Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Arizona - Southwest Phoenix area
© 2002, © 2009 by Paul Freeman. Revised 5/30/09.
Air-Topia Airport (revised 1/31/09) - Goodyear Aux AAF #6 / Luke AF Aux #6 (revised 3/1/08) - Hassayampa Aux AAF #7 (revised 1/24/09)
Litchfield Park Airport (revised 5/30/09) - Luke Aux AAF #8 (revised 1/31/09) - South Phoenix Airport (revised 1/31/09)
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Air-Topia Airport, Phoenix, AZ
33.4 North / 112.16 West (Southwest of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, AZ)
Air-Topia Airport, as depicted on the 1948 USAF Urban Area Chart.
The date of construction this former small airfield has not been determined.
Air-Topia Airport was apparently built at some point between 1945-48,
as it was not depicted on the 1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The earliest depiction of Air-Topia Airport which has been located
was on the 1948 USAF Urban Area Chart, which depicted the field as having a single northeast/southwest runway.
The earliest photo which has been located of the Air-Topia Airport
was a 1949 aerial view (from the Maricopa County Flood Control District).
It depicted the field as having a single unpaved northeast/southwest runway,
with a few small buildings on the south side of the field.
The March 1949 Phoenix Sectional chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described Air-Topia Airport as having a 2,400' unpaved runway.
The Aerodromes table on the 1956 Phoenix Sectional chart (courtesy of John Voss)
described Air-Topia Airport as having a single 2,400' bare runway.
The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of the Air-Topia Airport
was on the 1958 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted it as having a 2,400' unpaved runway.
The last photo which has been located of the Air-Topia Airport
was a February 19, 1959 aerial view (from the Maricopa County Flood Control District).
It depicted the field as having a single unpaved northeast/southwest runway,
with a few small buildings on the south side of the field.
Air-Topia Airport was evidently closed at some point between 1958-62,
as it not listed among active airfields in the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory.
A 1969 aerial view showed that housing had been built over the eastern half of the site,
while the western half of the runway still remained intact.
The 1997 USGS aerial photo of the site of the former airport
showed that the northwest corner of the site remained an open field,
while housing had been built over the rest of the property.
No trace of the former airfield appeared to remain.
A November 5, 2007 aerial view (from the Maricopa County Flood Control District)
showed that there was no trace remaining of the Air-Topia Airport,
with the site having been covered by dense housing.
The site of Air-Topia Airport is located
southeast of the intersection of South 43rd Street & West Southern Avenue.
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South Phoenix Airport, Phoenix, AZ
33.42 North / 112.05 West (Southwest of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, AZ)
South Phoenix Airport, as depicted on the 1948 USAF Urban Area Chart.
South Phoenix Airport was apparently built at some point between 1945-48,
as it was not yet depicted on a 1937 aerial photo
nor on the 1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The earliest depiction of South Phoenix Airport which has been located
was on the 1948 USAF Urban Area Chart, which depicted the field as having a single east/west runway,
adjacent to the south side of the Salt River wash.
The earliest photo which has been located of the South Phoenix Airport
was a February 17, 1949 aerial view (from the Maricopa County Flood Control District).
It depicted the field as having a single unpaved east/west runway,
with a total of 10 single-engine aircraft parked around a few small buildings on the southeast side of the field.
The March 1949 Phoenix Sectional chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described South Phoenix Airport as having a 2,600' unpaved runway.
The 1952 USGS topo map (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted South Phoenix Airport as having a single east/west runway,
along with a single building (hangar?) at the southeast corner of the field.
The Aerodromes table on the 1958 Phoenix Sectional chart (according to Chris Kennedy)
described South Phoenix Airport as having a single 2,600' bare runway.
The last photo which has been located of the South Phoenix Airport
was a February 15, 1959 aerial view (from the Maricopa County Flood Control District).
It depicted the field as having a single unpaved east/west runway.
The number of aircraft visible on the field had decreased somewhat compared to the 1949 photo, to only 6.
It appears as if a building added northwest of the runway may have also served as a hangar.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described South Phoenix Airport
as having a single 3,000' bare Runway 9/27,
and listed the operator as James Wilson.
South Phoenix Airport was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1962-66,
as it was not depicted on the 1966 Phoenix Local aeronautical chart (courtesy of John Voss),
or on the 1969 USGS topo map.
A 1969 aerial photo showed that the airport had been abandoned,
with the runway still remaining clear,
but the former aircraft parking area having been reused for storage.
The 1997 USGS aerial photo of the site of the former airport did not show any trace of an airfield.
A December 3, 2007 aerial view (from the Maricopa County Flood Control District)
did not show any remaining trace of the South Phoenix Airport.
The site of South Phoenix Airport is located
northwest of the intersection of South 16th Street & East Elwood Street.
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Litchfield Park Airport, Litchfield Park Airport, AZ
33.49 North / 112.36 West (South of Luke AFB, AZ)
Litchfield Park Airport, as depicted on the 1935 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The Litchfield Park Airport was located south of Luke AAF & north of Goodyear Field
(which was also known as Litchfield Park Naval Air Facility, leading to some confusion).
