Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Southeastern New Jersey
© 2002, © 2005 by Paul Freeman. Revised 8/6/05.
Cape May NAS / Municipal Airport / CGAS (revised 7/12/05) - Crescent Airfield (revised 7/27/04)
Forked River Airport (revised 6/3/05) - Manahawkin Airport (revised 8/6/05)
Pleasantville - Somers Point Airport / Nordheim Flying K Airpark (revised 4/10/04) - Smithville Airport (revised 2/16/05)
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Forked River Airport, Forked River, NJ
39.84 North / 74.18 West (Northeast of Atlantic City, NJ)
Forked River was depicted as a commercial/municipal airfield on the 1935 Washington Sectional Chart.
This small general aviation airport was evidently established at some point between 1933-34,
as it was not yet listed among active airfields in The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest reference to the Forked River Airport which has been located
was in the 1934 Department of Commerce Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It described Forked River as a commercial auxiliary airport,
consisting of a rectangular 2,000' x 1,000' sod field.
A hangar was said to be marked with “Forked River”.
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the 1935 Washington Sectional Chart.
It depicted Forked River as a commercial/municipal airfield.
According to Karl Metz, “In the early 1900's Forked River was a sporting destination for people from NY & PA who like to hunt & fish.
Walking distance from the airfield was Eno's Hotel & Casino.”
An aerial view of the Forked River Airport, from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The directory described Forked River as a commercial airport, consisting of a 35-acre rectangular sod field,
measuring 2,500' east/west by 1,000' north/south.
A single hangar was pictured, which was said to be marked with the airport's name.
An undated (circa 1930s?) photo of several (unidentified) biplanes at Forked River Airport (courtesy of Karl Metz).
“The airplanes look to be facing east towards Barnegat Bay.”
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Forked River Airport as having a 2,500' unpaved runway.
The article “Lacey Township: A brief history” from the 12/20/01 issue of the Asbury Park Press
said “The Forked River Airport was opened in 1945”,
but obviously Forked River Airport's listing in earlier directories show that to be in error.
Forked River was depicted as an auxiliary airfield on the 1945 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The 1947 Washington Sectional Chart depicted Forked River as having am 1,800' unpaved runway.
The runway may have been slightly lengthened within the next two years,
as the October 1948 Washington Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy)
depicted Forked River as having a 2,000' unpaved runway.
The 1948 USGS topo map depicted an open clearing & several buildings at the location of Forked River Airport,
but did not label the site as an airfield of any kind.
Karl Metz recalled, “The Hotel burned down in July of 1952 & the Casino later was turned into the Captains Inn Restaurant.
It is my understanding that the airfield was also used for mosquito spraying.”
The 1957-58 Aviation Week Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described Forked River as a public-use airport,
having a single 2,000' unpaved runway, oriented northwest/southeast.
The field was said to offer storage, minor repairs, and fuel.
The manager was listed as Dan Shargas.
The last depiction which has been located of Forked River as an active airport
was on the August 1957 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Forked River as having am 2,000' unpaved runway.
According to Karl Metz, “I believe the airfield was closed in the 1950's or 1960's,
not to long after that the state of NJ determined that it was a superfund clean up site from the DDT used in spraying.”
The Forked River Airport evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1957-60,
as it was not listed among active airfields in the 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (according to Chris Kennedy),
listed in the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory,
or depicted on the 1964 Washington Sectional Chart.
According to Richard Kenyon, “While forked River was officially abandoned,
there were spraying operations based there as late as 1965.
I vividly recall a photo in the now-defunct Newark Evening News of a spray biplane
that ended up inverted as a result of a 'wind gust' encountered on landing.
The wheels were pointed skyward, but, as I recall, the article noted that no one had been injured in the accident.
However, I was out that same evening in a Myers OTW,
dicing with the three sprayers in a mock dogfight over Monmouth County before they broke off,
probably due to low fuel, and headed to the airport.”
In the 1995 USGS aerial photo,
no obvious signs of a former airfield were still recognizable at the site of the former Forked River Airport.
In 1998, the former airport property was reopened as Eno's Pond County Park.
