Construction of an airfield began in 1935 and the camp, which comprised a grass landing strip and five hangars, opened in 1937. In 1940 an air raid killed one civilian and destroyed 46 aircraft and three hangars. Following that, the remaining planes were dispersed around the village in a series of hangars which were later converted into commercial properties, such as Dowleys garage, when hostilities ceased.

Throughout the war, the Station was used to train airborne forces. On D-Day two squadrons left the base to tow Horsa gliders containing men from the 6th Airborne Division to the landing zones.

In 1948, following the Berlin Blockade, the United States Airforce returned to the UK. Brize Norton was one of a number of airfields manned by the USAF from 1950. They upgraded facilities and extended the runway, which involved closing off the road to Black Bourton. The 11th Bomb wing arrived in 1952. Strategic Air Command based B-29 and B-47 bombers at Brize with the result that the base became the target of an annual `Ban the Bomb' march.

The base was returned to the RAF in 1965 and a large building programme was under taken. Since then a great variety of planes and many world leaders have touched down at Brize. In the late '70s Concorde was a regular visitor during its noise trials and Soviet Premier Gorbachev met Margaret Thatcher at RAF Brize Nor ton in 1987.

The base is now the largest RAF station in the UK with around 4,000 personnel based here in 2005. It is home to the Parachute Training School. The Falcons display team is often seen practising over the town. RAF Brize Norton is also the main transport base in the country, regularly flying out troops and equipment around the world. It is the point of dispatch for mercy missions to disaster zones and the receiving base for casualties. As reorganisation of the RAF continues it is expected that 10% of its entire personnel will be based here in the future.