Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Southwestern Ohio
© 2002, © 2013 by Paul Freeman. Revised 4/19/13.
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Please consider a financial contribution to support the continued growth & operation of this site.
Cincinnati Incorporated Airport / Hugh Watson Field / Blue Ash Airport (revised 4/19/13) - Clickenger Airport / South Columbus Airport (revised 1/22/13)
Fairfield Air Depot / Wright Field (revised 2/21/13) - General Electric Airfield (added 2/25/09) - Lakewood Airpark (revised 2/21/13) - McCook Field (added 6/10/04)
Huffman Prairie Flying Field (added 1/9/09) - Mt. Healthy Airport (revised 2/21/13) - Norton Field (revised 5/2012) – San Mar Gale Airport (added 9/8/12) - South Dayton Airport (revised 2/21/13)
(Original) Springfield Municipal Airport (revised 7/19/11) - Watson Airport / Parks Watson Landing Field (revised 4/19/13)
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San Mar Gale Airport (OH79), Lebanon, OH
39.46 North / 84.12 West (Northeast of Cincinnati, OH)
San Mar Gale Airport, as depicted on the 1966 USGS topo map.
According to Wikipedia, this property was a “3,329-acre group of farms owned by Ralph Stolle, a prominent inventor, businessman & philanthropist.”
No airfield was yet depicted at this location on the 1956 USGS topo map.
An airfield with a single paved runway was constructed at some point between 1956-66,
as the 1966 USGS topo map depicted a single paved northeast/southwest runway, labeled simply as “Landing Strip”.
It was depicted in an unchanged fashion on the 1984 USGS topo map.
The 1992 USGS topo map labeled the field as “San Mar Gale Airport”.
According to Wikipedia, “The name 'San Mar Gale' was derived from combination of the names of Stolle's daughters, Sandy, Mary Jo, and Gail.”
The earliest photo which has been located of the San Mar Gale Airport was a 4/1/94 USGS aerial view looking west.
It depicted San Mar Gale Airport as having a single paved runway, with a paved taxiway leading to a single hangar on the northeast side.
According to Wikipedia, “Until Stolle's death in 1996, the farm was used as a research farm for milk production.
A private airport called San Mar Gale (airport code OH79) existed on the farm until the late 1990s.
San Mar Gale was a planned development by the Hines-Griffin Land Development Company.
This 2,500+ home planned unit development was approved by the Warren County Commissioners in February 2006.
Construction was to have begun in 2007, however the development was canceled as of February 2011.”
A circa 2008-2011 aerial view looking north at a hangar & other small buildings on the northeast side of San Mar Gale Airport.
The runway was marked with a closed-runway X symbol.
A 10/28/11 aerial view looking west depicted San Mar Gale Airport as remaining intact.
San Mar Gale is depicted as an abandoned airfield on the 2012 Sectional Chart.
San Mar Gale Airport is located southwest of the intersection of Hatfield Road & North Waynesville Road.
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Mt. Healthy Airport, Cincinnati, OH
39.24 North / 84.6 West (Northwest of Downtown Cincinnati, OH)
A 9/27/43 aerial view looking north at Mt. Healthy Airport from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).
According to the Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum, “The Mt. Healthy Airport was the brainchild of a forward thinking group of businessmen in the 1920s.
They saw the future of the movement of people & goods in a much more efficient manner than was currently being employed.
They also saw that the future was in air mail & strove to get the air mail routes for their airport.
Al Hochscheid, who owned 3 tailor shops in Mt. Healthy, was president of the group & owned 51%.
Clyde Yerkes was an official of the Mt. Healthy Savings & Commercial Bank.
Ed Matre was an investor. Ed Honnert was a contractor, and his equipment was used to eventually level the airport ground.
Al Huber was a real estate investor. Neil Sudbrack was a manufacturer & businessman, and Bert Hughes was a contractor.”
The Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum continued, “The thinking back in the 1920's was that if Mt. Healthy was to grow,
it might very well grow to the west, into Colerain Township.
The group was looking for a level area where not much earth had to be moved, since back then, moving earth was a major expense.
As a result, the group looked at the Mt. Healthy area & then into Colerain Township.
In Colerain Township they discovered an area at the southwest corner of Colerain Avenue & Springdale Road.
There, the field was relatively level with just a small drainage ditch that needed filling.
This ditch was located near what was to be the front of the hangar area near Springdale Road.
The Bosserman family owned this property, and they lived in the large white house at 3672 Springdale Road, across from the future airport site.
Today this is the home of Vilas Realtors.”
The Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum continued, “In 1927 Al Hochscheid negotiated a lease for 100 acres for the airport, at this location, from Mr. Bosserman.
Some grading was done in 1927 to make it an even more level & a better landing strip.
At this point the airport was up & operating, and a corporation in which stock was sold was being formed.
A copy of a stock certificate for 20 shares in the Mt. Healthy Airport was issued to Clinton Yerkes on the 12/1/28.
It was signed by Alfred Hochscheid, president, and Edward Matre, secretary.”
The Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum continued, “Even though the airport had many connections with Mt. Healthy,
the prime reason it was known as the Mt. Healthy Airport was government policy.
Back in the 1920's the Civil Aviation Authority dictated that when it chartered an airport, it was generally named after the nearest town.
It did not have to be near or even associated with that town. Therefore, this airport became the Mt. Healthy Airport.”
The Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum continued, “As the airport developed in the late 1920's,
it became a hub for aviation activity including pilot training & a ground school, and the hoped-for air mail route.
According to most aviation enthusiasts who were actively involved in the airport, there was only one runway.
It began at Colerain Avenue & ran southwest for 2,000 feet. It was also quite narrow, being only 50 feet wide.
The overhead wires on the southeast corner that ran parallel to Colerain Avenue had to be lowered so the planes would have more runways on which to land.
There were 2 hangars and a T-hangar all along Springdale Road.
The office complex was attached to the main hangar, and later a restaurant was added.
There was no control tower, only a windsock on top of the main hangar, and no fire or safety equipment other than a fire extinguisher.”
The Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum continued, “The runway originally was grass.
The planes landing & taking off would wear the grass down to the soil itself. This was not really a problem until it would rain.
Then the soil would turn to mud & the wheels of the planes would throw the mud up & it would collect under the wings.