Karl Metz reported in 2005, “Some of the park's walking trails have broken-up concrete on them,
part of which I was told are the old runway.”
[However, from several sources listed above, it does not appear as if Forked River Airport ever had a paved runway.]
According to an EPA document,
the location of the Forked River Airport was northeast of the present-day intersection of East Lacey Road & Port Street.
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Manahawkin Airport (72N), Manahawkin, NJ
39.7 North / 74.28 West (Northeast of Atlantic City, NJ)
Manahawkin Airport, as depicted on the 1970 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Clifford).
Photo of the airport while open has not been located.
This former general aviation airport was located southeast of the intersection
of the Garden State Parkway & Route 72.
The Lakeside Speedway was adjacent to the west side of the airport.
Manahawkin Airport was apparently built at some point between 1967-69,
as it was not depicted on the 1967 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the 1969 Washington Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy),
which described Manahawkin as having a 3,200' unpaved runway.
According to Manahawkin resident Jim,
the airport has been in existence since at least the late 1960s.
According to Bob Zambelli, "I used to fly into the Manahawkin Airport to visit friends on Long Beach Island.
Within seconds after arrival, a little old lady would show up to collect the fee!"
The 1970 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Clifford)
depicted Manahawkin as having a single 2,700' paved runway.
The 1972 Flight Guide (according to Chris Kennedy)
described Manahawkin Airport as having a single 2,700' paved Runway 4/22,
with displaced thresholds on both ends of the runway.
The 1972 USGS topo map depicted Manahawkin
as having a small parking apron & a single building at the northern end of the runway.
Manahawkin Airport, as depicted on the 1975 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ed Drury).
Manahawkin Airport, as depicted on a 1986 Approach Plate (courtesy of John Clifford).
Manahawkin Airport was still depicted as an active airfield on the 1991 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
However, the property was sold at some point after that to build a Wal-Mart.
It was no longer depicted at all on the 1993 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
In the 1995 USGS aerial photo,
the northern end of the former runway had been obliterated by the Wal-Mart building & parking lots,
but a 1,300' portion of the runway pavement still existed at the south end
(complete with a closed runway "X" marking).
A 1997 aerial view looking north at the sad remains of Manahawkin Airport by Philip Kineyko.
As seen in a circa 2001-2005 USGS aerial photo,
McKinley Avenue had been built over the midpoint of the former runway.
An elementary school had been built adjacent to the west side of the southern end of the runway.
Amazingly, a small portion of the southern end of the runway still remained intact, at the south end of the photo.
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Smithville Airport (3N9), Smithville, NJ
39.49 North / 74.47 West (Northeast of Atlantic City International Airport, NJ)
A circa 1968-70 photo of Leonard Scull's Cessna 172 at Smithville Airport (courtesy of Aidan Brainard).
Note the hangar in the background with the observation platform.
Yet another vanished New Jersey general aviation airport, replaced by more houses.
This former airport was located southeast of the intersection
of East Moss Mill Road & Old Port Republic Road.
The date of construction of Smithville Airport is unknown.
It was apparently built at some point between 1967-69,
as it was not yet depicted on the 1967 Washington Sectional Chart (according to Mike Keefe).
Paul Thorn recalled, "I flew over it when it was being built with my uncle, back about I think 1965-68."
The earliest chart depiction of Smithville which has been located
was on the 1969 Washington Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy),
which depicted Smithville Airport as having a 2,200' unpaved runway.
The 1970 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Clifford)
depicted Smithville Airport as having a 2,200' unpaved runway.
Aidan Brainard recalled of Smithville, “My grandfather (Leonard Scull) was taught to fly at this airport by Wayne Kiser.
Through the Cessna dealership, he purchased two new planes:
a 172 purchased in 1971 and then a 177 in 1975 or early 1976.
My love of flying was developed at this airport.
I remember the small friendly feel of the place and have distinct memories of flying to & from the airport
or doing touch & go practice with my PopPop.”
Smithville's runway was apparently paved at some point between 1970-72,
as the 1972 NJ Airport Facilities Map (courtesy of Ed Drury)
described the "Smithville Inn" Airport as having a 2,200' paved runway.
It was apparently operated in conjunction with the Smithville Inn, a nearby historic restaurant.
