Brunton Airfield

The original Royal Air Force station was closed because it was surplus to military requirements following the end of World War II. The subsequent closure of the private airstrip (GB-0039) was not officially documented but was likely due to factors common to such small airfields, such as a change in land use by the private owner, economic non-viability, or the operator ceasing their flying activities.

The site is now privately owned and has largely reverted to agricultural use, with crops grown on the infield and surrounding land. The outlines of the three original concrete runways and perimeter tracks are still clearly visible from the air, but they are in a derelict and fragmented state. Several original WWII-era buildings, including T2 type hangars and various technical and accommodation blocks, remain standing. These structures are now used for agricultural storage and light industrial purposes by local businesses, such as 'Brunton Airfield Storage'. The site is also periodically used for motorsport events, including stages of the Border Counties Rally. A memorial dedicated to the personnel who served and died at RAF Brunton is located on the site.

The site was originally RAF Brunton, a significant World War II training airfield that opened in 1942. It served as a satellite station for the nearby RAF Milfield and was primarily home to No. 56 Operational Training Unit (OTU). The OTU's crucial role was to train fighter pilots, particularly for demanding ground-attack missions. Pilots were trained on aircraft including the Hawker Hurricane, the powerful Hawker Typhoon, and later the Hawker Tempest. The airfield played a vital role in supplying trained pilots to front-line squadrons during the latter stages of the war. After the war, a portion of the main runway was used intermittently as a private, unlicensed airstrip for general aviation light aircraft before its final closure.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Brunton Airfield for any form of aviation. The land is in private ownership with established agricultural and commercial uses. The derelict condition of the original runways would require complete reconstruction at a prohibitive cost, making any revival as a licensed airfield extremely unlikely. Its status as a closed, historic airfield is expected to be permanent.