RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located 5 miles (8 km) north-west of Bicester, Oxfordshire, England. The station was first used by the Royal Flying Corps in 1916 but was not brought into use for flying until July 1918 by the Royal Air Force. During the inter-war years and continuing through the Second World War until 1950 Upper Heyford was used mainly as a training facility. During the Cold War, Upper Heyford initially served as a base for United States Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC) strategic bombers and later United States Air Forces In Europe (USAFE) tactical reconnaissance, fighter and fighter-bomber aircraft in the UK. With the end of the Cold War, the presence of the 20th TFW was deemed no longer necessary in the United Kingdom. The USAF presence at RAF Upper Heyford was gradually run down (phased down). 2017