Planning for the airfield commenced in 1941, intended as a training/satellite field for HMS Heron/Yeovilton, and was commissioned in April 1943. It was designed with five runways to mimic the operations on an aircraft-carrier.
Throughout WWII, squadrons frequented HMS Dipper, engaging in various operations. The post-war era saw the airfield alternating between active and inactive states, training deck service officers, and conducting night-deck landing practices.
The airfield’s naval flying ceased in June 1957. In the subsequent years, it transitioned into a hub for civil aviation, hosting events like the PFA Wessex Strut Fly In and the Wings & Wheels Fly In, supporting the airfield-based air-ambulance (D&SAA).
