RAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force main operating base located south of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It was built in 1925 and became a permanent airfield in October 1937, remaining operational since then. During the Second World War, the base hosted aircraft such as North American Mustangs and Hawker Typhoons, with squadrons like No. 2, No. 4, No. 13, No. 53, No. 59, No. 63, No. 82, and No. 96 Squadrons operating various aircraft types. After the Allied invasion of Europe, it briefly served as a prisoner of war camp. Post-war, it transitioned to RAF Fighter Command, hosting Vampire, Meteor F.8, Hunter, and Javelin aircraft with units such as No. 247, No. 54, No. 72, and No. 46 Squadrons until its closure as a fighter base in 1959. It reopened in 1960 as part of Transport Command, subsequently becoming a support helicopter base. No. 72 Squadron operated Bristol Belvedere and Westland Whirlwind helicopters, followed by Aérospatiale Pumas with No. 33 and No. 230 Squadrons. The first Chinook HC.1s arrived in 1981, and No. 7 Squadron reformed in 1982. The base has since been home to various Chinook variants, including the HC.2, HC.3 (after avionics retro-fit), and HC.6. In 2015, the Chinook Operational Conversion Flight transferred to RAF Benson. In 2018, No. 657 Squadron of the Army Air Corps disbanded at Odiham. In 2021, the runways underwent upgrades including surface and lighting replacement. RAF Odiham's mission is to deliver and sustain Chinook and Special Forces aviation operations globally. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift helicopter, the Boeing Chinook, operated by No. 7 Squadron, No. 18 Squadron, and No. 27 Squadron, which form part of the RAF's Support Helicopter Force. The base also hosts The King's Helicopter Flight and the headquarters of the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing, which coordinates rotary wing aviation support for the United Kingdom Special Forces. Civilian gliding activities are also conducted by the Kestrel Gliding Club.