This could add weight to the plane & hinder the takeoff.
When the ground would dry, the airport maintenance used an old Whippet or Terra-Plane automobile that had a drag, to drag the runway and try to level it as best they could.”
The Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum continued, “The airport operated under the original group until the fall of 1929.
At that time a fatal crash occurred just 50 or so feet from the airport proper, as the plane was landing.
This accident happened on the extreme west end of William Muehlenhard’s farm which fronts on Pippin Road & runs more than one-half mile west to the crash site.
A student taking instructions from an instructor named Stormy Wheeler, in an American Eagle Airplane, froze at the controls.
Stormy, who was a very good pilot & instructor, reached down to try to knock the student out with a fire extinguisher & gain control of the open cockpit plane, but it was too late.
Both the instructor & pilot were killed on impact.
This accident had a profound impact on Al Hochscheid, who decided to pay all the bills, liquidate any assets, and buy off the lease.
For all intents & purposes this was the end, for the time being, of the then Mt. Healthy Airport.
The airport was not listed in the 1927-28 Cincinnati phone directory, but was listed in the 1929-30 directory as the Mt. Healthy Airport at JA-7250.”
A 1932 aerial photo appeared to show a single northeast/southwest runway,
with at least one small building on the northeast side.
The earliest depiction which has been located of the Mt. Healthy Airport was a 9/27/43 aerial view from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).
The directory described Mt. Healthy Airport as an 87 acre rectangular property having a single 2,200' sod northeast/southwest runway.
The field was said to have 3 metal hangars, the largest measuring 80' x 50'.
Mt. Healthy Airport was described as being owned & operated by private interests.
A 1945 photo of a Fairchild 24 at Mt. Healthy Airport.
According to the Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum, “Sometime in the mid-1940s, the then operator of the airport, Jerry Greenfield,
bought truck loads of cinders from CG&E to build a cinder base for the runway.
The runway itself never was paved & never had a hard surface.”
The October 1946 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Dick Merrill) depicted Mt Healthy as a commercial/municipal airport.
The Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum continued, “During its 28 years of operation, on & off,
the Mt. Healthy Airport operated under various names & had many operators.
Among the names that I have been able to uncover are Al Hochscheid, George South, Carl 'Pop' Muhlberger, and Jerry Greenfield.”
The Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum continued, “The Airport had its ups & downs, its good years & its bad years.
There may have been periods when it was not operating at all.
In its day the Mt. Healthy Airport could have been considered a rogue-type operation.
The airport housed many illegal, unlicensed, and unregistered aircraft.
When the rumor would circulate that government inspectors might be on the way,
the airplanes were flown to farms with level fields & hidden until it was all clear, and then the planes returned to the airport.”
Mt. Healthy Airport was not depicted at all on the 1947 USGS topo map.
An undated (circa 1940s?) aerial view looking east at Mt. Healthy Airport, showing 17 light planes & 3 hangars.
An undated (circa 1940s?) aerial view looking west at Mt. Healthy Airport, showing 17 light planes & 3 hangars.
An undated (circa 1940s?) photo looking northwest at a Cessna T-50 Bobcat of the Mt. Healthy Flying Service in front of their hangar.
The 1953 USGS topo map depicted Mt. Healthy Landing Field as having 2 unpaved runways, with 4 small buildings on the northwest & northeast sides.
It also depicted the Lakewood Landing Field less than a mile to the east.
The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Mt Healthy Airport
was on the June 1954 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Stevenson).
It depicted Mt Healthy as having a 2,200' unpaved runway.
According to the Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum, “Elmer Lierer, who for all intents & purposes lived his life as part of the airport,
said in an article in the North West Press in 1986 that the airport was in operation until 1955.
It provided to many, those many reflections of life that only a local airport like Mt. Healthy could.”
A 1956 aerial photo showed a single northeast/southwest runway, with 2 buildings on the northeast side.
There were a large number of cars visible in front of the hangars, but no aircraft.
The last map depiction which has been located of the Mt. Healthy Airport was on the 1957 USGS topo map.
The 1963 USGS topo map depicted an empty space in the location of Mt. Healthy Airport.
Aerial photos from 1968 & 1970 showed the hangars & runway to remain intact.
The 1971 USGS topo map still depicted the 2 hangars on the northeast corner, and depicted the runway area as remaining clear.
The 1976 USGS topo map showed that the Northgate Mall had covered the runway location at some point between 1971-76.
The western hangar was still depicted, but the eastern hangar had vanished.
The 1982 USGS topo map showed that the last hangar had been removed at some point between 1976-82.
A 7/2/10 aerial view showed the Northgate Mall covering the site of Mt. Healthy Airport.
The site of Mt. Healthy Airport is located southwest of the intersection of Springdale Road & Colerain Avenue.
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Lakewood Airpark, Cincinnati, OH
39.24 North / 84.58 West (Northwest of Downtown Cincinnati, OH)
A January 1953 aerial view looking southeast at 3 Air Force F-86 Sabre jet fighters which were forced to land on the relatively short Lakewood runway.
No airfield was depicted at this location on a 1932 aerial view,
and Lakewood Airport was not yet listed among active airfields in the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock)
nor depicted on the October 1946 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Dick Merrill).
Lakewood Airport was reportedly established in 1946, one of hundreds of U.S. airports established that year in the post-WW2 general aviation boom.
The earliest depiction which has been located of Lakewood Airpark was a January 1953 aerial view looking southeast,
taken during undoubtedly this little airport's most famous episode,
in which 3 Air Force F-86 Sabre jet fighters which were forced to land on the relatively short Lakewood runway.
Lakewood was shown to have a single east/west paved 2,100' runway, with 2 taxiways leading to a paved ramp & 2 hangars on the south side.
One single-engine taildragger was visible on the ramp.
The Sabres had run low on fuel during a flight from Scott AFB to Wright-Patterson AFB,
and successfully landed on Lakewood's 2,100' runway (much shorter than what would normally be used by a swept-wing jet fighter).
The issue then became how to get the jets out of the tiny airport.
According to R. L. Makinney, “L.t. Col. Raebel asked the aeronautical engineers at Wright Pat (the 'experts‘ in matters like this) what options we had.
