Having lain derelict since closure, the station was deemed surplus to requirements by the MoD in 2004 and two years later was sold to the Welbeck Estate Group who resold the entire site in October 2007.

Planning permission was granted for the installation of a 49.9 MW solar farm, together with plant housing and a perimeter fence, operated by Good Energy.

It was originally intended to support West Raynham and provide it with extra space for its Blenheims, but eventually expanded to accommodate a squadron of its own.

They were equipped with de Havilland Mosquito, fighter aircraft which provided support to bomber sorties in enemy air space.

They were based at West Raynham until the end of the war; their duties involved flying Serrate patrols and "Ranger sorties" (seek and destroy enemy fighters in the air and on the ground).

During the war, squadrons stationed at RAF West Raynham lost 56 Blenheims, 29 Mosquitos, and a Bristol Beaufighter.

In 1946, the station underwent improvements, including new range facilities at Setchey, North Wooton and Holbeach, extra Officers accommodation, new technical facilities, a new cinema at Great Massingham and finally, provision of a new Flying Control and Crash Rescue Building for Very Heavy Bomber Stations to a drawing number 294/45.

[7] In 1964 a tripartite squadron, comprising members of the British, American and German armed forces, was formed at West Raynham to evaluate the Hawker P.1127 Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) strike fighter aircraft.

This operation saw repeated attacks by Hunters from Raynham and RAF Chivenor, along with aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm, dropping aviation fuel and napalm on an oil slick being released from the wreck of the supertanker Torrey Canyon which had run aground on Seven Stones reef, near Lands End.

[9] On 9 June 1967 a Handley Page Hastings C2, registration WD491, was written off at Raynham when a tyre burst during landing.

In 1980 the start of the camps coincided with a no notice station three-day Tactical Evaluation (TACEVAL) inspection by RAF Strike Command and much consternation was caused when a full-time ROC officer arrived at the main gate in a car loaded with radioactive sources needed for an ROC training session.

[13] In 2002 Norman Lamb, Member of Parliament for North Norfolk, labelled the situation a "scandal" as at the time there was a shortage of affordable housing in the region.

[14] Though empty, the MoD had retained RAF West Raynham as a strategic reserve, however in 2004 it was decided that the base would play no future role in the defence of the country.

[15] Lamb campaigned for the houses to be turned over for civilian use, and it was announced in October 2004 that 170 homes at RAF West Raynham would be sold.

The site was purchased from Defence Estates by Roger Byron-Collins' company the Welbeck Estate Group on 7th April 2006, then resold it on 25th July 2008, as they had been unable to install the necessary infrastructure as was standard procedure with their previous MOD acquisitions including nearby RAF Sculthorpe.

[17] It was sold to Tamarix Investments; they planned to build new homes on the site and a hotel, as well as renovate the standing houses.

[19] In 2008, planning permission was granted for the construction of 58 properties and for the conversion of the hangars into twenty loft style holiday apartments.

[20] A Large part of the remaining hard standing and hangars 3 and 4 have been purchased by Norfolk Oak, previously from Anmer Hall.

This aircraft served with the ‘All Weather Flying Squadron’ and Central Fighter Establishment at RAF West Raynham.

Finally, the Hawker Siddeley Kestrel, later developed as the famous Harrier jump-jet, was evaluated at WR in 1965, with a Tri-partite Squadron consisting of military test pilots from Great Britain, the United States and West Germany.

The Memorial was unveiled by Air Vice Marshal Les Phipps, Wing Commander Don Webb DFM and Mr Kenny Freeman on 27 September 2014.

[25] In 2009, Channel 4 used the former base as a location for a documentary on the contribution of Polish fighter pilots in the Second World War.