Construction on the airport, designed to training pilots for WWII action in Europe, began during the Summer of 1940. The facility would be part of the "British Commonwalth Air Training Plan". It was part of the No.3 Training Command with it's headquarters in Montreal, Quebec. Pennfield was first No. 2 Air Navigational School (ANS) and later took on No.34 Operational Training Units (OTC). In August 1940, there were over two hundred men working on the project. Dexter Construction Company was contracted to construct the runways which were to be finished by November 1940. The first test flights (day/night) were completed on January 1, 1941. The air base official opened for training on July 21, 1941. By the end of the Summer 1941, there were over 40 buildings including 4 large hangers, observation tower, barricks, drill hall, mess halls and classrooms. The air base was also had its own water supply and internal telephone system. The runways would be lenghtened in the Fall of 1941. With the end of the war, Pennfield became operational location for Heavy Transport and a few years later was purchased and operated by Canadian Airlines. When Saint John airport was opened, Pennfield closed as an operational airfield. Some small private plans would use the field from time to time. It was also used by the New Brunswick Drag Racing Association. Today, the field is used to dry out seaweed, which once dried, is used as fertilizer for plants. There is a fuel reserve tank at the field used by Irving and Natural Resources.