According to Paul Thorn, "In 1973 I went to work at the airport as an all around worker,
fueling planes, cutting grass, driving people down to the Smithville Inns in a small bus, an ex-jitney from Atlantic City.
The airport was originally owned by Fred & Ethel Noyes,
who also owned the Historic Towne of Smithville,
which at the time had three large restaurants, and many small village shops.
A lot of people, especially on weekends, would fly into the airport,
and then go down to the village to eat at one of the restaurants.
We would take them down & pick them back up in the small bus.
The town was about a mile from the airport on US Route 9."
"The airport was managed by Wayne Kiser,
and had a Cessna Pilot Center for flight training,
and also was a Cessna dealer selling airplanes.
The training fleet consisted of a 1972 Cessna 150, a 1973 Cessna 150,
and if memory serves me right, a 1973 Cessna 172.
The managers owned a Cessna Cardinal 177, which was also used for training."
"The building that has Smithville painted on it was a hangar, offices, and work shop,
with an observation deck on the top of the roof.
I met my now ex-wife there, she was the airport secretary.
There was a full time flight instructor on duty, a mechanic for doing annual inspections,
and the manager, Wayne Kiser was an FAA flight examiner with whom you could take your check ride.
Hard to believe, but I learned to fly during this time for $3 / hour, the cost of the fuel for the plane at that time.
This was just before the 1970s gas crunch hit, and avgas was still very cheap.
I left the airport for another job about late 1974, but returned months later to work there once again.
The date is fuzzy in my memories, but either during the time I left, or just after,
ABC Television bought the Towne of Smithville which included the airport, for $7 million,
which at the timed seemed like a lot of money."
"My boss Wayne Kiser had also bought a Cessna C402 about a year before ABC bought the airport,
and started using it for charter work, especially flying ABC executives around,
and performers who performed at the summer theater which was located next to the airport in the large fields.
I can remember him flying Barbra Eden in for a performance, also Joel Grey."
"When the C402 was purchased,
a new steel hangar was put up next to the main hangar to keep the C402 in.
We had an Exxon fuel truck, and fuel pumps, and carried 80 octane and 100/130 octane fuel.
This was before 100LL came into being."
A Beechcraft Sierra had an accident at Smithville on 7/23/1975 (according to the NTSB).
Paul Thorn, recalled, “A Beechcraft Sierra landed long,
far down the runway, ran out of runway, and when he got to the wire fence separating the road from the airport property,
the plane tried to go through it, but the right wing was torn off,
and the plane stopped with it's nose sticking out on the road.
I jumped in the fuel truck, and drove down to the end of the airport & to the plane.
The pilot was OK, along with his 3 passengers.
The bad part was that his friend had loaned him the plane for the day,
because this pilot's plane was in the shop.
The owner of the wrecked plane was the ABC Television's science editor, Jules Bergman,
who used to be on TV alot.
As I remember, we put the wrecked plane in the hangar, ordered a new wing, and repaired it."
"The friendly atmosphere of the airport seemed to change after ABC bought it.
My boss was always more on edge, we never knew what ABC corporate head would fly in for lunch or dinner."
"It was also during this period or shortly after, that the runway was extended on both ends,
I believe to better accommodate the C402's landings & takeoffs."
"During my time there, we would have about 10 students learning to fly at any given time,
also about 4 planes kept in the hangar, and about 8 or 9 tied down outside.
On a clear Sunday in the summertime, we could have upwards of 70-100 transient planes come & go to eat dinner.
"The airport had a free VASI system put in by the FAA
in return for allowing use of the airport for experimenting in painting touchdown markers on the runway.
I can remember that the FAA would fly approach after approach in a Cherokee 140 or 180 with a paint trial on the runway,
then have it erased, and start over again with a new painted touchdown markers.
The airport was very close to the Atlantic City International Airport,
that houses the National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center.
Thus I believe this is why they wanted to use Smithville Airport.
It was close to home base, about 8 miles."
"Runway lights were added before I went to work there by a friend of my family, named Elliot Johnson.
He was a electrician/contractor, and donated the lighting system.
