It had been built pre-war and had five C-type hangars, permanent brick and tiled buildings with central-heating and a high standard of domestic accommodation.

18 Squadron RAF flying from Horsham St Faith en route to attack a power station at Gosnay, re-routed over the airfield at Saint-Omer (Wizernes) where it delivered (by parachute) a pair of artificial legs for Wing Commander Douglas Bader who had been shot down over France and had lost his artificial limbs in the process.

The group consisted of the following squadrons: The group entered combat with a fighter sweep in the area of St Omer on 13 April 1943, and flew numerous missions over France, the Low Countries, and Germany to escort bombers that attacked industrial establishments, V-weapon sites, submarine pens, and other targets on the Continent.

On 8 July, the group had to move to RAF Halesworth when work started on enlarging Horsham St Faith for use as a heavy bomber station with hard surface runways and concrete hardstands and a perimeter track.

The move was not particularly popular with the men of the 56th who had to give up the comparative comfort of Horsham's barracks for the temporary hut (and muddy) accommodations at Halesworth.

With runway construction finished, The 458th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrived at Horsham St Faith late in January 1944 from Tonopah Army Airfield Nevada.

In September 1944, like other bomber groups in the area it participated in shipping fuel for American forces to France.

Meteor jet aircraft arrived during 1946–1948 and in June, an echo of the airfield's former occupants was provided by a visit by a Swedish North American P-51 Mustang squadron.

The following units were here at some point:[6] With the end of military control, RAF Horsham St Faith was redeveloped into Norwich International Airport.

Other wartime buildings now form part of the airport industrial estate (owned by the County and City Councils) and are intermingled with many newer structures.

Adjacent to the airport terminal building opened in 1988 there is a memorial display relating to the USAAF, consisting of photographs, paintings, and a plaque commemorating the American use of the airfield.