 The Americans laid down a 4,000-foot SMT hardened runway and the Ninth Air Force operated F-4 Lightning and F-5 Mustang reconnaissance aircraft of the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group in late April.Also the P-38 Lightning-equipped 370th Fighter Group operated from Gütersloh until the German capitulation on 8 May 1945.The 370th remained until the airfield was turned over to the RAF as part of the formation of the British Occupation Zone of Germany on 27 June 1945.