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RAF Cottesmore opened on 11 March 1938. The station was mainly a training station, and the first squadrons were equipped with Vickers Wellesley aircraft, but soon converted to Fairey Battles. Later RAF Bomber Command took over the airfield, again as a training station, flying Handley Page Hampdens. On 8 September 1943 the United States Army Air Force took over Cottesmore, flying troop transport aircraft. Paratroops for the Normandy invasion and Operation Market Garden took off from Cottesmore.

After World War IIWorld War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the world's nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. The war was fough Cottesmore again became a training station. In 1954Events January events January 14 The Hudson Motor Car Company merges with Nash-Kelvinator forming the American Motors Corporation January 14 Marilyn Monroe weds Joe DiMaggio. January 15 Mau Mau leader Waruhiu Itote is captured in Kenya January 20 The Nati English Electric CanberraThe English Electric Canberra was a first-generation jet bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s, and remaining in service until the early years of the 21st century. The Canberra had its origins in 1944 as thought turned to developing a reps were moved there, the first time front-line combat arcraft based there, but all had left by the end of 19551955 is a common year starting on Saturday. see link for calendar) Events January events January 2 Panama president Jose Antonio Remon is assassinated. January 19 The Scrabble board game debuts. February events February 8 Nikolai Bulganin ousts Georgi Mal.

In 1957Events January January 2 San Francisco and Los Angeles stock exchanges merge. January 3 Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch January 4 After 69 years the last issue of Colliers magazine is published January 5 Russell Endean becomes t it was announced that Cottesmore would became a base for the V-bomber force, carriers of Britain's nuclear deterrent. The squadrons carried out Quick Reaction Alert duties using Handley Page Victor and later Avro VulcanThe Avro Vulcan was a British built jet engined, delta-winged subsonic bomber, once part of the RAF's V bomber force. Design and prototypes Design work began at A. Roe in 1947 under Roy Chadwick, the Ministry of Defence specification required a bomber wit bombers, until 1969. When they left the base was used by 90 Signals Group.

Cottesmore became home to the Tri-national Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE). Established in July 1980 and officially opened on 29 January 1981, the centre undertook training of new Panavia Tornado pilots from the RAF, Luftwaffe, Germany Navy and Italian Air Force. The centre closed in 1999.