The base is notable for having previously served as both a Royal Navy (as HMS Flycatcher) and a Royal Air Force (as RAF Middle Wallop) controlled airfield, as well as an Army one initially as Middle Wallop Airfield.

[2][3] Among the fighter pilots who flew from here in the Battle of Britain were former journalist John Dundas[4] (a veteran of the Battle of France, and brother of another notable RAF pilot, "Cocky" Dundas), and three remarkable Americans, "Red" Tobin, Andy Mamedoff, and "Shorty" Keough.

[7] RAF Chilbolton was designated the relief landing airfield for Middle Wallop, until it became a fully fledged Fighter Station in its own right, as the Battle of Britain progressed.

Ten tons of Beaufighter thus required a fair degree of accuracy in the approach speed.

If you had 10-15mph too much on the clock as you came over the hedge, the aeroplane would then float for a hundred yards or so before touching down at 80mph, and thus use up the spare margin of distance available for stopping.

So we all quickly learned the value of precision flying and brought our aircraft in to land within 1 per cent of 105mph on the approach and 90mph over the hedge.

[9]Squadrons serving at Middle Wallop included: Middle Wallop was also used by the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force to house Headquarters IX Fighter Command, beginning in November 1943.

The move of the 67th Group was made in December 1943 so it would be in close proximity to IX FC Headquarters.

[31] After D-Day, both the 67th RG moved to its Advanced Landing Ground at Le Molay-Littry (ALG A-9) and IX FC Headquarters moved to Les Obeaux, France in late June 1944 ending the USAAF presence at Middle Wallop.

HMS Flycatcher, the headquarters for the Mobile Naval Air Base organisation then moved in from RNAS Ludham, Norfolk, which reverted to RAF use.

227 OCU, an Army air observation post training unit, was moved to the airfield.