In 1938 the RAF airfield on Thorney Island was built, the runways being metalled in 1942. Among the aircraft based at the station during the war years were Avro Ansons and Consolidated Liberators of RAF Coastal Command. Post war the airfield was utilised for training navigators, until the 1960s when 242 OCU of Transport Command took over, flying the C130 Hercules as well as No. 46 Squadron RAF with Andover CMk1 transports. These remained at the base until the RAF left in the late 1970s. Between 1965-69 Thorney Island was an instructional Unit, training aircrew on Varisity, Argosy and Beverley aircraft. In 1968 it was responsible for the introduction of the first C130 Hercules, Also in the beginning it was moved from RAF Dishforth during some time before 1962