Hillsborough Army Airfield is a former World War II United States Army Air Forces airfield which was located about 7 miles north of Tampa, Florida, near Temple Terrace, Florida.HistoryHillsborough AAF was built by the United States Army Air Forces about 1943 and its primary mission was to be an auxiliary airfield for both Drew and MacDill Army Airfields. It was assigned to the Third Air Force, III Fighter Command. Hillsborough Army Airfield had three runways (NE/SW, NW/SE & E/W) of about 5,200' in length and several hangars along the west side of the airfield.The initial mission of Hillsborough was as a support and training overflow airfield; also being used for emergency landings of students assigned to the main bases. It also operated a school for administrative training of junior officers. The 42d Fighter Squadron was assigned to Hillsborough on 10 May 1943, equipped with P-51 Mustangs. The 42d was detached from Bartow Army Airfield. With advanced combat fighter pilot training being moved out of Drew Field, it was moved to Hillsborough. The base normally had about 28 airplanes at the field at one time.In an administrative reorganization by HQ Army Air Force, on 1 May 1944, numbered training units in the Zone of the Interior (ZI) (Continental United States) were re-designated as "Army Air Force Base Units". The 42d was re-designated as "Section T, 343d Army Air Forces Base Unit Replacement Training Unit, Fighter. In June 1944, two more squadrons of P-51s were assigned, "S" and "FT".
