[3] Taking a year to construct and using a large amount of industrial spoil to level and stabilise what was a bog, RAF Fairwood Common opened under No.

615 Squadron (County of Surrey) Auxiliary Air Force, arrived from RAF Angle, equipped with Hawker Hurricane fighters, operating there until 17 March when the squadron moved by train to Liverpool Docks, boarding the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt.

456 Squadron RAAF arrived from RAF Colerne, equipped with a mix of de Havilland Mosquito II and VI aircraft.

On 29 January 1944 it re-equipped with Mosquito NF XVII, but by the end of February the squadron had moved to RAF Ford in Sussex.

The squadron left RAF Fairwood Common in June 1944 and the airfield ceased to be an operational base.

During this period a large number of different aircraft types visited RAF Fairwood Common, with around forty squadrons taking part in firing practice between 1943 and 1946.

Tragically, on the 21 March, while flying in and out of cloud, the aircraft crashed for no apparent reason and he was killed.

[9] On the 29 March 1944, a USAAF Consolidated B-24 Liberator was diverted to RAF Fairwood Common due to bad weather.

The pilot and crew chief remained on board while the rest of the aircrew baled out to safety.

[11] A Vickers Wellington medium bomber, suffering from an engine fire, attempted to make an emergency landing, in August 1944.

79 Squadron was tasked with defending South Wales, the West Country and shipping in the Bristol Channel.

One of their flight commanders was Roland Beamont[4] and they were to stay until the 24 December 1941, moving to RAF Baginton.

[4] Equipped with Bristol Beaufighter aircraft, the squadron arrived on 18 June 1941 and departed on the 27th to RAF Colerne.

504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron, equipped with Hawker Hurricane IIb aircraft, who effectively replaced them until the 11 August 1941.

A week before departing RAF Fairwood Common, the squadron claimed a Junkers Ju 88 over the Bristol Channel.

79 and 504 Squadron's Hawker Hurricane aircraft took part in an escort sortie from RAF Fairwood Common, to support a raid on the French port city of Brest, on the 24 July 1941.

125 (Newfoundland) Squadron RAF, arrived on 24 September 1941 to provide night fighter cover, equipped with Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I aircraft.

They remained at RAF Fairwood Common, either as a squadron or a detachment, through to September 1942, re-equipping initially with Boulton Paul Defiant Mk II, and later followed by Bristol Beaufighter IIF.

[18] They provided night fighter cover for the sector, notably shooting down a Junkers Ju 88 on the 27 June 1942.

312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF equipped with Supermarine Spitfire VB fighter aircraft.

615 (County of Surrey) Squadron, replaced them, equipped with Hawker Hurricane IIB and IIC fighter aircraft and staying until they departed for India on the 17 March 1942.

It was equipped with Douglas A-20 Havoc and Hawker Hurricane IIC aircraft, however, the squadron disbanded at RAF Fairwood Common on the 25 January 1943.

312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF returned on the 18 April, operating with Supermarine Spitfire Vb aircraft, and stayed until the 2 May.

421 (Red Indian) Squadron RCAF, arrived, also operating Supermarine Spitfire Vb, and it remained at RAF Fairwood Common until the 26 October.

It was equipped with Supermarine Spitfire Vb and had a couple of spells at RAF Fairwood Common.

[31] It was equipped with Westland Lysander III and IIIA, Hawker Hurricane IV, Hawker Typhoon IB, Taylorcraft Auster III, Supermarine Spitfire IX, Miles Master II and Miles Martinet I.

[32] The targets were made of plywood and canvas which was used by Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Typhoon aircraft for their cannon and rockets; the latter’s warheads being 17 pounds (7.7 kg) concrete practice rounds.

Notably, this range was historically important as this was the one used for the attempts at OBOE guided bombing, supported by the Chain Home Low radar station on top of Mynedd Margam.

[34] List of Royal Air Force squadrons completing the ground attack courses at RAF Fairwood Common, via the Armament Practice Camps.

[4] List of anti-aircraft co-operation units that operated at RAF Fairwood Common:[8] Units of the Royal Air Force Regiment that were based at RAF Fairwood Common at some point:[8] Units of Royal Air Force Gliding Schools and Volunteer Gliding Squadrons that were based at RAF Fairwood Common at some point:[8] The following squadrons were here at some point: Additional units;[8] Renamed Fairwood Common, the aerodrome became the home of Swansea and District Flying Club and School and they hosted a number of air shows, air races and motor sports events from 1950 to 1955.