Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Northern Arkansas
© 2002, © 2004 by Paul Freeman. Revised 6/4/05.
Biggers Aux AAF #2 / Reyno Airport (revised 6/4/05)
Rogers Field (added 1/21/05) - Walcott Aux AAF #3 (revised 6/4/05)
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Biggers Auxiliary Army Airfield #2 / Reyno Airport, Biggers, AR
36.33 North / 90.76 West (Northwest of Memphis, TN)
The Biggers “aux field", as depicted on a 1943 a map issued to Walnut Ridge Army Flying School students
(courtesy of Harold Johnson of the Walnut Ridge Army Flying School Museum).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
This airfield was originally established as a military satellite field
used to support flight training operations at nearby Walnut Ridge AAF.
The Biggers airfield was apparently built at some point between 1939-39,
as it was not yet listed among active airfields in the 1938 Civil Aeronautics Administration Bulletin #2.
The earliest reference to Biggers which has been located
was in the Airport Directory Company's 1939 Airport Directory (according to David Brooks).
It was listed as an auxiliary airfield, associated with Walnut Ridge.
However, Bigger was not depicted at all (perhaps overlooked as a relatively minor field)
on the October 1941 Tulsa Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of Biggers which has been located
was on a 1943 a map issued to Walnut Ridge Army Flying School students
(courtesy of Harold Johnson of the Walnut Ridge Army Flying School Museum).
The earliest official chart depiction which has been located of the Biggers field
was on the March 1944 Tulsa Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted "Biggers #2" as an auxiliary airfield.
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described "Biggers Aux #2, Army" as having a 4,500' hard-surfaced runway,
and the remarks said, "Aux to Walnut Ridge AAF."
Walnut Ridge was taken over later in WW2 by the Marine Corps & renamed MCAS Walnut Ridge.
Biggers was also reused by the Marine Corps (along with several other Walnut Grove auxiliary fields).
"Biggers (Aux) (Navy)", as depicted on the 1945 Tulsa Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Biggers may have been reused as a civilian airport by 1946,
as "Biggers" was depicted as an auxiliary airfield, but without any indication of being a military field,
on the September 1946 Tulsa Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
At some point between 1946-54, the field was renamed "Reyno",
as that is how it was labeled on the 1954 Tulsa Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The length of usable runway had apparently been cut almost in half, though,
as Reyno was depicted as having only a 2,300' hard surface runway.
Reyno Airport was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point within the next year,
as no airfield at the site was depicted on the December 1955 Tulsa Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy)
or subsequent Sectional Charts.
A 2,200' segment of the former north/south runway (along with the slightest hints of a former northeast/southwest runway)
were still depicted on the 1980 USGS topo map, labeled "Old Reyno Airport".
As can be seen in the 1994 USGS aerial photo,
the property had reverted to farming,
but the faint trace of the outline of the northeast/southwest runway was still perceptible,
while there was no trace of the north/south runway.
What appears to be the shadow of an aircraft is visible just southwest of the center of the photo -
maybe the aircraft which took the photo?
The site of Biggers Aux AAF is located northwest of the intersection of Lawnbird Road & Duck Levee Road.
Thanks to Joe Benson for pointing out this airfield.
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Walcott Auxiliary Army Airfield #3, Walcott, AR
36.04 North / 90.7 West (Northwest of Memphis, TN)
The Walcott “aux field", as depicted on a 1943 a map issued to Walnut Ridge Army Flying School students
(courtesy of Harold Johnson of the Walnut Ridge Army Flying School Museum).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
This field was apparently built during WW2 as one of the satellite airfields used by trainees from Walnut Ridge AAF,
which conducted training as part of the 50,000 Pilot Training Program.
The Walcott airfield was apparently built at some point between 1941-43,
as it was not yet depicted on the October 1941 Tulsa Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of Walcott which has been located
was on a 1943 a map issued to Walnut Ridge Army Flying School students
(courtesy of Harold Johnson of the Walnut Ridge Army Flying School Museum).
The earliest official chart depiction which has been located of the Biggers field
was on the March 1944 Tulsa Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted "Walcott #3" as an auxiliary airfield.
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described "Walcott Aux #3, Army" as having a 4,500' hard-surfaced runway,
and the remarks said "Aux to Walnut Ridge AAF."
Walnut Ridge AAF was taken over later in WW2 by the Marine Corps & renamed MCAS Walnut Ridge.
It is not known if Walcott was also reused by the Marine Corps,
as it was simply labeled "Walcott" on the 1945 Tulsa Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
whereas several other Walnut Ridge Auxiliary Fields had the subtitle "(Navy)" on the chart.
Walcott may have been reused as a civilian airport by 1946,
as " Walcott " was depicted as an auxiliary airfield, but without any indication of being a military field,
on the September 1946 Tulsa Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
"Walcot AF" was still depicted on the 1954 Tulsa Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy),
which seems to indicate that the field had been reactivated by the Air Force.
The field was depicted as having a 4,500' hard surface runway.
"Walcot AF" was still depicted on the December 1955 Tulsa Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The Walcot airfield was apparently abandoned at some point between 1955-64,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the April 1964 Tulsa Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
No airfield at Walcott was depicted on the 1976 USGS topo map.
However, a single northwest/southeast runway was depicted on the 1980 & 1992 USGS topo maps.
In the 1994 USGS aerial photo, the "ghosted" outline of at least two runways can still be discerned:
the outlines of a northwest/southeast & a north/south runway are quite apparent (each of which had a parallel taxiway).
A third possible runway may be barely recognized, running east/west along the south side of the field.
The property is sharply delineated by a road forming a perfect square,
which makes the site quite distinctive among the surrounding farmland.
The site of Walcott Aux AAF is located west of the intersection of Route 280 & Greene Road 318.
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36.36 North / 94.19 West (Northwest of Little Rock, AR)
Rogers Field, as depicted on a 1934 Airway Chart.
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
The original airport for the town of Bentonville was located on the southeast side of the town.
The date of Rogers Field's construction has not been determined.
It was not listed in The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of Rogers Field which has been located was on the 1934 Airway Chart.
It described Rogers as an auxiliary airfield.
The 1934 Department of Commerce Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy) described Rogers Field as an auxiliary airfield,
consisting of a rectangular clay & loam field, measuring 1,320' north/south by 900' east/west.
Rogers Field was evidently closed at some point between 1934-41,
as a July 1941 aeronautical chart (according to Chris Kennedy) no longer depicted the field.
It had been replaced by a larger Bentonville Airport, southwest of the town.
In the latter half of the 20th century, the town of Bentonville became famous as the home of the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart.
On recent street maps, the location of the original Rogers Airport was covered by residential streets,
with the names Convair Street, Douglas Street, Boeing Street, and Lockheed Street.
In the 2001 USGS aerial photo,
not a trace of a former airport was still recognizable at the site.
The large warehouse complex bordering the west side of the site is presumably part of the Wal-Mart facilities in Bentonville.
A 2005 photo by Jeff Ferguson of the sign at the entrance to the Sky View neighborhood,
on the site of the original Rogers Airport.
Thanks to Jeff Ferguson for pointing out this airfield.
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