It was opened in March 1916 to cover the East Coast ports shipping from attacks by German U-boats during the First World War, with its first airship, the Coastal-class non-rigid airship arriving on 26 June 1916.

On completion, it was sent to Howden for trials and to train up its crew before the airship (to be renamed ZR2 by the Americans) crossed the Atlantic.

[4] The station closed in September 1921, with the RAF having little interest in airship operations.

During this period the author Nevil Shute worked at Howden alongside Barnes Wallis.

R100 made its maiden flight from Howden on 16 December 1929, but the loss of the rival government designed airship, the R101 in October 1930 brought British plans for commercial use of airships to an end, and Vickers closed Howden in December 1930.