In the first year of its existence, 790 aircraft were assembled at Brooklyn, consisting of 254 Airspeed Oxfords, 154 Miles Masters, 148 Avro Ansons, 79 Harvards, 78 Fairey Battles, 63 Martin Baltimores, nine Bristol Beauforts and five de Havilland Dominies.

Curtiss Kittyhawks and Hawker Hurricanes were also assembled at a later stage, but by the end of the war, the depots were now disposing of aircraft for scrap or exporting them.

In 1946, the first jet aircraft to reach South Africa, a Gloster Meteor III, was assembled and flown at Brooklyn.

Although the base has long been the centre of the SAAF's maritime patrol activities along the Cape coast, due to increased budgetary restrictions, the base was scheduled to be downgraded to an Air Force Station (AFS Ysterplaat) on 1 April 2003, but as of August 2004, this has not yet happened.

However, AFB Ysterplaat restricted airspace helps trainees at local flight training schools based at Fisantekraal or Morningstar Airfield in honing their round-trip skills while flying en route the Cape Peninsula, thus creating strong bonds between the base and the diverse flying community of the Western Cape.