Aerial photograph of Tangmere airfield, 10 February 1944. Famous for its role in the Battle of Britain, RAF Tangmere holds an important place in British history. The famous Second World War aces Wing Commander Douglas Bader, and the then inexperienced Johnnie Johnson were stationed at Tangmere in 1941. It was founded in 1917 and was used as an aerodrome before being passed on to the American Air Force as a training ground in 1918. By 1925 the station re-opened to serve the RAF s Fleet Air Arm, and went operational in 1926 with No. 43 Squadron equipped with biplane Gloster Gamecocks. As war threatened in the late 1930s, the fighter aircraft based at Tangmere became much faster, with Hawker Furies, Gloster Gladiators, and Hawker Hurricanes all being used.