The airfield was built during the
Second World War by the
Royal Air Force as a relief landing ground for nearby
RAF Tangmere. The site was the former Westhampnett Farm and part of the Goodwood Estate. It was known as
RAF Westhampnett.
RAF use During the
Battle of Britain two fighter squadrons (
145 Sqn and
602 Sqn) were based at Westhampnett.
USAAF use Westhampnett was also used by the
United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force as a fighter airfield for the 308th and 309th Fighter Squadrons of the 31st Fighter Group from
RAF Atcham and RAF High Ercall with
Supermarine Spitfire Vs beginning on 27 July 1942. The 31st FG flew its first sorties with RAF, (total of 1,286 losing 5 aircraft) on 10 September 1942, and flew last mission from Great Britain in late October 1942. The group then moved to
Gibraltar and fought with the
Twelfth Air Force in
North Africa and
Italy. ==Postwar use==