Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Arizona: Southeastern Phoenix area
© 2002, © 2007 by Paul Freeman. Revised 11/28/07.
Gilbert Airport (revised 5/16/07) - Gilbert Aux AAF #1 (revised 9/20/07)
Goodyear AF Aux / Chandler Memorial Airfield / Gila River Memorial Airport (revised 11/28/07)
Rittenhouse Aux AAF #2 (revised 7/1/05) - Tempe Airport (revised 6/24/07) - Three Point Airport (revised 7/25/04)
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33.41 North / 111.95 West (Southeast of Phoenix, AZ)
Tempe Airport, as depicted on the 1949 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This small general aviation airport was apparently built at some point between 1945-49,
as it was not yet depicted at all on the 1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The earliest depiction of Tempe Airport which has been located
was on the 1949 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Tempe as having a 2,700' unpaved runway.
According to Doug Duncan, Tempe Airport “was located just south of Broadway (west of Tempe High School)
between the railroad tracks & the wires.
I think it was never paved.”
A 1949 aerial view (courtesy of John Arthur) depicted the Tempe Airport
as having a single unpaved east/west runway with a parallel taxiway.
The 1952 USGS topo map (courtesy of John Arthur)
depicted Tempe Airport as having a as having a single east/west runway, with one building (a hangar?) on the north side of the field.
The 1956 Phoenix Sectional Chart depicted Tempe Airport as having a 2,700' unpaved runway.
John Arthur placed the location of Tempe Airport as “On Broadway, west of Mill Avenue & the railroad tracks,
next to Date Palm Manor, across from the High School.
I remember the area as a big empty field in the mid & late 1950s.
I remember Date Palm Manor even better because of all the scorpions in the bark of the palms.”
According to Doug Duncan, Tempe Airport “was razed in 1957.”
A 1958 aerial view (courtesy of John Arthur) depicted the site of the Tempe Airport.
Traces of the former east/west runway were still perceptible,
but overall the property appeared to have been razed.
Doug Duncan reported in 2007, of the Tempe Airport, “Even the Tempe Historical Museum people knew nothing about it!
I've looked at aerial photos & have driven around the area, but there appears to be no visible trace remaining.”
As seen in a 2007 aerial photo, the site of Tempe Airport has been heavily redeveloped, and not a trace of the former airport appears to remain.
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Three Point Airport (E58), Casa Grande, AZ
32.9 North / 111.76 West (Southeast of Phoenix, AZ)
Three Point Airport, as depicted on the February 1943 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airport while in use has not been located.
The date of construction of this former small privately owned public-use airport is unknown.
It was apparently built at some point between 1941-43,
as it was not listed among active airfields in The Airport Directory Company's 1941 Airports Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of Three Point Airport which has been located
was on the February 1943 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Three Point Airport as having a 3,500' unpaved runway.
Three Point Airport was still depicted as an auxiliary airfield
on the 1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Three Point Airport as having a total of 4 unpaved runways,
with the longest being the 4,000' Runway 1/19.
Three buildings (hangars?) were depicted along the east side of the field.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Three Point as having a 4,000' sod Runway 18/36
(a 'sod' runway - in the Arizona desert??).
The operator was listed as George Gomez.
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury)
more realistically described the runway configuration at Three Point as being a single 3,850' "dirt, oiled" Runway 17/35.
According to Dan Rhinehart, Three Point "was never paved & had 2 dirt runways.
Three Point airport was owned & operated by George Gomez & family
until the death of Mrs. Gomez, who ran the airport restaurant until she died.
Three Point was typical of the duster strips / privately owned public-use airports in Arizona,
however it was the last one to go."
In a 1991 meeting of the Casa Grande City Council,
George White stated he represented the Estate of Marlene White & Adele Gomez, the owners of Three Point Airport.
They did not want to be annexed into the City because of the increase in taxes.
They also did not want to be required to make any improvements other than what the Country required.
USGS topo map 1995.
Three Point was still depicted as an active airfield on the 1998 World Aeronautical Chart.
But it evidently closed at some point within the next 2 years,
as it was no longer listed among active airfields in the 2000 AOPA Airport Directory.
In the circa 2000 aerial photo the north/south dirt runway was still recognizable.
A 2003 photo by Dan Rhinehart, looking south along the former runway at Three Point Airport.
A 2003 photo by Dan Rhinehart, looking east along the former runway at Three Point Airport.
A 2003 photo by Dan Rhinehart of an Aerospatiale Alouette III & Aerospatiale Llama
at the helicopter firm which still operates at the former Three Point Airport.