He used to commute a lot from Virgina to the airport, and wanted lights for when he arrived late at night."
"I left the airport for better work in about 1975, and kind of lost touch with it's demise after that."
Smithville Airport, as depicted on the 1975 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ed Drury).
The 1979 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Smithville as having a single 3,050' paved Runway 2/20,
and a parallel taxiway on the east side.
A single building (a hangar?) was depicted on the northeast corner of the field.
The Smithville Airport was apparently closed at some point between 1979-81,
as the 1981 USGS topo map labeled it "Airfield (Abandoned)".
As still depicted on the 1995 USGS topo map,
the airfield consisted of a single 3,000' runway,
with two buildings (hangars) northeast of the runway.
Aeronautical charts from the late 1990s didn't depict Smithville Airport at all (even as an abandoned airfield).
Darrell Stark recalls that "There were many times in the past that I would bicycle by the airport...
ride down the runway & explore the abandoned buildings."
In the 1995 USGS aerial photo,
a housing development had already covered the middle portion of the former runway,
but recognizable portions of the runway still remained at the north & south ends.
In the 1997 aerial photo (by Philip K.) of the north end of the former airport,
only traces of the former runway were still apparent,
but the hangar still stood, with "Smithville" still painted on both sides of the roof.
How sad.
Paul Thorn observed, "I now go to a doctor whose office is down the street past the site of the now vanished Smithville Airport.
It makes me sad to see homes sitting on the spot that was the runway.
You would never know that an airport used to be there, unless you're familiar with the past of the area."
A circa 2001-2005 USGS aerial photo shows that the site of the former Smithville Airport
has been throughly covered with houses & a recreation center,
and the former hangar has been removed – leaving not a trace of the former airport.
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Pleasantville - Somers Point Airport / Nordheim Flying K Airpark (1N6), Cardiff, NJ
39.39 North / 74.61 West (Southwest of Atlantic City International Airport, NJ)
Pleasantville - Somers Point Airport, as depicted on the January 1956 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airport while open has not been located.
This former general aviation field was located just the south of the Atlantic City NAS / International Airport.
It was apparently built at some point between 1948-56,
as it was not yet depicted on the October 1948 Washington Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
Paul Thorn recalled, "This is a vanished airport that is close to my heart.
I grew up 2 miles from this airport, back during the late 1950's.
I talked to my father (who is a pilot), and he puts the date of the airport being built to just after WW2.
The airport was originally owned by a man named Clarence Eagan, who also built it himself.
The east/west runway was much longer than it was in later years, about 2,500' or 2,600' long.
A short north/south runway existed too."
"As far as we know, the property on the other side of the now existing Ridge Avenue,
was not owned by Clarence Eagan or Knocky Knordheim, but only 'borrowed'.
Back during those days, the airport was located in a very rural area,
and people didn't seem to mind lending Clarence the extra ground for his runway.
Clarence Eagan's nickname was 'Captain Eagan', he was a sea captain,
owning a large fishing boat in Atlantic City."
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the January 1956 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
which described "Pleasantville - Somers Point" Airport as having two unpaved runways,
with the longest being a 2,725' sand strip.
Paul Thorn recalled, "My personal memory goes back to about 1958-59, when I was about 4 to 5 years old.
My father was a mechanic, and would do maintenance on Captain Eagan's airplanes in return for flight time.
Eagan owned a Piper J-3 Cub & a Taylorcraft.
He also owned other planes, but I can't remember them.
My father always flew the J3 Cub, because this is what he learned to fly in back in 1946 up in Moorestown,
another long vanished airport in NJ.
Although the Cub is meant to be flown from the back seat because of weight & balance,
my father was a lightweight at about 140 lbs, and would fly it from the front seat.
As a little boy, I spent many an hour in the back seat of that yellow J3.
I loved flying, but not landing, and as a 4-5 year old, I would look at the floor when he would land,
and not look up until I felt the ground.
"Captain Eagan lived on the field, he had a two story home located alongside the runway,
and there was a small hangar that housed the Cub, and I believe one other plane.
I can remember an Aeronca Champ, and a Beech Bonanza being tied down at the airport when I was a little boy,
and the airport dog was a German Sheppard."