Specifically, could the F-86 be modified to accept JATO (Jet Assisted Takeoff) bottles to shorten the takeoff roll? Their answer: 'No, not readily.'
They recommended the birds be hauled out on flatbed trailers after removing the wings.
At that point, ownership of the airplanes would pass from our squadron to Wright Patterson, i.e. we'd just lost 3 Sabres.
After carefully evaluating the situation, Lt. Col. Raebel decided to test 3 of the Sabres at Wright-Pat to determine the best short fieeld takeoff procedure.
Based upon the tests, and after personally inspecting the [Lakewood] strip,
Lt. Col. Raebel drew heavily on his own experience in the F-86 & made his decision (I suspect there was also a silent prayer involved here).
Contrary to the advice of all the ‘experts', we'd fly the Sabres out!
The big day turned out to be cold & blustery.
Typical February in Ohio - temperature about 30 degF, wind gusts to 30 knots, and snow showers.
About 150 square feet of Pierced Steel Planking was laid on the muddy strip.
At a time coordinated with Greater Cincinnati Airport, each F-86 was pulled up onto the PSP, the engine was started, and the takeoff roll commenced.
One by one, the 3 Sabres accelerated to liftoff speed well short of the field boundary, then cleared the trees at the far end. WHEW!
Each one climbed to an altitude of several hundred feet, turned south across the Ohio River,
and landed at Greater Cincinnati Airport, where they were refueled and made ready for the return to George AFB.”
The 1953 USGS topo map depicted Lakewood Landing Field as having a single unpaved east/west runway, with 2 buildings on the south side.
It also depicted the Mt. Healthy Landing Field less than a mile to the west.
The only aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Lakewood Airport
was on the June 1954 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Stevenson).
It depicted Lakewood as having a 2,200' paved runway.
Lakewood Airport reportedly ceased operations in 1956, after only a 1-decade run.
A 1956 aerial view depicted Lakeview perhaps after it had closed, as no aircraft were visible on the field.
It had a single east/west runway, with 2 hangars on the south side.
The eastern hangar had a checkerboard-painted roof.
The last map depiction which has been located of the Lakewood Airport was on the 1957 USGS topo map.
The 1963 USGS topo map still depicted the 2 hangars, labeling the western hangar as “Armory”.
Residential streets had converged on the airport site from both north & south,
but nothing was depicted on the site of the former runway.
A 1968 aerial photo showed the runway & hangars to remain intact,
although the runway was noticeably deteriorated compared to the 1956 photo,
and houses had been built right up to the northern & southern property borders.
The last photo which has been located showing the remains of Lakewood Airpark was a 1970 aerial view,
which depicted the runway & hangars in the same fashion as seen in 1968.
The 1976 USGS topo map showed the location of the former runway had been covered with residential streets.
A 7/2/10 aerial view does not show any remaining trace of Lakewood Airpark.
The site of Lakewood Airpark is located at the intersection of Burgess Drive & Windsong Drive, appropriately enough.
Thanks to Martin Dunks for pointing out this airport.
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Cincinnati Incorporated Airport / Hugh Watson Field / Blue Ash Airport (KISZ), Blue Ash, OH
39.25 North / 84.39 West (Northeast of Cincinnati, OH)
A 9/27/43 aerial view looking north at “Cincinnati Airport, Inc.” from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).
The history of the airport on the north side of this property is intertwined with another airport located only a mile to the south.
The histories of the 2 closely-located airports has become somewhat confused in other reporting,
as some other sources have failed to make the distinction that there were 2 separate airfields located in close proximity.
This has led to the reported history of this specific airport extending farther back in history than is correct,
as is indicated by dated aerial photos & maps.
A 1932 aerial view did not yet depict any airfield at this location – just farms & houses,
and the separate Watson Airport a mile to the south.
No airfield was depicted at this location on the 1939 USGS topo map.
The earliest depiction which has been located of this airport
was a 9/27/43 aerial view looking north from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).
It depicted the “Cincinnati Airport, Inc.” as an L-shaped grass field with several buildings along the north side.
The 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock)
described the “Cincinnati Airport, Inc.” as a 184 acre rectangular property having 3 sod runways, with the longest being the 3,700' east/west strip.
The field was said to have 3 brick hangars, with the largest measuring 80' x 60',
and to be owned & operated by private interests.
The earliest aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of this airport was on the October 1946 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Dick Merrill).
It depicted “Cincinnati” as a commercial/municipal airport, with Watson Airport close-by to the south.
An undated (circa 1940s?) photo of several unidentified biplanes inside a hangar emblazoned with “Hugh Watson Field”.
No airfield was depicted at this location on the 1948 USGS topo map.
A 4/9/49 USGS aerial view (courtesy of Dallam Oliver-Lee) depicted Cincinnati Inc Airport as an open grass field with row of hangars on the north side.
A closeup from the 4/9/49 USGS aerial view (courtesy of Dallam Oliver-Lee) showing 6 single-engine aircraft parked around the Cincinnati Inc hangars.
Blue Ash's Co-Op Aircraft Service hangar was built in 1950.
Dave Glos reported that his “father, Louis 'Moose' Glos ran the FBO” starting in 1952 at Blue Ash.
The June 1954 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Stevenson)
depicted Cincinnati Inc Airport as having a 3,700' unpaved runway.
The 1955 USGS topo map depicted “Hugh Watson Landing Field” as an open area with several small buildings along the north side.
A 1956 aerial photo depicted a considerably-expanded Watson Airport,
with 3 distinct grass runways, and a dozen light planes parked around 2 hangars on the south side.
Another larger airport had appeared less than a half-mile to the northwest (which would eventually be known as Blue Ash Airport),
which would presumably replace Watson Airport.
The 1957 USGS topo map depicted “Cincinnati Incorporated Airport”, along with the adjacent Watson Airport to the south.
The 1961 USGS topo map depicted 2 unpaved runways (at the top), labeled simply as “Landing Field”.
A 4/1/64 USGS aerial view (courtesy of Dallam Oliver-Lee) showed the field still having unpaved runways.
The 1965 USGS topo map depicted “Cincinnati Incorporated Airport” as having 2 unpaved runways.
The 1971 USGS topo map depicted an unpaved runway, labeled simply as “Landing Field”.
