Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:P
California: Southeastern Sacramento area
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 6/7/08.
(Original) Calaveras County Airport (revised 1/22/06) - Rancho Zanjon Airfield / Madera Aux AAF #2 (revised 4/17/04)
Reed AAF (revised 6/10/05) - Sacramento Sky Ranch (revised 4/14/07)
Sharpe AAF (revised 6/7/08) - Skyline Airport / Perkins Airport (revised 4/14/07)
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Skyline Airport / Perkins Airport, Perkins, CA
38.54 North / 121.39 West (Southeast of Sacramento, CA)
A March 1947 telephone book advertisement for the Skyline Airport (courtesy of Dann Shively).
Photo of the airport has not been located.
According to Dann Shively, "The community of Perkins was a dot on the map that was consumed by Sacramento.
But it did have its own little strip.
It was located on the south side of Jackson Road
just south &slightly east of the intersection with Folsom Boulevard."
This airport was evidently built at some point between 1946-47,
as it was not depicted on the 1946 Sacramento Sectional Chart (according to Dann Shively).
The earliest reference to Skyline Airport which has been located
was an advertisement for the airport in a March 1947 telephone book (courtesy of Dann Shively).
The field was described as offering charter, student instruction, aircraft sales, and rental.
The operators were listed as Everett Gobel & Milton Schneiter.
The field was apparently renamed "Perkins" Airport at some point between 1947-48,
as that is how it was labeled on the 1948 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling).
The chart depicted Perkins as having a 2,100' unpaved runway.
The 1949 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
also depicted Perkins as having a 2,100' unpaved runway.
"Perkins Flying Service" was depicted on a 1950 street map (courtesy of Dann Shively)
as a rectangular property running northwest/southeast along the south side of Jackson Road.
The depiction of Perkins Airport was quite different on a 1954 street map (courtesy of Crutiss Carroll):
it depicted the field as consisting of a single north/south runway, with a single hangar along the east side,
contained within a property largely running north/south.
The 1954 USGS topo map depicted Perkins Airport as having a north/south runway along with a shorter northwest/southeast taxiway.
Perkins Airport was apparently pretty short-lived, lasting no more than 9 years.
It was closed by 1954,
as it was no longer depicted on the March 1954 USAF Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A 2003 aerial photo by Dann Shively, looking east at the site of the former Perkins Airport.
"Folsom Boulevard is the main road veering off to the left.
The road straight ahead is Jackson Road.
The airport was located just to the right (south) of Jackson Road."
According to Dann Shively, "That whole area now is just a huge gravel pit owned by the Teichert Company.
Obviously nothing is left of the airport.
There was a golf course there as well that disappeared when the mining started."
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Sacramento Sky Ranch, Sacramento, CA
38.5 North / 121.43 West (Southeast of Sacramento Executive Airport, CA)
A June 1946 telephone directory advertisement for the Sacramento Sky Ranch (courtesy of Dann Shively).
The date of construction of the Sacramento Sky Ranch has not been determined.
It was evidently not a pre-WW2 airport,
as it was not depicted on the 1939 Sacramento Sectional Chart (according to Dann Shively)
or listed in the 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer).
It was evidently built at some point between 1944-46,
as the earliest depiction of the airfield which has been located
was on the 1946 Sacramento Sectional Chart (according to Dann Shively), which listed it as "Sky Ranch".
An advertisement for Sacramento Sky Ranch in a June 1946 telephone directory (courtesy of Dann Shively)
described the field as being an Aeronca distributor, and offering flight instruction, parts, supplies, repair.
It also described the field as "One of the largest private airports in Northern CA."
The 1948 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Jonathan Westerling)
depicted Sacramento Sky Ranch as having a 2,800' unpaved runway.
The 1949 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
also described Sacramento Sky Ranch as having a 2,800' unpaved runway.
A circa 1950s aerial view looking southeast at the Sacramento Sky Ranch.
The road running parallel to the runway is Stockton Boulevard;
the intersecting street at the top of the photo is Florin Road.
