In 1930 the small Crook Farm was surround by pasture and downland on a plateau just under 300 feet above sea level. The road from Witchampton crossed the farm before dropping down into the valley of the Tarrant stream at Tarrant Rushton. An idyllic little corner of rural Dorset shared between the two estates of Crichel and Kingston Lacy.

After surveying was completed in early 1942 the construction firm John Laing moved in and by May 1943 had virtually completed a Class A airbase with three concrete runways, four hangars and accommodation for 3000 service personnel. This aerial view looking southwest shows the base just after the first RAF aircraft had taken up residence.

This later aerial view looks due South down the main runway and across the airfield in August 1944, taken from one of the Halifax glider tugs of 298 squadron which just a few weeks before had taken gliders across to Normandy on June 6th, D-Day. The little village of Tarrant Rushton lays in the afternoon heat in the bottom right.