A 5/7/74 USGS aerial view (courtesy of Dallam Oliver-Lee) showed the field still having unpaved runways,
but construction was underway to the south of a new northeast/southwest runway.
The 1975 USGS topo map depicted an unpaved runway, labeled simply as “Landing Field”,
but also showed a new northeast/southwest runway “Under construction”, 1/3 of a mile to the south.
An 11/17/79 USGS aerial view (courtesy of Dallam Oliver-Lee) showed Blue Ash to have a northeast/southwest paved runway.
The 1981 USGS topo map depicted Cincinnati Blue Ash Airport as having a single paved northeast/southwest runway,
connected by 2 long paved taxiways to a small ramp & a cluster of small buildings on the north side.
An undated (circa 1980s?) aerial view looking east at a Blue Ash Airport ramp crowded with light aircraft.
The 4/1/94 USGS aerial view looking southwest showed Blue Ash Airport to have dozens of light aircraft.
According to a 2012 Cincinnati.com article by Mark Hansel,
Blue Ash conducted 35,000 landings & take-offs in 1995.
A 6/23/04 photo by Louis Rivera of a 1997 Cessna Citation 560 Ultra business jet at Blue Ash Airport.
A 7/24/04 photo by Collin Gray of N63391, a 1982 Nanchang China CJ-6, C/N: 3632012 at Blue Ash Airport.
A 11/2/05 photo by Jeffrey Swayze of St. Louis Helicopter Sikorsky S-58B N887 (cn 58-0482) at Blue Ash Airport.
A circa 2007-2011 aerial view looking north at the well-used ramp at Blue Ash Airport.
According to a 2012 Cincinnati.com article by Mark Hansel,
“Cincinnati sold 130 of the airport's 230 acres to Blue Ash in 2007, and the City planned to reconfigure the airport on its remaining 100 acres.”
A 9/22/09 photo by Bob Simmermon of N539LB, a 1993 Learjet 31A, C/N 078 at Blue Ash Airport.
Not a very common sight to see a swept-wing jet at an airport with only a 3,500' runway.
A 10/28/11 aerial view looking southwest showed Blue Ash Airport to have dozens of light aircraft.
A 6/15/12 photo by Christian Maurer of Duncan Latta's N5481E, a Cessna 182R Skylane, C/N 18268325, inside a Blue Ash hangar.
This Cessna shortly thereafter became the last plane to depart Blue Ash before the airport's closure.
The 2012 Cincinnati Terminal Aeronautical Chart depicted Blue Ash as having a single 3,500' paved runway.
According to a 2012 Cincinnati.com article by Mark Hansel,
“The City of Cincinnati decided earlier this year to close the general aviation airport.
City officials want to use its aviation resources for Lunken Airport, which is much larger & more successful than the Blue Ash facility.
The City of Blue Ash plans to turn the part of the airport that houses its 3 fixed-base operators into a park.
Use of the Blue Ash Airport has declined steadily. Last year there were only 15,000 landings & take-offs there.
In a March 9 report to City Council, Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney said operating the airport over the next 10 years would cost $190,000 a year
because of $40,000 annual losses in revenue & the cost of FAA-required improvements.
A partial reconfiguration of the airport on the city's 100 acres would cost $2.2 million, while a full reconfiguration would run $16 million.
Last month, Cincinnati City Hall restructured the $37.2 million sale so that the proceeds would be available to help fund the $110 million-plus streetcar project.
City officials previously said they hoped to use money from the airport’s sale to cover payments on about $11 million in streetcar bonds.
The Federal Aviation Administration, however, raised objections,
telling City Hall it would have to keep the sale revenue within its airport system, including Lunken in the East End.
By rescinding the original sale & approving a new deal with some procedural changes, the city was able to sidestep that problem.
Wednesday [8/29/12] is the last day of operations at Blue Ash Airport.”
Dave Glos reported that his “father, Louis 'Moose' Glos ran the FBO” until 2012 at Blue Ash.
A sad 8/29/12 photo by K. Kuhn of Blue Ash's 1950 Co-Op Aircraft Service hangar, on the day of the airport's closure.
The hangar was decorated with laments of those who loved this little airport.
It would be torn down less than a month later.
Duncan Latta reported that “my plane N5481E [pictured several paragraphs above]...
was the last plane to depart the airport before it closed 8/29/12, less than a minute before it closed at 8:00.”
Blue Ash Airport is located southeast of the intersection of Glendale Milford Road & Plainfield Road.
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Watson Airport / Parks Watson Landing Field, Blue Ash, OH
39.24 North / 84.38 West (Northeast of Cincinnati, OH)
An undated (circa 1930s?) photo of a hangar emblazoned with “Watson Airport”.
The history of the airport on the south side of this property is intertwined with another airport located only a mile to the north.
The histories of the 2 closely-located airports has become somewhat confused in other reporting,
as some other sources have failed to make the distinction that there were 2 separate airfields located in close proximity.
According to the Blue Ash Airport website, “The airport was originally known as Grisard Field
and was founded in 1921 by the Grisard Company (partially owned by Eshelby Lunken) in an attempt to lure lucrative Federal funds & airmail routes to Cincinnati.
It also housed the 359th Army Reserve Observation Squadron.
The airfield was commercially leased the next year to brothers Hugh & Parks Watson
and it became a favorite place to visit for weekend airplane rides & flying circus air shows.”
According to the Blue Ash Airport website, “In 1925, Eshelby Lunken & the Grisard Company sold the Blue Ash airfield to the Watson brothers.
Grisard Field now became Watson Field.”
The earliest dated photo which has been located of Watson Airport was a 1932 aerial view,
showing the field to have a single east/west grass runway with several small buildings & a few light planes along the south side.
According to the Blue Ash Airport website, “After the 1937 flood completely submerged Lunken Airport,
Cincinnati civic leaders reconsidered the Blue Ash airport as the most promising location.
Starting in 1938, Cincinnati politicians, civic leaders & others fought with each other
in attempts to build a large commercial airport for the City of Cincinnati at the Blue Ash location.
Through the years, failed bond issues, political in-fighting & disagreements failed to produce any firm decision on building at the Blue Ash location.”
A 9/27/43 aerial view looking north at “Parks Watson Airport” from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).