A 2003 photo by Dan Rhinehart of the Airport Tavern, adjacent to the former Three Point Airport.
Dan Rhinehart visited Three Point in 2003, and reported that "The hangar & covered tie-downs are gone
but the rest of the airport is pretty much there.
Even though Three Point is no longer listed as an airport (closed or otherwise)
the current owner of the airport restaurant said that 'if you want to land & come in for lunch that it was fine with me!'"
Three Point Airport is located southwest of the intersection of Route 387 & West Kortsen Road.
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Goodyear AF Auxiliary / Chandler Memorial Airfield (L07) /
Gila River Memorial Airport (34AZ), Chandler, AZ
33.24 North / 111.91 West (Southeast of Phoenix, AZ)
Goodyear AF Aux Airfield, as (partially) depicted on the southern edge
of the 1948 USAF Phoenix Urban Area Chart (courtesy of Scott O'Donnell).
This field was built during WW2 as Williams Auxiliary Army Airfield #5,
one of several satellite airfields for Williams AAF,
which conducted training in twin & 4 engine bombers & single engine fighters.
The date of construction of this airfield has not been determined.
It was evidently built at some point after 1943,
as it was not depicted on the 1943 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It was still listed as Williams Aux AAF #5 in a directory of AZ Airports
in the 5/47 issue of Arizona Highways (courtesy of George Miller),
which described the field as being unattended, and the longest runway as being 4,000'.
The earliest depiction which has been located of this airfield
was on the 1948 USAF Phoenix Urban Area Chart (courtesy of Scott O'Donnell).
It depicted “Goodyear AF Aux Airfield” as having 2 paved runways with a taxiway & a ramp on the north side of the field.
A 1949 aerial view (courtesy of John Arthur) depicted the Goodyear Auxiliary Airfield still in its original (triangular) configuration,
with 2 paved runways & a ramp on the north side of the field.
The primary runway had apparently been lengthened to 8,000'
by the time of the 1956 Phoenix Sectional chart (courtesy of John Voss),
presumably to support jet aircraft training operations from nearby Williams AFB.
A 1958 aerial view (courtesy of John Arthur) depicted the Goodyear Auxiliary Airfield with its lengthened northwest/southeast runway.
It was still depicted as "Goodyear AF" on the 1966 Phoenix Local aeronautical chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The Air Force apparently relinquished the airfield at some point between 1966-71 & it became a civilian airfield.
That is how "Goodyear" was depicted on the August 1971 USAF Tactical Pilotage Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Eventually, the field became a private civil airport, Memorial Airfield.
This airfield was supposedly used during Vietnam War to modify C-130s & other aircraft
used by Air America & other CIA "front companies".
A 1978 aerial view of Memorial Airfield, looking west, by Chris Kennedy.
The airfield appears completely unused, with no buildings at all, and no aircraft on the ramp.
Paul Freeman flew into Memorial in an MD-500 helicopter in 1990
on a training flight for the McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company (located nearby in Mesa).
The company used Memorial Airfield for helicopter pilot training flights.
The airfield consisted of 2 paved runways (the longest, 12/30, was 8,500'), ramps & hangars.
The runways were very deteriorated, with weeds growing up through cracks.
Close-up of the Memorial ramp, showing C-130s, DC-7s, etc.
Photo by Ralph Pettersen, 2002, used by permission.
A beautiful shot of DC-7s, some of the many old transports baking in the sun at Memorial.
Photo by Nils Alegren, 2002, used by permission.
As of 2002, several air tanker companies based a variety of aircraft (C-130, DC-7) at Memorial.
However, as a local AZ pilot pointed out in 2002, "Now with the FAA ban on using C-130As for aerial firefighting,
most of those old C-130s at Memorial will probably go into being Budweiser cans!"
A 2003 aerial view looking north at Memorial Airfield by James Covington.
Sam Brunetto reported in 2005 that “ABVA Trust International
has asked me to do a cost evaluation of a complete development project to bring Memorial into the 21st century.
After doing a cost evaluation , I presented it to ABVA.
I have obtained an agreement with them for funds in $100 million blocks up to $1 Billion.”
A 2005 photo looking southeast along Memorial's Runway 12 (courtesy of Luke Graven of North America Building &Development).
A 2005 photo looking south at Memorial's ramp (courtesy of Luke Graven of North America Building &Development).
A 2006 photo (courtesy of Luke Graven of North America Building &Development) of the newly repaved Runway 12/30 at Memorial.