'Pleasantville - Somers Point' Airport was apparently still open as late as 1961,
as the 1963 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
included an entry for it which was noted as "Latest report, 1961".
It described the field as having a single 2,525' sand Runway 12/30,
being unattended, and listed the operator as Mary Egan.
According to Paul Thorn, Captain Eagan's house at the airport
"was destroyed in the early 1960s by a forest fire which consumed most of the South Jersey woods that year.
I'm not sure, but I believe that Captain Eagan had died before this fire,
and never saw it happen, however his daughter was still living in the house at the time.
She later rebuilt a small home on the other side of the airport property.
Captain Eagan's daughter sold the airplanes that he owned, after his death."
The airport then went through a few years of closure,
as no airfield here was depicted on the February 1962 Washington Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
Paul Thorn recalled, "I think Knocky Knordheim bought the airport shortly after this in the mid-1960s.
Knocky was an old banner flyer who used to fly banners from Bader Field in Atlantic City during the 1940s & 1950s.
He flew Stearmans, and about any other plane that came along.
Knocky was a flight instructor, and rented a C150 from his airport,
and later on he would rent an Aeronca Champ that he rebuilt to any pilot that could master the tailwheel plane.
He used to sell 80 octane fuel, and knew how to recover fabric airplanes, and rebuild airplanes.
He did not live on the airport property, but lived in Margate, NJ.
I can remember flying out of there when I was about 13 years old
with my uncle in a C150 he rented from Knocky."
Nordheim Airpark was depicted on the 1970 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Clifford)
as having a 2,500' unpaved runway.
Nordheim was described by the 1971 Flight Guide (according to Chris Kennedy)
as having three turf runways: 2,400' Runway 9/27, 1,600' Runway 6/24, and 1,800' Runway 12/30.
Paul Thorn recalled, "In 1971, my father bought a 1946 Aeronca Champ, and started keeping it at the airport.
After I had got my license at Smithville, I would fly my dad's Aeronca from this airport.
Knocky owned the airport at this time,
and had already built a good size hangar on the south side of the airport.
A couple of years later, he cut a northeast/southwest runway, which ran past his hangar.
Nordheim Flying K Airpark, as depicted in the 1972 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Nordheim Airpark, as depicted on the 1975 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ed Drury).
According to Paul Thorn, "During the 1970s this airport boomed, and had about 10-15 airplanes tied down at it.
I would say that during the late 1970s he allowed banners planes to operate out of the airport, for a fee."
Nordheim Flying K Airpark, as depicted in the 1985 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Paul Thorn recalled, "A few years after Harry 'Knocky' Knordheim bought the airport,
a township road was cut through, leaving the runway only 1,700' long.
Knocky died about 1990-92."
According to pilot Wendell Long, Flying K was still in operation as late as 1992,
when it was used to operate banner-towing planes which would overfly nearby beaches.
However, Nordheim was apparently closed within the next year,
as the 1993 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
no longer depicted Nordheim at all (not even as an abandoned airport).
Curiously, though, the Class C Airspace surrounding nearby Atlantic City International Airspace
still had a "cutout" over the site of Nordheim (on the 215 radial from ACY, 4 DME),
even though Nordheim Airport itself was no longer depicted.
The current Sectional chart shows that this cutout over Nordheim has been since removed.
As depicted on the 1995 USGS topo map, the airfield consisted of two 1,800 unpaved runways.
In the 1995 USGS aerial photo, the cleared area of the two former runways was still visible,
but a housing development had started to be built on the south side of the airport property.
According to Paul Thorn, "[Knocky's] son, who was also a pilot, and lived in Florida, sold the airport around 1995.
The airport soon was developed as a housing development,
with $200,000 homes being built about what seems like 10 feet apart.
The only thing that I can recognize today when I ride in by those houses,
is a large oak tree that the developer left standing.
Next to it is a home standing where my father parked his Aeronca Champ, under the shade of that large oak.
Other than that nothing is left of the old 'Flying K'."
Ray Hurley reported in 2004 that "on Oakland Avenue right next to Nordheim Flying K Airpark
is Victor Plumbo's Air, Car & Boat Museum
which is open on Thursday during the Summer months.