The 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) described Parks Watson Airport
as a 97 acre rectangular property having a single 2,450' east/west cinder runway.
The field was said to have 2 hangars, the largest being a 120' x 60' stone building,
and to be owned & operated by private interests.
The October 1946 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Dick Merrill) depicted Watson as a commercial/municipal airport.
According to the Blue Ash Airport website, “The Watson brothers sold the Blue Ash airport to the City of Cincinnati in 1946
and the airfield was renamed the Blue Ash airport.
Throughout the 1950s, there were still political efforts to build the 'Cincinnati Airport' in Blue Ash
but Blue Ash civic leaders & residents fought any major airport redevelopment issues.
As time went by, suburbs & businesses expanded & any chance for Blue Ash to become the site of a major airport dwindled.”
A 4/9/49 USGS aerial view (courtesy of Dallam Oliver-Lee) depicted Watson as an open grass field on which were discernible 3 runways,
with 2 hangars on the south side near which were visible 3 single-engine aircraft.
The 1953 USGS topo map depicted “Park Watson Landing Field” as an open area with several small buildings along the south side.
The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Watson Airport
was on the June 1954 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Stevenson).
It depicted Watson as having a 2,600' unpaved runway.
A 1956 aerial photo depicted a considerably-expanded Watson Airport,
with 3 distinct grass runways, and a dozen light planes parked around 2 hangars on the south side.
Another larger airport had appeared less than a half-mile to the northwest (which would eventually be known as Blue Ash Airport),
which would presumably replace Watson Airport.
The last map depiction which has been located which still labeled the Watson Airport was on the 1957 USGS topo map.
A 4/19/60 USGS aerial view (courtesy of Dallam Oliver-Lee) depicted Watson as a well-used airport,
with 30 light aircraft visible on the south side.
The 1961 USGS topo map depicted 2 unpaved runways (at the bottom) labeled simply as “Landing Field”, with several small buildings along the south side.
The last photo which has been located showing Watson Airport still intact was a 4/1/64 USGS aerial view (courtesy of Dallam Oliver-Lee).
Paradoxically, it depicted closed-runway “X” symbols on all 3 runways, yet 13 light aircraft were still visible on the field.
Another odd observation is that a parallel northeast/southwest runway had been added at some point between 1960-64,
but it also was marked with closed-runway X symbols.
Watson Airport was evidently closed at some point between 1964-68,
as a 1968 aerial photo showed several commercial buildings & new streets covering the airport property.
A 4/10/70 USGS aerial view (courtesy of Dallam Oliver-Lee) showed Watson's eastern hangar remained standing,
but commercial buildings covered most of the site.
A 1994 USGS aerial view (courtesy of Dallam Oliver-Lee) showed the last hangar had been removed at some point between 1970-94.
A 7/2/10 aerial view does not show any remaining trace of Watson Airport.
The site of Watson Airport is located at the intersection of Alliance Road & Malasbury Road.
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South Dayton Airport (original location), Moraine, OH
39.69 North / 84.21 West (South of Dayton, OH)
A 9/27/43 aerial view looking north at South Dayton Airport from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).
The date of establishment of South Dayton Airport has not been determined.
The earliest depiction of South Dayton Airport which has been located
was a 9/27/43 aerial view looking north from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).
It depicted the field as having 3 unpaved runways.
According to Bob Luken, “The South Dayton Airport had been owned primarily by Charles Kettering, John Patterson & Col. Edwin Deeds.”
According to Dennis Gray, “There was a 4th runway there. It was [Edward] Deed's personal runway which is now West Stroop [Avenue].
Deeds might have had a hand in the South Dayton project as he was a huge advocate of air travel
saying every community of 10,000 or more should have a municipal airfield.”
The 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) described South Dayton Airport
as a 140 acre irregularly-shaped field having 3 sod runways, the longest being the 3,185' northeast/southwest strip.
The field was said to have a single 100' x 60' cinderblock hangar,
and to be owned & operated by private interests.
A 1947-48 photo by John Gray (courtesy of Dennis Gray) of a Cessna 140 at the South Dayton Airport.
Dennis Gray recalled of South Dayton Airport, “My father [John Gray] always talked about flying in & out of there (my grandfather had a plane).”
A 1947-48 photo by John Gray (courtesy of Dennis Gray) of a Stearman biplane taking off from South Dayton Airport.
A 1947-48 photo by John Gray (courtesy of Dennis Gray) of a building with an observation tower at South Dayton Airport.
According to Dennis, it shows “some friends of my fathers playing football while apparently waiting on a sightseeing plane ride.”
The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of South Dayton Airport
was on the June 1954 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Stevenson).
It depicted South Dayton as having a 2,500' paved runway.
According to Dennis Gray, “The area was platted in the early 1950s.”
According to Bob Luken, “The old South Dayton airport was closed in the early 1950s
because the grass strip were no longer long enough for the newer corporate aircraft being operated by National Cash Register & General Motors.
The land was sold to Charles Huber for plat development.
I currently live on Lamme Road in one of the Huber-built homes. I believe that it was built in 1956.”
The original location of South Dayton Airport on the east side of Moraine was evidently replaced
by another field on the western side of the river by 1956,
as a 1956 aerial photo depicted a new South Dayton Airport as being located on the west side of the river (the location of the present-day Moraine Airpark),
and no longer depicted an airfield at the original location.
The 1966 USGS topo map depicted the South Dayton Airport on the west side of the river,
and no longer depicted an airfield at the original location.
A 6/5/09 aerial view does not show any remaining trace of the former South Dayton Airport.
The site of South Dayton Airport is located southeast of the intersection of West Stroop Road & Lamme Road.
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General Electric Airfield, Peebles, OH
38.92 North / 83.33 West (Southeast of Cincinnati, OH)
The General Electric Airfield, as depicted on the August 1976 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
General Electric established their sprawling Peebles Test Site in the 1950s originally for testing of rocket engines.
Over time the role of the Peebles site shifted to evaluation of jet engines using numerous test stands spread throughout the facility's 7,000 acres.
A private airfield was evidently established on the Peebles facility at some point between 1970-76,
as it was not yet depicted at all on the February 1970 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of the General Electric Airfield which has been located
was on the August 1976 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the GE Airfield as a private airfield with a single 2,500' paved north/south runway.