Luke reported in 2006, “We have resurfaced the main runway & taxiway with some slurry-seal 8,600' x 75’.
We're flying our Lear 35 out of here... it's great having an 8,600' runway all to yourself.”
A 2006 plan (courtesy of Luke Graven of North America Building &Development) looking west at the plan for the redevelopment of Memorial.
Luke reported in 2006, “We will hopefully soon reach a deal with the Gila River Airport Authority & develop the airpark.”
A 2006 artist's conception (courtesy of Luke Graven of North America Building &Development)
of the entrance to the planned “Gila River Airport” (to be developed on the site of the Memorial Airfield).
A 2006 artist's conception (courtesy of Luke Graven of North America Building &Development) of the planned tower.
A 2006 artist's conception (courtesy of Luke Graven of North America Building &Development) of the stunning native-style hangars.
A 2007 photo by Ryan Keough looking along a runway (or taxiway?) at Gila River Memorial,
with several C-130s visible in the background.
Ryan Keough reported in 2007, “Most of the aircraft are being either trucked away
from Chandler Memorial (now known as Gila River Memorial Airport)
as the Gila River Reservation determines what the fate or the airfield will be.
Many of the DC-6s were cut up & scrapped.
The 4 PV-2 Harpoon/Howard 500s that are there are being disassembled or prepped for ferry flights.
The 4 former Biegert Aviation C-54s are in limbo & no one is sure if they will be scrapped or not. They are far from flyable.
A huge collection of H-19 Chicksaw helicopter airframes have been trucked away.
The 2 C-130s owned by International Air Response have been flown to Coolidge to join the others already there.”
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33.35 North / 111.8 West (Southeast of Phoenix, AZ)
Gilbert Airport, as depicted on the 1949 Phoenix Sectional Chart.
According to an article by Kelly Mixer in the Apache Junction Independent (courtesy of Chris Root),
Gilbert Airport was built in 1946 by Bill Mastin & his brother-in-law, Joseph Wilbur.
It was established “on Everett Wilbur's property, which ran an eighth of a mile west of Gilbert Road to Neely Street,
south to Mesquite Street, and north to Palo Verde Street.
The duo started the Wilbur Flying Service that same year with one training plane. They later purchased more.
Gilbert Airport had a hangar, repair shop, office, pilot lounge & hard-packed dirt runway.”
"We had a 100-foot-wide landing strip that ran east-west because the winds recorded easterly back then," Mr. Mastin said.
An undated photo of Bill Mastin, on top of a Beech Bonanza, possibly at Gilbert Airport.
According to the article in the Independent, “The airport was equipped with a Unicom transceiver
and floodlights were installed to make night operations possible.
When they first opened the airport, the duo taught World War II veterans how to fly
because the Wilbur Flying Service was approved by the state & Veterans Administration for G.I. flight training.
Eventually, they added a charter plane service.”
"A lot of people from Williams AFB also took lessons when they were not serving in active duty," Mr. Mastin said.
According to the article in the Independent, “A partial roster of pilots & students who flew at Gilbert Airport
is on display at the Gilbert Historical Museum on the southwest corner of Gilbert & Elliot roads.
Among the notable aviators who learned to fly in Gilbert was Darrel Sawyer, owner & founder of Sawyer Aviation.
In 1947, Mr. Sawyer served as vice-president of the newly formed Gilbert Model Airplane Club, called the Gilbert Flying Tigers.
The group regularly met at the Gilbert Airport to fly their homebuilt model airplanes
and compete against other model-airplane clubs.”
According to the article in the Independent, “In 1948, Mr. Mastin purchased Joe Wilbur's interest in the business
and became sole owner of the Gilbert Airport.
He kept the Wilbur Flying Service name & continued to work there as the airport's flight instructor.
At its peak in the late 1940s, as many as 20 airplanes were based at the field.
Mr. Mastin trained hundreds of local pilots.”
"A lot of people would fly for awhile & then quit because they couldn't afford to buy their own plane," he said.
According to the article in the Independent, “As VA flight training came to an end after the 1940s,
Mr. Mastin began to look at other ways to increase his revenue at the airport.
He had worked as a photographer so he added aerial photography to the list of services at the airport.”
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the 1949 Phoenix Sectional Chart.
It depicted Gilbert Airport as having a 2,300' unpaved runway.
According to the article in the Independent, “By the mid-1950s, crop-dusting had become the principal business at the airfield.”
"That was my main source of income until farmers realized they could do it cheaper themselves by using their tractors," Mr. Mastin said.