Photo is used by permission of John Schwaner, via Dann Shively.
An undated photo of three unidentified men in from of a Aeronca Champ, in front of the Sacramento Sky Ranch hangar.
Photo is used by permission of John Schwaner, via Dann Shively.
According to Dann Shively, Sacramento Sky Ranch was owned & operated by John Schwaner,
starting just after World War 2.
John Schwaner was an Aeronca distributor and sold aircraft parts, supplies, and services.
An undated (pre-WW2) photo of John Schwaner kneeling in front of a plane within a railroad car.
Photo is used by permission of John Schwaner, via Dann Shively.
An undated (pre-WW2) photo of John Schwaner, showing his invention for moving & storing airplanes on their nose.
Photo is used by permission of John Schwaner, via Dann Shively.
Instead of being flown to Sacramento from the Aeronca factory,
planes were partially disassembled & shipped by rail.
John Schwaner also invented a unique way of storing aircraft
by setting the wheels & propeller in dollies and stacking them with their tails elevated.
Sacramento Sky Ranch, as depicted on a circa mid-1950s street map (courtesy of Dann Shively).
The 1957 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Sacramento Sky Ranch as having a 2,300' unpaved runway.
A 1961 Chevron street map (courtesy of Bill Eaton)
depicted Sacramento Sky Ranch as having 2 runways & multiple taxiways.
The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of the Sacramento Sky Ranch
was on the 1961 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Dann Shively).
It depicted Sacramento Sky Ranch as having a 2,300' unpaved runway.
Sacramento Sky Ranch was closed at some point between 1961-62,
as it was no longer depicted on the September 1962 Sacramento Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
Owner John Schwaner had sold the property,
and a shopping center was built on the site.
After the airport closed, Schwaner's business was moved to Sacramento Executive Airport
and later to it's present location across the street from that airport.
It still operated by John Schwaner's son, also named John.
As seen in the 2001 aerial photo,
no trace of the airport remains at the location today.
The airport was on the east end of what is now the Florin Mall Shopping Center.
The site of Sacramento Sky Ranch is located on the northwest corner of Stockton Boulevard & Florin Road.
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(Original) Calaveras County Airport, San Andreas, CA
38.19 North / 120.67 West (Southeast of Sacramento, CA)
A circa 1950s photo of a plane (Aeronca?) at the Calaveras County Airport (courtesy of Randy Haight).
The original Calaveras County Airport was located on the southern edge of the town of San Andreas.
The Calaveras County Airport was apparently built at some point between 1954-57,
as it was not depicted on the March 1954 USAF Sacramento Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest reference to the Calaveras County Airport which has been located
was on the 1957 Sacramento Sectional chart (according to Chris Kennedy),
which depicted it as having a 2,000' hard-surface runway.
A circa 1950s photo of Nadine Haight in front of a plane at the Calaveras County Airport (courtesy of Randy Haight).
Randy Haight recalled, “My father & mother both flew out of the old Calaveras County Airport
and in fact, both soloed there.
I spent many hours there as a kid.”
The earliest depiction which has been located of the Calaveras County Airport
was on the September 1962 Sacramento Sectional chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as having a 2,100' unpaved runway.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described the Calaveras County Airport
as having a single 2,000' blacktop Runway 9/27.
The operator was listed as Carol Kennedy.
The 1967 Sacramento Sectional chart (courtesy of John Voss)
showed that the runway at the original Calaveras County Airport had been lengthened slightly to 2,150'.
A 1978 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) listed the operator at Calaveras County Airport as Calavaero.
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury) also listed the operator as Calavaero, Inc.
A 1982 aerial view looking east at the original Calaveras County Airport (apparently shortly after it had been closed),
copyright by John Hockenbury (used by permission).
In 1982, a replacement airport, the Calaveras County Airport - Maury Rasmussen Field,
was built on a high ridge to the southeast of the town.
The original airport was apparently closed that same year,
as the above 1982 aerial photo clearly shows closed "X" markings painted on the runway.