GE retiree Tom Emmert recalled, “The GE strip... It was lengthened to 4,000' before 1980
to support a shuttle operation of a Cessna 402 from Blue Ash, OH (near the GE Evendale plant) and the test facilities at Peebles.
It is a hilltop airport, with approaches resembling an aircraft carrier's.
Because of the advanced engine tests there, both proprietary & classified, the field was off limits to private aircraft.
If a private aircraft were to land there,
instructions to GE personnel were to provide whatever service was required to expedite its departure.
The shuttle was discontinued about 1990 in an economy move, and the runway closed.”
The April 1994 USGS aerial photo depicted the GE Airfield as having a single asphalt Runway 2/20,
with a single hangar on the west side of the field.
The 1995 USGS topo map depicted the General Electric Landing Strip
as a single paved northeast/southwest runway, with a few small buildings on either side of the strip.
The December 2003 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the General Electric Airfield as having a single paved 4,000' northeast/southwest runway.
The GE Airfield was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 2003-2006,
as a June 17, 2006 aerial view looking north showed the runway marked with closed “X” symbols & being used for storage of items.
GE retiree Tom Emmert reported of the GE runway in 2010, “It is now used for equipment storage.”
The site of the General Electric Airfield is located southwest of the intersection of Jaybird Road & Beaver Pond Road.
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(Original) Springfield Municipal Airport, Springfield, OH
39.9 North / 83.73 West (Northeast of Dayton, OH)
Springfield Airport, as depicted on the 1928 Air Navigation Map (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The original airport for the town of Springfield was located approximately 4.5 miles southeast of the town.
The date of construction of the original Springfield Airport has not been determined.
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the 1928 Air Navigation Map (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 1934 Air Pilots Register (courtesy of Michael Banks)
depicted Springfield as having 2 macadam runways:
a 2,850' northeast/southwest strip & a 2,450' east/west strip.
A number of buildings were depicted on the northeast corner of the field.
The earliest photo which has been located of Springfield Municipal Airport
was an undated aerial view in The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airport Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The directory depicted Springfield Municipal as having 2 macadam runways:
a 2,660' northeast/southwest strip & a 2,375' east/west strip.
Several buildings were located east of the runway intersection.
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Springfield Airport as having a 2,700' runway.
The field was said to conduct "Extensive training."
The last photo to be located showing Springfield Municipal Airport in operation
was circa 1943-45 aerial view looking north from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).
It depicted Springfield Municipal as having 2 grass runways, with 2 hangars on the east side.
The 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) described Springfield Municipal Airport
as a 126 acre irregularly-shaped field having 2 gravel runways, the longest being a 2,700' northeast/southwest strip.
The field was said to have 3 hangars, the largest being a 80' x 60' metal structure.
Springfield Municipal was described as being owned by the City of Springfield & operated by private interests.
According to Durward Lewis, “There was a great deal of flying activity at the old airport,
as the operator ran a CPT [Civilian Pilot Training] program during the war.”
The May 1945 Huntington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
still depicted the original Springfield Municipal Airport.
The original Springfield Municipal Airport was apparently abandoned at some point between 1945-51,
and the property was reused as a fairgrounds.
Phil Brust recalled, “When I was five (1951), my parents took me to a circus at the fairgrounds.
There was an abandoned B-25 or B-26 still on the property
and my father boosted me up into the cockpit (tragic how surplus equipment was treated back then).
So the airport had been converted to fairgrounds by 1951.”
The 1953 Flight Chart (courtesy of Scott O'Donnell)
depicted a new Springfield Airport on the southwest side of the town,
but no longer depicted the original field to the southeast.
The new airport had much longer runways.
Presumably the original Springfield Airport was constrained from being expanded with longer runways.
A 1959 aerial photo showed the former airport having been converted to a fairgrounds,
with several buildings having been added around the runway intersection.
The 1983 USGS topo map labeled the site of the former airport as the Clark County Fairgrounds.
As seen in the 1994 USGS aerial photo,
the 2 paved former runways were still completely intact,
and at least 2 original hangars (the arch-roofed buildings in the northeast corner of the photo) still remained standing.
A large number of more recent buildings had been constructed for the fairgrounds around the runways
(including one built over the runway).
The former runways of the Springfield Airport were still quite recognizable on the 1995 USGS topo map.
Dave Noordeloos reported in 2004, "I was on a trip in Springfield a few weeks ago
and stumbled on the Clark County Fairgrounds while on the way back to the highway.
I noticed some old hangars & a very wide concourse for the fairgrounds & pulled in."
Durward Lewis reported in 2005, “The runways are still there.”
A circa 2006 aerial view looking north at the 2 hangars which remain at the site of the original Springfield Municipal Airport.
The pavement of the 2 former runways is also visible at the top & bottom.
A July 2011 photo by Tom Townsend looking west along the former Springfield Municipal Airport runway.
Tom reported, “It is now the site of the Clark County Fairgrounds.
I looked up & down both runways for any sign of light fixtures, but if they were there, they've long been paved over.
The runways are both still there in their entirety, but used for parking, the midway, and a building has been built on one of them.”
The site of the original Springfield Municipal Airport is located
west of the intersection of Interstate 70 & Route 41.
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McCook Field, Kettering Park, OH
39.78 North / 84.19 West (North of Downtown Dayton, OH)
A 1921 aerial view of the hangars at McCook Field.
In 1915, Orville Wright & fellow aeronautical pioneers Charles Kettering
(inventor of the "Kettering Bug", one of the first guided missiles) and Edward Deeds
had scouted out a site just north of downtown Dayton for a possible airport.
The next year, the Army decided to establish its very first aeronautical research & development base,
and chose the "North Field" site which had been scouted out by Orville Wright.
The resultant McCook Field was established in December 1917;
named in honor of the "Fighting McCooks" of Civil War fame.
A 1922 photo of hangars at McCook Field.
An undated photo of the entrance gate of the "Engineering Division, Air Service, McCook Field" (courtesy of Jos Heyman).
An undated aerial view of McCook Field" (courtesy of Jos Heyman).
An undated photo of the museum buildings at McCook Field" (courtesy of Jos Heyman).
McCook Field had a museum (established in 1923) which was not accessible top the public.
