 The Airspeed factory was also built on part of the original airfield and began production of Horsa Mk I gliders, AS.10 Oxfords, and de Havilland Mosquitos for the RAF.In 1943, the USAAF Ninth Air Force required several temporary advanced landing grounds along the southern English Channel coast prior to the Normandy invasion to provide tactical air support for the ground forces landing in France.Christchurch was provided to support this mission.