RAF Halton is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near Halton, Buckinghamshire. The site has been in use since 1913, with the first recorded military aviation taking place when No 3 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps conducted manoeuvres on the Halton estate. During the First World War, the Royal Flying Corps moved its air mechanics school to Halton, and workshops were built by German PoWs. The estate was purchased by the British Government for the Royal Air Force at the end of the First World War. In 1919, Lord Trenchard established the No. 1 School of Technical Training at RAF Halton for RAF aircraft apprentices, which remained until the early 1990s. Halton House, a French-style mansion, was re-opened as the station's Officers' Mess. During the Second World War, RAF Halton continued its training role, and No 112 Squadron and No 402 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force were based there. No. 529 Squadron, flying autogyro aircraft, was also formed at Halton. In 1993, the RAF School of Recruit Training moved to RAF Halton. The station trained 24,000 personnel in 2004–2005, including Phase 1 recruits and Non-Commissioned Officers. A spur railway line operated from Wendover to Halton from 1917 to 1963 to supply the station. The Trenchard Museum preserves the history of the station and apprenticeship training. The site includes a grass airfield primarily used by gliders, light aircraft, microlights, and the RAF hot air balloon. It is home to the Royal Air Force Gliding & Soaring Association, Chilterns Gliding Centre, The Halton Aero Club, and the RAF Halton Microlight Club. Current military occupants include the RAF Central Training School, International Defence Training (RAF), Specialist Training School (STS), Training Analysis Centre, Joint Information Activities Group, No. 7644 (VR) Public Relations Squadron RAuxAF, and The Aviator Training Academy (Recruit Training Squadron and Aviator Command Squadron). The station is scheduled to cease being part of the Ministry of Defence estate and close by December 2027, with phased withdrawal commencing in 2022.