Duxford airfield dates to 1918 when many of the buildings were constructed by German prisoner-of-war labour. initially housing 8 Squadron between 1919 - 1920, flying F.2Bs, the airfield was then used by No. 2 Flying Training School until, April 1923 when 19 Squadron was formed at Duxford with Sopwith Snipes.

By 1925 Duxford's three fighter squadrons had expanded to include the Gloster Grebes and Armstrong Whitworth Siskins. No.19 Squadron re-equipped with Bristol Bulldogs in 1931, and in 1935, was the first squadron to fly the RAF's fastest new fighter, the Gloster Gauntlet, capable of 230 mph (375 km/h). The station was enlarged between 1928 and 1932 and in 1935 was the venue for the Silver Jubilee Review before King George V.

In 1936 Flight Lieutenant Frank Whittle, who was studying at Cambridge University, flew regularly from Duxford as a member of the Cambridge University Air Squadron. Whittle went on to develop the jet turbine as a means of powering an aircraft, this enabled Britain to produce the Allies' first operational jet fighter in 1943 - the Gloster Meteor.

In 1938 No.19 squadron was the first RAF squadron to fly the new Supermarine Spitfire, the first Spitfire was flown into Duxford in August 1938 by Jeffrey Quill, Supermarine's test pilot. A year later Britain was at war and Duxford was ready to play a vital role. Hurricanes arrived in July 1940, ready for the Battle of Britain and crewed by Czechoslovakian pilots escaped from France. At the end of August Air Vice-Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory ordered the Hurricanes of 242 Squadron, down from Coltishall to join 19 and 310 Squadrons on daily standby at Duxford.

On average sixty Spitfires and Hurricanes were dispersed around Duxford and nearby RAF Fowlmere every day. On 15 September 1940 they twice took to the air to repulse Luftwaffe attacks intent at bombing London. RAF fighter Command was victorious, the threat of invasion passed and Duxford's squadrons had played a critical role. This became known as 'Battle of Britain Day'.

Duxford became the home of several specialist units, including the Air Fighting Development Unit (AFDU). The AFDU's equipment included captured German aircraft, which they restored to flying condition for evaluation. Duxford was crucial in developing the Hawker Typhoon into a formidable low-level and ground attack fighter and in 1942 the first Typhoon Wing was formed. The first Wing operation took place on 20 June 1942.

In July 1943 Duxford was assigned to the USAAF Eighth Airforce, with the 350th and 78th Fighter Groups flying P-38 Lightnings, P-47Cs and P-51 Mustangs. After the war, Duxford remained an operational RAF airfield flying Meteor F8s until August 1961. Today, the airfield is owned by the Imperial War Museum and houses a world class flying and static aircraft museum. Of note is the American Air Museum, the finest display of US military aircraft outside of the US and a lasting tribute to the 30,000 American Airmen who died over Europe in the 1940s.