It saw the peak of its activity during the years of the Second World War, when it served within the defence network of fighter bases of the RAF providing protection for the Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and Humber estuary industrial regions.

After the war it at first retained its role as a fighter base, being among the first to receive modern jet aircraft, namely the Gloster Meteor[2] and the Hawker Hunter.

[3] For some years it was home to the Royal Navy Elementary Flying Training School (RNEFTS) using the Scottish Aviation Bulldog,[4] and again 1979–1992, triggered by the introduction of the Panavia Tornado, being the first station to receive the new turboprop-powered Short Tucano T.1 basic fast jet trainers.

The gates of the fully independent RAF Church Fenton were closed at 12:00 on 31 December 1992, However, with its assets such as the Officers' Mess subsequently razed to the ground to save on maintenance and the married quarters and other buildings sold off piecemeal by the MoD, RAF Church Fenton's runways and aviation infrastructure were alienated from the remainder of the administrative site and remained operational until 2013.

[8] In June 2023, the site was granted planning permission to develop 15,000 square metres (160,000 sq ft) alongside the existing hangars into three sound stages/studios and office space.

The owners hope to make the site a "state-of-the-art commercial TV and film studio facility, creating opportunities for the creative, digital and media industries.