Victor is a pilot & has a few airplanes that he flew out of Nordheim Flying K."
The site of the Nordheim Flying K Airpark is located
northwest of the intersection of Ridge Avenue & Oakland Avenue.
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Crescent Airport, Mays Landing, NJ
39.48 North / 74.73 West (Northwest of Atlantic City, NJ)
Crescent Airport, as depicted on the 1969 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while in use has not been located.
According to Ernest Geisert, this airfield "started as a duster strip in the late 1950s or early 1960s.
I started dusting in 1955 for Downstown Aero Crop Service & still work for them.
Before the strip was built we had to ferry about 15 miles to dust the cranberry bogs."
Wallace Murray recalled, "In 1965 I received a call from Lewis Colasurdo of Hammonton, NJ.
He was in the mortgage & investment business
and he also had a 600 acre blueberry plantation, called Packo Plantation.
Mr. Calasurdo was expanding his business holdings in NY & FL
and needed an airplane to commute between Hammonton & NY.
We started using a Beech Baron & I operated out of Aero-Haven,
in the meantime the duster strip at the plantation was being converted to a hard surface, lighted,
with a large hangar with full office facilities, and we also had our own fuel."
The 1967 Washington Sectional Chart did not yet depict any airfield at this location.
Wallace Murray recalled, "By the time the field was finished we were operating a Beech Queen Air 80.
All of Mr. Caolasurdo's business was now included in Crescent Holding Company,
Packo Plantation was changed to Crescent Properties
and the duster strip became Crescent Airport."
According to Ernest Geisert, "They flew produce out of there with DC-3s for a short time.
It was always a private farm strip."
Wallace Murray recalled, "By 1968 Mr. Colasurdo became immersed in a lawsuit with the Securities & Exchange Commission
and was incarcerated for a number of years and as a result I lost my job.
To my knowledge the strip was never used again
and gradually deteriorated back to sand."
However, the Crescent Airport continued to be depicted as an active airfield
on aeronautical charts for a few more years.
The earliest depiction of this airfield which has been located
was on the 1969 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Crescent as a private airfield with a single 3,800' paved runway.
The 1970 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Clifford)
described Crescent in the same manner.
The Crescent airfield was apparently closed at some point between 1970-75,
as it was labeled "Crescent (Closed)" on the 1975 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ed Drury).
It was depicted as an abandoned airfield on the 1991 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
However, the field may have had some later use (under a different name)
as it was labeled "Atlantic Blueberry Company Airstrip" on the 1995 USGS topo map.
According to Ernest Geisert, "They now use helicopters for spraying so they don't need the runway."
As of the 1995 USGS aerial photo, the Crescent airfield consisted of a single 3,300' paved runway.
It is located adjacent to a large area of cranberry bogs.
A 2003 aerial photo looking south at the former Crescent Airport by Jeff Doran.
He reported, "The runway no longer appears paved, except for a short section."
Wallace Murray reported in 2004, "The hangar is still standing."
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Cape May Naval Air Station / Municipal Airport / Coast Guard Air Station (NMK), Cape May, NJ
38.95 North / 74.88 West (Southwest of Atlantic City, NJ)
The Cape May Airport,
as depicted on the 1930 "Rand McNally Standard Map of NJ With Air Trails" (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A Naval Air Station was constructed on the eastern-most part of Cape May was by the Navy in 1917.
During the First World War, Cape May operated 12 seaplanes & one dirigible.
In 1920, the largest hangar in the country was built there to house the dirigible ZR-2.
When the airship crashed into the English Channel on its trial run,
interest diminished & the structure was never used for dirigibles.
NAS Cape May closed in 1922.
The Coast Guard established facilities at Cape May in 1928,
and it became one of only two permanent Coast Guard Air Stations.
The Cape May airfield was also used by civilian planes as a municipal airport during the early 1930s.
The 1930 "Rand McNally Standard Map of New Jersey With Air Trails" (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described the Cape May Airport as being operated by the Chamber of Commerce.
The field was described as being a rectangle, measuring 2,200' east/west x 1,950' north/south.