It has been reported that the collection went in storage upon America's entry into WW2
(implying it had been transferred presumably to Wright Field),
and it does not appear that any of these aircraft found their way into the current USAF Museum's collection.
McCook Field, from the very beginning,
was never intended to be anything but a temporary set-up for the Army’s aeronautical engineering activities.
McCook’s main hangar bore the sign in big bold letters "THIS FIELD IS SMALL, USE IT ALL."
Sometimes it was too small & an airplane overshot the airfield & had to be fished out of the Great Miami River.
Sometimes a plane crash-landed in a north-end backyard.
Wilbur Wright Field had a longer runway than McCook
and began to serve as a flight test field for McCook’s Engineering Division.
Furthermore, McCook Field was built on land leased from the Dayton Metal Products Company,
and every year the firm raised the rent.
McCook’s buildings, moreover, were built largely of wood,
and presented a constant fire hazard.
After a much larger parcel of land had been acquired,
a replacement installation - Wright Field - was dedicated by the Army in 1927.
During the balance of 1927 & into 1928,
caravans of trucks & rail cars carted all that was portable from McCook Field across & out of town to Wright Field:
wind tunnels, propeller test rigs, dynamometers -
even manhole covers bearing the designation U.S. Army Signal Corps.
Nothing went to waste.
When this had all been accomplished by the end of 1928,
McCook, like ancient Carthage, was demolished & laid level with the dust.
Indeed, the ground was regraded so that nearly nothing remained of America’s first "Cradle of Aviation."
No airfield at all at this location was depicted on the 1928 Air Navigation Map (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A 1956 aerial view showed the site of McCook Field to be occupied by several athletic fields.
On the 1992 USGS topo map, the location of the former McCook Field was still commemorated,
as 2 parks occupying portions of the former airfield (Kettering Field & Deeds Park)
were named after 2 of the people who figured in the founding of the airfield.
A street just to the north of Kettering Field is also named McCook Avenue.
As seen in the 2000 USGS aerial photo, the site of the former McCook Field is occupied by several athletic fields.
The site of McCook Field is located northwest of the present-day intersection of Interstate 75 & Route,
along the eastern bank of the Miami River.
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Huffman Prairie Flying Field, Dayton, OH
39.8 North / 84.06 West (Southwest of Wright-Patterson AFB)
A 1904 photo of the Wright Brothers with their 2nd Wright Flyer & their hangar at Huffman Prairie.
This 84 acre patch of rough pasture outside Dayton is where the Wright brothers undertook the difficult & sometimes dangerous task
of creating a dependable, fully controllable airplane & training themselves to be pilots.
The Wright Brothers started using Hufffman Prairie in 1904.
They made hundreds of flights here after developing the 1905 Wright Flyer III (the plane they considered to be the first practical airplane),
testing the aircraft built by the Wright Company.
At the Wright Flying School, also located here, they trained more than 100 pilots,
including the flyers for the Wright Exhibition Team & the first military flyers, including Henry Arnold & Thomas Milling.
The United States Army Signal Corps purchased the field in 1917 & renamed it (along with 2,000 adjacent acres) Wilbur Wright Field.
In 1948 the area was merged with nearby Patterson Field & became Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Aerial photos from 1956 & 1968 showed an empty field at the site of Huffman Prairie.
At an unknown date the Huffman Prairie property came under the stewardship of the National Park Service,
which operates the historic site where visitors can see where the Wrights developed the world’s first practical airplane
as well as replicas of their 1905 hangar & launching catapult.
The associated Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center is located at the Wright Memorial on an overlook about 2 miles from the flying field.
Huffman Prairie was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1990.
A circa 2006 aerial view looking east at the reproduction of the Huffman Prairie hangar & catapult.
A Park Service diagram showing the layout of Huffman Prairie Flying Field,
with the hangar & catapult on the east side of the oval-shaped field.
Huffman Prairie was added by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior
to the U.S. World Heritage Tentative List as part of the Dayton Aviation Sites listing in 2008.
A December 2008 photo by John Voss looking north at the reproduction of the Huffman Prairie hangar & catapult,
with Patterson Field visible in the background.
A December 2008 photo by John Voss of the Huffman Prairie Flying Field.
A pre-2009 photo showing the location of Huffman Prairie Flying Field relative to the adjacent massive airfield of Patterson Field.
Huffman Prairie is located northeast of the intersection of Hebble Creek Road & Pylon Road.
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Fairfield Air Depot / Wright Field, Dayton, OH
39.78 North / 84.11 West
A circa 1924-27 aerial view of a large number of biplanes at the Fairfield Air Depot.
In 1904-05 the Wright brothers set up their experimental flying field on Huffman Prairie in southwest Ohio.
In 1917, Wilbur Wright Field and, adjacent to it in order to provide support,
the Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot, were established in the general area.
After World War One, the 2 were merged & redesignated Wilbur Wright Air Service Depot,
but was commonly referred to as Fairfield Air Depot.
A circa 1924-27 aerial view of biplanes & hangars at the Fairfield Air Depot.
In 1927 the 2 fields & surrounding area (amounting to over 4,500 acres)
was dedicated as Wright Field in honor of the Wright brothers,
and became headquarters for the Army Air Corps' Material Division.
Wright Field, as depicted on the 1928 Air Navigation Map (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A 1928 aerial view of Wright Field (USAF photo).
In 1931 a portion of Wright Field was redesignated Patterson Field in recognition of the efforts of the Patterson family
to relocate the mission of the Airplane Engineering Division of the Army Air Corps
from too-small facilities in Dayton, known as McCook Field, to the base.
A 1930s photo of the entrance to Wright Field.
Building 12 (which originally served as the Army Air Corps Museum) is on the left.
An undated (circa 1930s?) aerial view of a large assemblage of biplanes at Wright Field.
An undated (circa 1930s?) aerial view of the unusual arrangement of hangars at Wright Field.
Wright Field, as depicted on the 1935 Regional Aeronautical Chart.
Beginning in the World War II era, and continuing afterwards, the adjacent complexes saw tremendous expansion efforts,
eventually becoming one of the AAF's largest research & development facilities.
The 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Wright Field as having a 6,000' hard-surface runway,
and the remarks included, "Daily glider flying."
