▁dispers ed ▁their ▁three ▁fl ights ▁to ▁Y elling ▁( St ▁Ne ots ), ▁Old ▁West on ▁( Th rap ston ) ▁and ▁Ther field ▁( B ald ock ) ▁on ▁anti - Ze pp lin ▁duties . ▁Its ▁purpose ▁was ▁to ▁receive ▁aircraft ▁lost , ▁out ▁of ▁fuel ▁or ▁with ▁engine ▁troubles ▁and ▁was ▁staff ed ▁with ▁a ▁minimum ▁number ▁of ▁personnel ▁whose ▁prime ▁task ▁was ▁to ▁light ▁fl ares ▁to ▁aid ▁pil ots ▁in ▁finding ▁the ▁site . ▁It ▁closed ▁down ▁after ▁W W 1 . ▁ ▁As ▁R AF ▁F ow lm ere , ▁near ▁the ▁edge ▁of ▁the ▁village , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁location ▁for ▁the ▁R AF ▁Station ▁and ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁Air ▁Force ▁( USA AF ) ▁for ▁use ▁by ▁their ▁ 3 3 9 th ▁F ighter ▁Group ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁The ▁Group ▁fle w ▁its ▁first ▁combat ▁mission ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁and ▁its ▁last ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁Modern ▁Air ▁was ▁established ▁at ▁the ▁air field ▁during ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁by ▁Der ick ▁Gun ning ▁and ▁Anna ▁Mc D ow ell . ▁ ▁Now ▁the ▁air field ▁provides ▁pil ots ▁with ▁self - fly ▁Pi per ▁aircraft ▁and ▁serv icing , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁P PL ▁training . ▁▁ ▁I CA O : ▁E G MA ▁ ▁Run way ▁L ength : ▁▁ ▁Run way ▁Sur face : ▁Gr ass