During World War II civil aerodromes was taken over for military use , existing military airfields was expanded , and new ones was built . This resulted in a significant inventory of facilities becoming available after the war . Pre @-@ war civil aerodromes , for example Sywell , was returned to civilian use . Surplus military airfields was closed , and in some cases , for example Beccles , subsequently red @-@ opened as civil aerodromes . The Ministry of Civil Aviation was created to regulate all civil aviation in the UK , and this task remained the responsibility of government departments until the establishment of the independent CAA in 1972 .