The original airport was no longer depicted at all (even as an abandoned airfield) on 1998 aeronautical charts.
As it existed in the 1998 USGS aerial photo,
the majority of the runway of the original airport still existed at that point,
although a housing development had been built on the northern end of the eastern end of the runway.
Four hangars still stood on the ramp along the south side of the runway.
According to Denis Fabbrini, one of the hangars still bears the lettering "Calaveras County Airport".
Dann Shively reported in 2003 that he "had the opportunity to fly over the old San Andreas Airport.
The site hasn't changed since the aerial photo [from 1998] was shot."
The original Calaveras County Airport is located east of the intersection of Route 49 & Airport Road,
appropriately enough.
Thanks to Denis Fabbrini for pointing out this airfield.
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Sharpe Army Airfield, Lathrop, CA
37.84 North / 121.27 West (East of Oakland, CA)
Sharpe AAF, as depicted in the 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This former military airfield was located on the grounds of the Sharpe Army Depot.
The Depot itself existed at least as far back as 1941 (known then as Lathrop Army Depot).
The depot's airfield was apparently built at some point between 1956-60,
as it was not depicted on the 1956 San Francisco Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest reference to Sharpe AAF which has been located
was in the 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as having a single 3,000' paved Runway 16/34,
with a 500' overrun at the north end.
There did not appear to be any buildings which were directly associated with the airfield (such as any hangars).
The Aerodromes table on the 1966 San Francisco Sectional chart (courtesy of John Voss)
described Sharpe AAF as having a single 3,000' asphalt runway.
An Aircraft Shipment Section at the Sharpe Army Depot was used to prepare Army helicopters
for transport to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.
An undated (circa 1960s?) aerial view looking northeast at Sharpe AAF (courtesy of Rex Ricks),
showing an overflight by 19 UH-1 Huey helicopters.
The hangar at bottom-right had an attached control tower.
Parked around the hangar were 5 fixed-wing aircraft (including what appears to be a C-47),
as well as 16 helicopters.
Sharpe Field, as depicted on the 1976 Pilot's Guide to CA Airports (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It was still depicted as an active military airfield on the 1987 CA Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
However, it was labeled just "Landing Strip" on the 1989 USGS topo map.
As it existed in the 1993 USGS aerial photo, the airfield consisted of a single 3,500' asphalt Runway 16/34.
None of the surrounding depot buildings appeared to be used as hangars.
It was most likely that no aircraft were based at the field;
it was just used by transient aircraft carrying material & personnel into & out of the depot.
Sharpe AAF was evidently closed at some point between 1987-98,
as it was no longer depicted at all (even as an abandoned airfield) on 1998 aeronautical charts.
As can be seen in the circa 2001 aerial photo,
the southern half of the former runway had been replaced by a parking lot which surrounded a large new building,
which had replaced one of the long, narrow, original depot buildings.
The northern half of the former runway still existed,
painted with closed runway "X" markings,
and was used as a vehicle parking area.
The Depot was still in operation (as of 2002), known as the Defense Distribution Depot San Joaquin, CA – Lathrop.
A 2007 aerial view by Ian Carisi looking northwest at the former Sharpe AAF runway.
The taller building in the center of the photo is the former hangar.
The site of Sharpe AAF is located northeast of the intersection of Interstate 5 & Lathrop Road.
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Rancho Zanjon Airfield / Madera Auxiliary Army Airfield #2, Merced, CA
37.34 North / 120.4 West (East of San Jose, CA)
"Rancho Zanjon" Airfield, as depicted on the June 1964 San Francisco Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
This airfield was apparently built during WW2 as one of three satellite fields
for the use of Merced AAF (later renamed Castle AFB).
Other military history unknown.
Madera #2 was apparently abandoned by the military at some point prior to 1955,
as it was not depicted on the 1955 or 1956 San Francisco Sectional Charts (according to Chris Kennedy).
It was apparently reopened as a civil airfield at some point between 1956-64,
as that is how the "Rancho Zanjon" airfield was depicted on the June 1964 San Francisco Sectional chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It was described as having a 2,300' unpaved runway.