According to John Arthur, the Litchfield Park Airport “was built in the 1930s to serve the famous Wigwam Resort.”
The earliest reference to Litchfield Park Airport which has been located
was in the 1934 Department of Commerce Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy),
which described it as a rectangular dirt field measuring 2,010' x 1,298', with the entire field available.
The Litchfield Park Airport was one of Phoenix's earliest airfields,
as it was one of only two airfields depicted in the entire Phoenix metropolitan area
on the 1935 Phoenix Sectional Chart (Sky Harbor being the other).
Litchfield Park was depicted as an auxiliary airfield.
The earliest photo which has been located of the Litchfield Park Airport
was a June 21, 1943 aerial view looking north, from the 1945 AAF Airport Directory.
It depicted the airport simply as a rectangular open area.
The 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Litchfield Park Airport as having a 2,300' runway.
A 1949 aerial view (from the Maricopa County Flood Control District)
depicted the Litchfield Park Airport as having a single unpaved east/west runway.
The buildings to the southeast of the runway were evidently not related to the airfield.
The Aerodromes table on the 1956 Phoenix Sectional chart (courtesy of John Voss)
described Litchfield Park Airport as having a single 3,960' oiled runway.
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the Litchfield Park Airport as having a single 3,7,00' paved Runway 8/26
and a 2,600' unpaved Runway 5/23.
A total of three buildings (hangars?) were depicted along the southeast side of the field.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory
described the field as having a single 3,715' oiled Runway 9/27,
and listed the operator as Marsh Aviation Company, Inc.
On the 1966 Phoenix Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of John Voss),
Litchfield Park Airport was depicted as having single 4,520' paved Runway 8/26.
The last chart depiction which has been located of the Litchfield Park Airport
was on the July 1968 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks).
The last photo which has been located of the Litchfield Park Airport
was a 1969 aerial view (from the Maricopa County Flood Control District).
It depicted the field as having a single paved east/west runway,
with a shorter crosswind unpaved runway.
A closeup of Litchfield Park Airport from the 1969 aerial view (from the Maricopa County Flood Control District, courtesy of Jeff Lockridge).
It depicted a total of 11 single-engine aircraft parked around several small buildings on the south side of the field.
The Litchfield Park Airport apparently closed at some point between 1969-71,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the August 1971 USAF Tactical Pilotage Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Its closure was no doubt hastened by its extreme proximity to Luke AFB to the north,
which must have eventually proved to be unworkable.
By the time of the June 1972 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Brooks),
the Litchfield Park Airport was depicted as an abandoned airfield.
The 1982 USGS topo map still depicted a mere 600' "Landing Strip", extending west from Bullard Avenue.
Apparently the runway used to continue to the east, before it was bisected by Bullard Avenue.
An additional clue on the topo map to the property's previous life
is the name of the canal just southeast of the "Landing Strip" - labeled "Airline Canal".
showed no trace remaining of the Litchfield Park Airport.
The site of Litchfield Park Airport is located
north of the intersection of Bullard Avenue & West Indian School Road.
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Hassayampa Auxiliary Army Airfield #7, Buckeye, AZ
33.37 North / 112.76 West (Southwest of Luke AFB, AZ)
Hassayampa "#7", as depicted on the March 1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while in use has not been located.
This airfield was built during WW2 as one of a large number of satellite airfields for Luke AAF,
which was the largest single-engine advanced training base in the world during WW2.
According to a 1992 Army Corps of Engineers Report,
the property for Hassayampa Auxiliary #7 encompassed a total of 612 acres.
According to the "History of Luke AFB" (obtained by David Brooks from the public affairs office at Luke AFB),
"Hassayampa Field, Number 7, had only two runways, both having the 300' x 4,000' dimensions.
Despite having only two runways, Hassayampa Field’s airdrome construction cost amounted to $237,000."
Field #7 was "built during the period July - August 1942."
The earliest depiction the Hassayampa auxiliary airfield which has been located
was on the March 1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This field was listed as Ajo Aux AAF #1 in a directory of AZ Airports
in the 5/47 issue of Arizona Highways (courtesy of George Miller),
which described the longest runway as 3,700', and being unattended.
The site was originally declared excess in 1948 (according to the Army Corps of Engineers).
The earliest photo which has been located of the Hassayampa Airfield
was a February 20, 1949 aerial view (from the Maricopa County Flood Control District).
It depicted the field as having 2 paved runways,
oriented north/south & northeast/southwest, along with a connecting taxiway.
Unlike many of the other WW2-era Arizona auxiliary airfields,
there did not appear to have been any parking ramp (or any other improvements).
The Hassayampa airfield was reestablished by the Air Force in 1950,
but was once again declared excess in 1955 (according to the Army Corps of Engineers).
However, "Luke AF #7" was still depicted as an active airfield
on the 1956 Phoenix Sectional chart (courtesy of John Voss).
