It was activated on 14 November 1952 at RAF Sculthorpe, England, and discontinued, and inactivated, on 18 March 1960 at Prestwick, Scotland.
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It was activated again on 10 May 1961, and organized on 18 June 1961 at Prestwick, Scotland.
Final assembly took place in a new factory at the Radlett aerodrome, but large portions of the structure were subcontracted, including complete wings being built by Scottish Aviation at Prestwick, Scotland and the tail section by Northwest Industries of Edmonton, Canada.
At the same time, the squadron began ferrying the F-86s to Prestwick, Scotland, and Châteauroux-Déols Air Base in France for disposal.
On May 29, 1942, after stopping in Tealing, Prestwick, Reykjavík, and Goose Bay, the Petlyakov Pe-8 plane with the Soviet delegation on board landed in Washington.
Originally, the area was part of the Virginia Territory before the French signed a treaty with Manitoqua, the Potawatomi chief, for land in the Prestwick area.
The authority is also responsible for providing communications in Shanwick airspace, with NATS providing the ATC from Prestwick.
Bernard Darwin, the era's leading golf writer, reported from the scene that he doubted the Open should be held ever again at Prestwick, and such has proved the case.
RAF Prestwick closed on 7 December 2013, with personnel transferring to the RAF's 'London Military' facilities at the NATS owned London Area Control Centre, Swanwick, Hampshire.