By the time of the June 1966 San Francisco Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
it was once again depicted as "Madera #2", and the status of the field had changed to private.
Madera #2 was still depicted as a private airfield on the 1987 CA Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
However, it was apparently closed again at some point between 1987-98,
as it was no longer depicted at all (even as an abandoned airfield) on 1998 aeronautical charts.
As it existed in the 1998 USGS aerial photo, the airfield consisted of a 2,700' north/south runway,
and a 1,600' northwest/southeast runway.
A single building or hangar sat to the west of the runway intersection,
which may be of civilian postwar construction.
The site of Madera Aux #2 is located on the eastern bank of the Fairfield Canal,
northwest of the intersection of Yosemite Avenue & North Arboleda Drive,
4.5 miles northeast of Merced.
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Reed Army Airfield, Sacramento, CA
38.52 North / 121.4 West (Northeast of San Francisco, CA)
Reed AAF, as depicted in the 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
This small former military airfield was located adjacent to the south side of the warehouses of the Sacramento Army Depot.
The Depot itself was established in 1941.
Several other WW2-era Army depots had similar small airfields to support Depot operations.
The date of construction of the airfield is unknown.
It was evidently built at some point between 1957-60,
as it was not depicted on the 1957 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of Reed Army Airfield which has been located
was in the 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as consisting of a single 3,125' unpaved Runway 7/25,
with a single small building adjacent to the north side of the runway.
The 1961 Sacramento Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Reed AAF as having a 3,100' unpaved runway.
At some point after 1961, the runway at Reed was evidently paved.
John Hockenbury recalled "I went to work at the now closed Sacramento Army Depot in 1970,
and they had an operating airfield at that time,
flying single-engine Otters, Beavers, and helicopters in & out.
The airport was just to the south of [the Depot] warehouses & ran east/west.
I believe the strip closed in the early 1970s.
It never was very active when I went there in 1970."
No airfield at all was depicted at the Depot on the 1974or 1994 USGS topo maps.
The Sacramento Army Depot was closed in 1995,
and the property has subsequently been reused by several private companies.
No airfield at all was depicted at the Depot on the 1998 USGS topo map or the 1998 World Aeronautical Chart.
As seen in the 1998 USGS aerial photo,
a 1,600' portion of the former runway pavement remained intact, west of Midway Avenue.
It appeared as if the runway used to extend across the east side of Midway Avenue,
which was apparently extended after the closure of the airfield.
The remaining runway portion was still marked with two large closed-runway "X" symbols.
A 2003 aerial view by Dann Shively, looking east at the former runway of Reed AAF
(the markings "Army" are faintly visible at end of the former runway at the bottom-right).
Dann Shively reported in 2003 that he "I flew over the old Army Depot yesterday (Reed AAF).
"The runway is pretty much non existent now except for the far west end
where the markings "ARMY" are still barely visible.
What was the runway is now covered with buildings & storage facilities.
The facility is now a private business park."
A 2005 photo by Dann Shively of what appears to be a former wind indicator (fashioned out of a missile of some kind),
which remains at the site of the former Reed AAF.
Dann Shively reported in 2005, “I flew over the old Sacramento Army Depot a while back
and noticed the last remnants of the airstrip there, the US Army lettering, is now gone from view, paved over.
I also noticed, which I missed before, is that the old tetrahedron is still there & working, just south of where the old runway was.
It's a strange-shaped wind indicator. It's almost rocket shaped.
I couldn't get a good shot from the air so ventured out to try to get it from the ground.
The property is now the Depot Business Park & is gate-guarded.
I called & explained what I wanted to the site manager & made an appointment to get onto the property.
What I didn't see from the air is that the old windsock is also still there,
although all that's left is a wooden pole & windsock frame.”
A 2005 photo by Dann Shively of the remains of the windsock frame, along with the former wind indicator,
which remain at the site of the former Reed AAF.
The site of the former airfield is located north of the intersection of Midway Avenue & Kwajalien Street.
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