Barton Aerodrome was planned to be the main airport for Manchester, but it became clear by 1934 that its small boggy grass airfield was inadequate for the larger airliners then coming into service including the Douglas DC-2 and DC-3.

Construction of the all-grass airfield began in late 1935, and the first (westerly) portion opened in June 1937 for use by Fairey Aviation.

Construction of a Royal Air Force station, including two large hangars, workshops, barrack blocks and ancillary accommodation, began in the northeast corner of the airport during spring 1939, with phased completion during early 1940.

Men and women agents of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) were also trained to jump.

[3] Comedian Frank Muir, serving in the RAF, spent several years at the school in the photographic section taking slow motion film of jumps on a project intended to decrease the frequency of parachutes failing (sometimes called "Roman Candle").

14 Ferry Pilots Pool of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) was based at Ringway between 1940 and 1945.

The last warplane prototype to be assembled here was the Avro Lincoln bomber which first flew from Ringway on 9 July 1944.

Two hangars built in the NW corner of the airfield during 1939/40 for use by Fairey Aviation remain in use, one for aircraft maintenance and the other for ground operations.