage, their  role was the air defence of Liverpool during the blitz. After 1941 the base was used for navigation training for Bomber Command navigators flying Airspeed Oxford’s, Avro Anson’s and Wellington’s. Situated next to the airfield was a Vickers-Armstrong factory building Wellington bombers, these were towed to Cranage to undertake test flights prior to delivery to their units. Early in 1944 No. 14 Liaison Squadron, United States Army Air Force, were based at Cranage operating the Stinson L5 ’Sentinel’ aircraft. General Patton had his 3rd Army HQ nearby at Knutsford.
 
In 1945 the base passed into the ownership of the United States Air Force who used it as a supply centre until it closed in 1957.