The 1931 USGS topo map (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the Cape May Commercial Airport as occupying a 90-acre square at the southwest corner of the field,
with the "Naval Air Station, U.S. Coast Guard" occupying the remainder of the site.
The Cape May Airport, as depicted on the May 1932 J-18 Washington D. C. Airway Map (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 1934 Department of Commerce Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy)
described Cape May Municipal Airport as consisting of a 2,000' square sod landing area.
The use of the Cape May airfield as a municipal airport came to an end in 1934,
when the Navy canceled Cape May County's lease on the property.
A 1934 panorama (courtesy of Everett Priestley) of the personnel of CGAS Cape May
in front of the hangars & several large twin-engine aircraft & two single-engine biplanes.
The 1934 U.S. Navy Aviation Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the U.S.C.G. Air Station as consisting of a rectangular-shaped field.
NAS Cape May, as depicted on the 1935 Washington Sectional Chart.
The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo)
described "Cape May - Naval Air Station - Coast Guard" as having a rectangular 2,200' x 1,800' sod & sand landing area,
with a dirigible hangar to the northeast.
Cape May NAS, as depicted on the 1940 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
As part of the military buildup prior to WW2,
Cape May was recommissioned by the Navy in 1940.
More acreage was filled in & a larger airstrip was constructed.
It was labeled "U.S. Naval Air Station" on the 1940 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
Early in the war, blimps from Lakehurst's ZP-12
used Cape May to patrol the approaches to the Delaware Bay.
Several fixed-wing Navy scouting squadrons were also based at Cape May.
A WW2-era view of Cape May NAS, looking south toward the Atlantic Coast (National Archives photo).
At its height during WW2,
the Cape May airfield consisted of a total of five paved runways (the largest was 3,825' long),
two blimp mooring circles, parking aprons, hangars, and seaplane ramps.
The peak complement of the station in 1944 was 1,339 personnel.
A 1945 photo (courtesy of Everett Priestley) of the airship hangar at CGAS Cape May.
The airfield at Cape May went through a confusing series of changes in the post-WW2 period.
It was still labeled "Cape May (Navy)" on the 1946 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
However, in 1946, the Navy again relinquished the base,
and it was taken back by the Coast Guard.
"CGAS Cape May" was depicted on the 1948 Washington Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy)
and the 1949 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe),
and described as having a 3,500' hard-surface runway.
Strangely, "CGAS Cape May" was depicted as an active airfield
on the 1951 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe),
yet the remarks on the Aerodromes table on the chart said "Closed".
The field was described as having a total of five runways,
with the longest being a 3,525' paved runway.
The Cape May airfield was not depicted at all on the 1957 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
The Cape May airfield was labeled "Abandoned airport"
on the 1962 & 1965 Washington Sectional Charts (according to Chris Kennedy),
and was depicted with the abandoned airfield symbol on the 1969 Washington Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
with the remains of the WW2-era runways visible at the lower-right.
In the 1994 USGS aerial photo, the remains of all three former Navy runways were still visible,
but the new Coast Guard helicopter runway had not yet been built.
Recent aerial view, USCG photo.
The new Coast Guard helicopter runway is in the lower-left of picture,
built over the remains of one of the three abandoned Navy runways.
At some point between 1994-98, a new helicopter-only runway
(visible in lower-left of recent Coast Guard picture above)
was built over the remains of the abandoned runway 3/21.
This helicopter runway was used to operate HH-65 Dolphin helicopters,
and the facility was known as Cape May Coast Guard Air Station.
However, budget considerations (as well as the advanced age of the facilities)
prompted the Coast Guard to consolidate the helicopter operations
of Cape May & Brooklyn, NY, at a new location at Atlantic City International Airport.
The new facility opened in 1998 at Atlantic City,
leaving Cape May once again without any based aircraft.
However, the base at Cape May is still listed in the Airport Facility Directory as an active airfield.
The airfield consists of remains of three paved runways (the longest is 2,800' long),
a ramp & two hangars.
A circa 2000-2005 USGS aerial photo depicted the recently-constructed Runway 3/21,
as well as the remains of pavement from the WW2-era Naval Air Station.
See also: http://www.capemay.com/coastguard.html
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