The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Gilbert Airport
was on the 1956 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
It depicted the field as having a 2,300' unpaved runway.
According to the article in the Independent, “Eventually, the parallel taxiway was widened & used as the runway,
leaving most of the airport property available for cultivation.”
"I farmed the property for awhile but after a lot of hard work, I only managed to break even," Mr. Mastin said.
A 1958 aerial view (courtesy of John Arthur) depicted the Gilbert Airport as having a single unpaved east/west runway.
According to the article in the Independent, “In 1959, the Gilbert Unified School District
announced plans to acquire some of the property for a new high school.
The purchase was completed following approval by the district's voters.
Mr. Mastin held on to 2 airport buildings & the runway
so he could continue his crop-dusting business until around 1962 or 1963.
The main hangar was sold to a cabinet-making business,
while the repair shop was sold to the owner of the local Union service station.”
According to the article in the Independent, “In the early 1990s, the 2 buildings were also purchased by Gilbert Public Schools.
Following an environmental inspection, both were razed.”
As can be seen in the 2004 USGS aerial photo,
the site of the former Gilbert Airport is occupied by Mesquite Junior High & other school district facilities,
and not a trace appears to remain of the airport.
Chris Root visited the site of Gilbert Airport in 2005,
and confirmed that it is occupied by a middle school,
with no remaining trace of the airport.
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Gilbert Auxiliary Army Airfield #1, Buckhorn, AZ
33.39 North / 111.67 West (North of Williams Gateway Airport, AZ)
The Gilbert Aux #1 airfield was depicted as an unlabeled auxiliary airfield (the cross in the center)
on the 1943 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This field was built during WW2 as one of at least 4 satellite airfields for Williams AAF,
which conducted training in twin & four engine bombers & single engine fighters.
The date of construction of Gilbert Aux #1 is unknown.
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
is on the 1943 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
which depicted it as an unlabeled auxiliary airfield.
According to the 1944 airfield layout
(from a 1944 USAAF map of Williams AAF & its satellite airfields, courtesy of John Voss),
Gilbert had two 4,000' paved runways & a connecting taxiway on the east side.
"#1 Gilbert" was depicted as an auxiliary airfield on the March 1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This field was listed in a directory of AZ Airports
in the 5/47 issue of Arizona Highways (courtesy of George Miller),
which described the field as being unattended, and the longest runway as being 4,000'.
A 1949 aerial view (courtesy of John Arthur) depicted the Williams Aux #1 airfield as having 2 paved runway connected by a taxiway on the east side.
There did not appear to have been any ramps or buildings associated with the airfield.
It was still shown as an active Air Force field on the 1956 Phoenix Sectional chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The 1956 USGS topo map (from the ASU Library, courtesy of Adam DeLand)
depicted the “Gilbert Airfield” as having 2 paved runways & a connecting taxiway.
No structures appeared to be associated with the airfield.
In a 1958 aerial view (courtesy of John Arthur), the Williams Aux #1 airfield was still depicted as completely intact,
with the surrounding area still devoid of development.
However, due to its location in a rapidly developing suburban area,
this field was apparently redeveloped at a much earlier date than almost any other Arizona former military airfield.
By the time of the 1966 Phoenix Local aeronautical chart (courtesy of John Voss),
the former Gilbert Aux airfield was no longer depicted at all.
A photo by Dan Lawler of Cessna 150 N7973Z on the Gilbert Aux strip in the Summer of 1966.
Dan recalled, “I routinely took student pilots there from Falcon Field or Sky Harbor Airport to practice landings.
The northeast/southwest runway was the best preserved, though they were both usable then.
I think this picture was taken looking north on the connecting taxiway,
which I occasionally used for touch & gos as a challenge to more advanced students.
What was great for the student was the absence of other air traffic at the strip.
While the picture does not show the strip itself to very good advantage,
it does show vegetation beginning to get a foothold through the deteriorating asphalt.”
A 1970 aerial view (courtesy of John Arthur) showed that most of the former Williams Aux #1 airfield had been covered by development,
with only the western halves of the 2 runways still remaining recognizable.
A 1971 aerial photo (from the ASU Library, courtesy of Adam DeLand)
showed that the southernmost part of the airfield had fallen victim to redevelopment by a trailer park & golf course.
A network of streets from a trailer park development covered the taxiway & the eastern edge of both runways.
However, a majority of the northeast/southwest runway remained intact,
along with a smaller portion of the northwest/southeast runway.
The 1982 USGS topo map did not depict any trace of Gilbert Airfield,
but rather showed a trailer park & golf course occupying the southern part of the property.
