Until the 1930s Woodley was a village of little significance. In that decade, Woodley Aerodrome was opened in a 100-acre (40 ha) field belonging to Sandford Farm. In 1932 F.G. Miles came to Woodley and joined with Philips and Powis in the production of the Miles Hawk aeroplane, leading to the formation of Miles Aircraft Ltd which continued producing aircraft in Woodley until after the Second World War. In the years before the war numerous aviators visited Woodley, including Charles Lindbergh and Amy Johnson; Douglas Bader lost his legs in a flying accident on the airfield in 1931. From 1935 a civilian flying school was operated by the Philips and Powis company, where trainees were prepared for service in the RAF. Just under 6,000 civil and military aircraft were built and first flown here from 1933-62 and, in 1939, the Phillips & Powis factory installed Britain’s first moving track assembly line for aircraft production, to build the Miles Master advanced training aeroplane. Today, Woodley’s aviation heritage is commemorated by the Museum of Berkshire Aviation on the southern edge of the former airfield. After the Second World War, Woodley continued to grow, with industry relocating from Reading, and new housing. In the 1960s the airfield was closed together with its last aircraft factory and a new town centre was created replacing old village shops. The former airfield was redeveloped for housing by Adwest Properties Ltd in the 1980s and Woodley is now largely indistinguishable from Reading.