Opened in 1939 as a grass airfield satellite to RAF Catterick, Scorton was initially a day-fighter and then night-fighter base. Developed in 1941 to full station status, it eventually had three concrete runways, a concrete perimeter taxiway plus hardstandings, and 12 blister hangars. Although allocated to the Eighth Air Force as a tactical fighter base in 1943, the station was never occupied by Eighth Air Force units. It was, however, used as a night-fighter training base by the Ninth Air Force during May to July 1944, when occupied as temporary lodgers by the 422nd and 425th Squadrons, equipped with P-61s. Thereafter Scorton reverted to the status of satellite, with no RAF or USAAF resident squadrons, and was used by RAF Balloon command for storage. Closed in 1952, the site returned to agriculture from 1958, but much of the airfield became a quarry for sand and gravel extraction, some parts now water-filled.