▁enfor cement <0x0A> </s> ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁Bur ton wood ▁( or ▁R AF ▁Bur ton wood ) ▁is ▁a ▁former ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁and ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁Air ▁Forces ▁base ▁that ▁was ▁located ▁in ▁Bur ton wood , ▁ ▁North west ▁of ▁W arr ington ▁in ▁Lanc ash ire , ▁England . ▁The ▁base ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁by ▁the ▁R AF ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁it ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁of ▁America ▁for ▁war ▁operations . ▁The ▁base ▁was ▁home ▁to ▁ 1 8 , 0 0 0 ▁American ▁serv ic emen ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁the ▁base ▁was ▁transferred ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁however ▁United ▁States ▁operations ▁continued . ▁The ▁base ▁officially ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁and ▁since ▁then ▁the ▁run way ▁and ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁associated ▁buildings ▁have ▁been ▁demol ished . ▁R AF ▁Bur ton wood ▁Heritage ▁Centre ▁was ▁opened ▁on ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁base ▁and ▁focus es ▁on ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁the ▁serv ic emen , ▁the ▁war ▁and ▁the ▁air plan es ▁at ▁the ▁base . ▁ ▁Over view ▁▁ ▁Bur ton wood ▁air field ▁was ▁opened ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁as ▁a ▁serv icing ▁and ▁storage ▁centre ▁for ▁modifying ▁British ▁aircraft . ▁It ▁was ▁operated ▁by ▁No . ▁ 3 7 ▁Main ten ance ▁Unit ▁R AF ▁until ▁June ▁ 1