It was apparently closed again prior to 1964,
as the site was marked "Abandoned Airport" on the 1964 Phoenix Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The Hassayampa airfield appeared basically unchanged in a 1996 aerial photo.
At some point between 1996-98 a set of storage buildings were built adjacent to the southeast side of the airfield,
as depicted in a 1998 aerial photo.
Aerial photo circa 2001.
Aerial photo © 2002 by AirNikon, used by permission.
The remains of the two 4,000' runways & connecting taxiway are still perceptible.
The current site owners are Maricopa County & several private parties.
The county-owned Hassayampa landfill on the northeast portion of the site is currently listed as a federal Superfund site.
The airfield is located west of the intersection of West Salome Highway & Ward Road,
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Goodyear Auxiliary Army Airfield #6 / Luke Air Force Auxiliary Airfield #6, Goodyear, AZ
33.44 North / 112.52 West (Southwest of Luke AFB, AZ)
Goodyear "#6", as depicted on the March 1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while in use has not been located.
Goodyear Aux AAF #6 was built in 1943 as one of a large number of satellite airfields for Luke AAF,
which was the largest single-engine advanced training base in the world during WW2.
According to a 1992 Army Corps of Engineers Report,
the Goodyear Auxiliary #6 property consisted of a total of 1,159 acres.
According to the "History of Luke AFB" (obtained by David Brooks from the public affairs office at Luke AFB),
Goodyear Field (#6) had three 4,000' x 300' runways,
and the construction costs for its airdrome was $263,000.
Among Luke's auxiliary airfields, "Fighter & Goodyear Fields boasted the most facilities,
each having separate buildings for crew chiefs, operations, supply,
barracks, pit latrine, crash truck shed, generator shed and a control tower.
Building construction cost totaled $24,300."
The earliest depiction the Goodyear auxiliary airfield which has been located
was on the March 1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A 1949 aerial photo (courtesy of John Arthur) depicted the Goodyear Aux #6 airfield in its original configuration,
with 3 runways & a parking ramp on the southeast side.
What may have been several small buildings were just east of the parking ramp.
The site was declared excess & deeded to the State of Arizona in 1949,
but was then reestablished & expanded by the Air Force later that same year.
It was last used for emergency landings, dart target launchings,
and as an emergency drop zone for flight training missions from Luke AFB.
"Luke AF #6" was depicted as an active airfield on the 1956 Phoenix Sectional chart (courtesy of John Voss),
which described the longest runway as being a 5,300' hard-surfaced strip.
The Army Corps of Engineers indicated that the site was declared excess in 1957.
However, "Luke AF #6" was still depicted as an active airfield
on the 1966 Phoenix Local aeronautical chart (courtesy of John Voss).
Luke AF Aux #6 was evidently closed at some point between 1966-71,
as it was labeled "closed" on the August 1971 USAF Tactical Pilotage Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
At some point between 1966-71 the primary runway was apparently lengthened to its ultimate configuration of 6,200'.
That may indicate that it was used at a relatively late period in its history for jet aircraft,
as 6,200' is longer than the typical runway of a WW2 era training field.
Aerial photo circa 2000.
Aerial photo © 2002 by AirNikon, used by permission.
Current owners include the State of Arizona & a number of private individuals.
A February 2008 aerial view by Paul Freeman looking northwest at the remains of Luke Aux #6,
showing the remains of the 3 paved runways.
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Luke Auxiliary Army Airfield #8, Buckeye, AZ
33.19 North / 112.68 West (Southwest of Luke AFB, AZ)
The 1979 USGS topo map depicted a single north/south runway, labeled simply as “Landing Strip”.
According to John Voss,
the airfield at this location was originally Luke Auxiliary Army Airfield #8,
one of a large number of satellite airfields built during the WW2 era for Luke AAF.
According to the "History of Luke AFB" (obtained by David Brooks from the public affairs office at Luke AFB),
"Practically nothing is known about Auxiliary Field A-8,
including its location or date of origin, except that it was written off the books as surplus property on July 15, 1944.
Oddly enough, a second Auxiliary Field Number 8 also existed
and was assigned to the main base from June 14, 1943 until it was disposed of on July 9, 1946.
The latter field was located 17 miles southwest of Buckeye."
No airfield is depicted at all at this location on the 1951 USGS topo map
or the 1956 Sectional Aeronautical Chart.
The earliest depiction which has been located of an airfield at this location was on the 1979 USGS topo map.
It depicted a single north/south runway, labeled simply as “Landing Strip”.
As seen in the 1992 USGS aerial photo,
a rudimentary airfield exists at this location,
but its layout is not the typical pattern of that of a WW2-era satellite field.
It consists of a 3,500' north/south runway,
along with what appears to have been a 2,500' east/west runway.
A small set of buildings has been placed just west of the runway intersection.
The airfield is located south of the intersection of West Patterson Road & South 283rd Avenue,
14 miles southwest of Buckeye, AZ.
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