Permission was granted to build a base at Hixon in August 1941 with opening coming on 13 May 1942. The base was to be used for operational flying, but instead it was used as a training environment for Bomber aircrews flying
Vickers Wellington aircraft on No. 30 OTU,
Curtiss Tomahawks and
Hawker Hurricanes on 1686 Bomber (Defence) Training Flight (BDTF) and
Bristol Blenheims flown by No. 12 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit ((P)AFU). It was originally intended to be a No. 7 Group asset, but when it was handed over to the Royal Air Force from the contractors in June 1942, No.92 Group became its owner. Even then there was another change; it became a No.93 Group asset six weeks later. As a night bomber training unit, crews from Hixon were often sent on missions to
France and sometimes even
Germany to drop propaganda leaflets (
PsyOps). These missions were often called after their codename, 'Nickel Raids'. These night-time raids were just as dangerous as actual bombing runs as the enemy had no way of determining that they were only dropping leaflets. In early 1943, No. 25 OTU based at
RAF Finningley was disbanded and the Wellington aircraft and groundcrews were sent to Hixon. The personnel and assets were shared out with
RAF Seighford. In June of the same year, No. 1686 Bomber (Defence) Training Flight (BDTF) was formed at Hixon for 'Bullseye' training. No.1686 was equipped with P-40 Tomahawk aircraft which were formerly used by
No. 112 Squadron in
North Africa and still retained their distinctive Sharks Teeth markings under the nose of the aircraft. The Tomahawks (and later, Hurricanes) were used so that the turret operators could practice against fighter attack whilst airborne.
Bomber Command gave No. 30 OTU more responsibility in January 1944 when the unit was tasked for Air Sea Rescue in addition to its training programme. The flights were piloted and commanded by instructors on the OTU, but aircrews under training would make up the rest of the complement. RAF Seighford was opened up as a satellite and Relief Landing Ground for RAF Hixon and No.30 OTU when
RAF Wheaton Aston became busier and ceased being RAF Hixon's stand-by airfield. Quite often, aircrews would have to get their aircraft across to RAF Seighford before missions could begin as the runway at RAF Hixon was not long enough for bombers laden with bombs. Seighford was also able to operate when Hixon had to cease operations due to the weather closing in despite there being only a difference between the two. At the same time that the OTU was moving out, thirty-seven Beauforts of No.12 (P)AFU from
RAF Spitalgate moved in. No. 12 (P)AFU did not last long though, it was disbanded in June 1945 and the site was given over to 16 Maintenance Unit from RAF Stafford as a sub-site. 16 MU needed access to storage sites for the recently returned and surplus military items at the war's end. 16 MU stayed on until November 1957 when the base was put under the care and maintenance programme. The site was disposed of by sale in August 1962. ==Post RAF==