Airfields are a phenomenon of the 20th century. Much has been made in recent years of the part such places have played in the conflicts both great and small. But why are stations such as Lyneham, Scampton, and Lossimouth located where they are? What was the political climate that forced the government to open and rebuild aerodromes around Oxfordshire in the 1920s? And why is there a notable difference in station architecture between the east and west coasts? This thorough study charts the progress of aviation through airfields, and addresses the history of flight from its nascent period up through the fall of the Soviet state and current struggles in the Middle East.