Opened in 1941, it was used initially by the RAF and from 1943 by the United States Army Air Forces, primarily as a night fighter interceptor airfield.

[3] The airfield was planned as a satellite for the Maintenance Unit at nearby RAF Colerne, but by the time construction work started in 1940 it had been selected as a sector station by No.

[4] RAF Charmy Down was opened late in 1940 and originally had a grass surface with landing strips of 4,125 feet (1,257 m), both southeast to northwest and northeast to southwest.

A 50 feet (15 m) wide tarmac perimeter track and 39 aircraft dispersal points were constructed; there were 12 double pens and 15 single standings.

[5] The ammunition dump was in concrete pens outside the perimeter track on the north side of the airfield, surrounded by large dirt mounds.

It was disbanded at Charmy Down on 25 January 1943,[6] since Turbinlite squadrons were, due to lack of success and the rapid development of AI radar, deemed to be superfluous.

Service groups were deployed there late in 1943 to operate the 4th Tactical Air Depot, which was intended to repair, modify and maintain Allison-engined fighter types, primarily Lockheed P-38 Lightnings and North American P-51 Mustangs.

For unrecorded reasons, it was decided to transfer this operation to RAF Kingston Bagpuize early in 1944, possibly for better local logistics and communications in the Oxford area.

RAF Charmy Down was selected as an airfield for these squadrons which would arrive individually, not as part of a group, and were to be equipped with the new Northrop P-61 Black Widow.

From January 1946 to October 1946, No 92 Gliding School, Air Training Corps used the airfield and it was home to the Personnel Resettlement Centre for Australians as[4] No.