9 4 2 . ▁ ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁Air ▁Forces ▁use ▁The ▁facility ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁Air ▁Forces ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁serv icing ▁centre ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁E ighth , ▁N inth , ▁Tw elf th ▁and ▁Fif teenth ▁Air ▁Forces ▁aircraft . ▁ ▁Bur ton wood ▁was ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁ ▁Base ▁Air ▁Dep ot ▁ 1 ▁( B AD ▁ 1 ), ▁although ▁an ▁R AF ▁presence ▁continued ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁the ▁R AF ▁Police ▁who ▁maintained ▁security ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁until ▁the ▁mid ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁ ▁Bur ton wood ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁air field ▁in ▁Europe ▁during ▁the ▁war ▁with ▁the ▁most ▁USA AF ▁personnel ▁and ▁aircraft ▁maintenance ▁facilities . ▁ ▁The ▁ro ar ▁of ▁the ▁engines ▁in ▁the ▁test ▁b eds ▁could ▁be ▁heard ▁for ▁miles ▁around , ▁especially ▁at ▁night . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war ▁ 1 8 , 0 0 0 ▁serv ic emen ▁were ▁station ed ▁at ▁Bur ton wood . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁some ▁sources ▁Bur ton wood ▁was ▁placed ▁strateg ically ▁so ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁out ▁of ▁range ▁of ▁Luft wa ffe ▁bom bers , ▁but ▁this ▁is ▁not ▁true , ▁as ▁several ▁Naz i ▁air - ra ids ▁were ▁made ▁on ▁the ▁facility . ▁In ▁any ▁case ▁the ▁Luft wa ffe ▁bom bed ▁B elf ast ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁which ▁was ▁much ▁further ▁away ▁from ▁Occ up ied