In the 1992 USGS aerial photo of the site,
the outline of a northeast/southwest runway was still barely perceptible in the northeastern portion of the photo.
A 2006 photo by Derek Hofmann looking southwest along the remains of the former runway of Gilbert Aux AAF #1.
Derek reported, “The runway is covered by half an inch of dirt,
no doubt from the many dust storms that have blown through the area over the years.
The only way you can tell from sight alone that there was ever a runway is by inspecting the plant growth pattern.
Only weeds seem to grow in the dirt over the runway, and in patterns indicative of cracks in the asphalt.
The area isn't yet completely developed.”
The site is located southwest of the intersection of East Southern Avenue & South Sossaman Road,
a half mile east of the Superstition Springs Mall.
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Rittenhouse Auxiliary Army Airfield #2, Queen Creek, AZ
33.26 North / 111.52 West (E of Williams AFB, AZ)
The WW2-era airfield layout of Rittenhouse,
from a 1944 USAAF map of Williams AAF & its satellite airfields (courtesy of John Voss).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
This field was built during WW2 as one of 5 satellite airfields for Williams AAF,
which conducted training in twin & four engine bombers & single engine fighters.
The WW2-era airfield consisted of a set of 4 paved runways (the longest being 4,000'),
arranged in a triangle.
Rittenhouse Aux AAF, as depicted on the March 1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Rittenhouse was listed in a directory of AZ Airports
in the 5/47 issue of Arizona Highways (courtesy of George Miller),
which described it as being unattended, and the longest runway as being 4,000'.
"Rittenhouse AF" was depicted as an active airfield on the 1956 Phoenix Sectional chart (courtesy of John Voss),
by which point the primary runway had been lengthened to 5,100'.
It was still depicted as an active airfield on the 1966 Phoenix Local aeronautical chart (courtesy of John Voss).
Apparently, at some point after 1966 the northwest/southeast runway was further lengthened to 6,200'.
This may indicate that Rittenhouse was used after WW2 to operate bombers or jet aircraft.
The Rittenhouse airfield was apparently abandoned at some point between 1966-69.
Wesley Stephens recalled, “I used to live in Chandler & graduated from Chandler High School in 1969.
I had several jobs from 1969-71. During that time, like so many other young men, I was into hot rodding.
Rittenhouse was where we would go & race on Friday & Saturday nights.
There would be drinking & the occasional scuffle but it was pretty good fun.
The local Sherrifs would usually let it go until about 11:00 pm then they would send in 2 or 3 patrols with lights & sirens to run us out.
I guess they figured it was better for us to be out there than on the public streets endangering others than ourselves.”
Rittenhouse was labeled "closed" on the August 1971 USAF Tactical Pilotage Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
However the VOR navigational transmitter on the field continued to be depicted as operational.
A 1971 USGS aerial photo of "Rittenhouse Air Force Auxiliary Field" (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling),
depicted the field as having 4 paved runways, one of which had been extended.
Note also the series of dirt runways adjacent to the north side of the paved runways.
Don Davis recalled, “They stopped landings & touch & goes at Rittenhouse in 1971.
I arrived at Williams AFB in March of 1976 as a ground radio repairman.
They were in the process of beginning the shutdown of the RapCon at Rittenhouse when I arrived.
They continued to use the airfield for low-approach / navaids training well into 1976.”
Glenn Annis recalled, “I was stationed at Williams AFB from 1980-84,
first as a student then as an instructor & life support officer.
The crossing series of runways at Rittenhouse Field north of the main complex
were utilized for parasail training for the incoming undergraduate pilot training students.
They were aligned this way so that the parasails could always be launched into the wind.”
The old Rittenhouse airfield got a new lease on life in 1999,
when the Rittenhouse Army Heliport was once again listed with the FAA as an active military facility,
under the control of the Arizona Army National Guard.
The only listed runway is a 1,500' asphalt section of Runway 12/30,
which is described as having "potholes & loose gravel on runway".
As seen in the circa 2000 aerial photo,
the outline of the former paved runways at Rittenhouse remains quite distinctive.
The shorter unpaved runways on the north side of the airfield were also still quite recognizable.
A circa 20002-2005 aerial photo looking northwest at Rittenhouse
showed some markings (“6Y?”) still perceptible on the near end of the northwest/southeast runway.
As of 2003, the Rittenhouse airfield was occasionally still used for training
by the Arizona Army National Guard helicopter crews
from Papago Army Airfield in Phoenix.
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