Jarlsberg was from 1947 to 1959 used by the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF), although the functions were eventually taken over by the nearby Sandefjord Airport, Torp.

The latter immediately purchased a 5.3 hectares (13 acres) section of land, on which they established a primitive air strip for both clubs.

Tønsberg Seilflyklubb was established the following year, and the municipality started looking into the possibilities of building a commercial airport at the site.

It initially established a dummy airfield by installing runway lights and decoy aircraft and fuel drums.

The Luftwaffe expropriated 31.5 hectares (78 acres) of land from surrounding farms and used a combination of Norwegian and Soviet prisoners of war for labor.

[1] Jarlsberg was one of seven air stations which the RNoAF targeted, and built to serve Supermarine Spitfire and de Havilland Vampire.

[5] The military continued to use Jarlsberg as a point of access for the aviation workshop at Karljohansvern in Horten, which carried maintenance on some of the air force's smaller aircraft.

[2] Braathens SAFE started considering commercial flights to Tønsberg in 1951, as part of its proposed network for its newly acquired de Havilland Heron aircraft, and applied for a concession to operate a route from Fornebu via Jarlsberg to Stavanger Airport, Sola.

The aviation club sold their 5.3 hectares (13 acres) lot to the owner municipalities in 1956, on the condition that the airport would remain open.

A settlement was reached in 1960, where the municipalities of Sem and Tønsberg bought the airport for NOK 1 million from the state.

The following year they sold it for NOK 850,000 to Thor Solberg Aviation, on the condition that the company continue to operate the airport.

Sem Municipality attempted to resolve the issue by applying its right of first refusal to buy the airfield in 1985, and the following year launched plans to upgrade it to a 1,200-meter (3,900 ft) runway and establish it as public regional airport.

Helifly established itself in 1989, the same year as Skauenfeldt's lease expired and Solberg failed to renew the operating license for the airport.

[1] Jarlsberg Luftsportssenter ENJB was incorporated on 7 March 1991 with the intention of renovating and potentially taking over the airport.

Jarlsberg Luftsportssenter received a building permit for new facilities, including an extension of the runway to 1,000 meters (3,300 ft), on 19 June 1993.

A series of upgrades were carried out, and the airport received a five-year regular operating license from August 1995.

Investigations carried out by the CAA concluded with that the airport needed upgrades for NOK 5 to 6 million to meet regulations.

The airport received NOK 4 million in subsidies from the CAA, which were used to upgrade the runway and drainage system.

The following year the municipality started again working on expropriation of the airport and the first Wings & Wheels show was organized.

A complaint regarding the expropriation was rejected by the Vestfold County Governor in 2006, resulting in Solberg suing the municipality.