In 1945, Wright Field was merged with Patterson Field (adjacent to the northeast).
The 1946 USAAF Pilot's Handbook (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Wright Field as having 3 paved runways (with the longest being the 7,200' Runway 10/28),
with a taxiway & a ramp on the east side of the field, along with a control tower & several other buildings.
In 1949 the entire complex was renamed Wright Patterson AFB.
The June 1954 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (courtesy of David Stevenson)
depicted Wright AFB as having a 7,100' paved runway.
A 1956 aerial photo showed several dozen aircraft of multiple types on Wright Field's east ramp.
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Wright Field as having 3 paved runways (with the longest being the 7,147' Runway 9/27),
each of which had a parallel taxiway, along with a large ramp on the east side of the field.
Wright AFB was still depicted as an active airfield on the 1964 Cincinnati Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy),
with Patterson AFB shown with a separate label to the northeast.
A 1968 aerial view showed a sharply smaller number of aircraft on Wright Field compared to the 1956 photo,
with several aircraft parked on Runway 5/23, and a small number of aircraft were visible on the east ramp.
Runway 16/34 was marked with closed-runway “X” symbols, with Runway 9/27 being the only runway still marked with active runway markings.
The runways of Wright Field were closed to flying operations at some point between 1968-71,
with all flying operations at Wright-Patterson conducted since then from Patterson Field exclusively.
The Air Force Museum was built over the western runway of Wright Field, and opened in 1971.
Other portions of the Wright Field runways have been reused for automobile parking & for display of museum aircraft.
A circa 1997-98 aerial view of Wright Field by Dick Merrill, looking southwest,
with the buildings & display aircraft of the USAF Museum along the former runway on the right.
USAF Museum buildings along west runway.
As it still exists, the Wright Field airfield consists of 3 concrete runways (the longest is approximately 7,700'),
taxiways, ramps & hangars.
A circa 2006 aerial view looking east at a group of planes from the Air Force Museum's collection
on static display along Wright Field's former Runway 5/23.
A circa 2006 aerial view looking north at a group of planes on a ramp on the southeast side of Wright Field,
presumably a storage area for the Air Force Museum's collection.
A circa 2006 aerial view looking east at a group of hangars along the southeast side of Wright Field.
A circa 2006 aerial view looking east at 2 hangars & the former Wright Field control tower along the east side of the field.
A circa 2006 aerial view looking west at a hangar on the east side of Wright Field.
An Air Force historical report gives further details of the history of Wright Field.
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39.97 North / 82.88 West (South of Port Columbus Airport, OH)
An undated aerial view of Norton Field from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airport Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
According to the Fall 2000 "OH Aviation News" (via Billy Spiropoulos),
the genesis of Norton Field began with the formation of the Aero Club of Columbus,
shortly after the end of the First World War.
After the first convention of Associated Aero Clubs of Ohio in 1920,
various members set about the serious business of getting an airfield established in the Columbus area.
A 100-acre property was located & a 10 year lease was secured from Jim Lamp & paid for by the Pure Oil Company.
This property was then provided to the War Department.
For $1 a year as the community’s part of the deal,
Norton Field was equipped by the War Department with 2 steel hangars, a fueling dock & a beacon light on a tower.
Regulations stated an Army field must be named after a deceased flyer.
An outstanding local person eminently fit the need for the name.
Fred Norton was an outstanding Ohio State University student athlete
who had gone on to become a member of the 27th "Eagle" Pursuit Squadron in France,
and was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross & the French Croix de Guerre with Palm.
Thus, Norton Field was named for this heroic pilot who was also the first Ohio State graduate to be killed in the war.
Norton Field was dedicated on 6/30/23.
The Army furnished aircraft to establish the 108th Observation Squadron, to be used by Army pilots.
Although the squadron was administered under Ft. Hayes
it also accommodated any civilian flying activities that adhered to the Army’s regulations.
The Aero Club secured a WW1 surplus barrack from Ft. Hayes purchased for $1
to later be refurbished for use as a clubhouse.
The Army was experimenting in establishing model airways (a scheduled military air service over established air routes)
and the ability to conduct operations at night.
Thus the 1st Lighted Airway (which later became the model for the airways system of the US)
was established with beacon lights between McCook & Norton Fields.
The experiments were flown regularly to perfect aviation lighting systems & night flying.
Experiments in aerial photography at night were also conducted.
Over the succeeding 6 years, many prominent pilots utilized this airfield
including Jimmy Doolittle, Charles Lindbergh, and the Wright Brothers.
In 1928, a Columbus native & Ohio State University student Curtis LeMay obtained a commission in the Army
and while awaiting his application to Army flight school took unofficial instructional flights at Norton Field.
He went on to flight training in the fall of 1928 as a National Guard Officer
and after graduation was recommissioned as an Army Pursuit Pilot at Selfridge Field.
While there he arranged to return to serve at Norton Field as Assistant Engineering & Operations Officer
in order to complete his final quarter at Ohio State.
He later went on to fame as the Cold War commander of the Strategic Air Command (SAC).
Charles Lindbergh returned to Norton Field on May 29 1928
as a Technical Advisor for Transcontinental Air Transport in surveying a cross country train-plane route.
He found the field to be too small for TAT’s needs
and recommended the city find a larger facility adjacent to the railroad tracks.
This brought about the construction of Port Columbus in 1929.
In 1929 the Army set up & conducted a large scale mock war maneuver
of Red & Blue Army & Air Forces between the cities of Dayton & Columbus.
Between May 15th & 25th air fleets composing more than 200 aircraft (the largest up to this date)
were based at Wilbur Wright Field & Norton Field,
and were employed in mock air warfare in this maneuver.
The Army remained at Norton Field for 2 more years until relocating to larger facilities at Port Columbus in June 1931,
effectively abandoning Norton Field.
Harold Distelhorst came to the rescue of Norton Field in October 1931 & took over the operation.
In so doing he promoted & hosted such aviation activities as Air Carnivals, Air Shows, Air Races
and several times did emergency medical flights in the romantic years of civil aviation.
Distelhorst kept vigorous activity at the airport until the Denton family of Northway Cab Company took control in 1936.
The Denton family & Herb Stump set up the Mid West Aviation Corporation,
which operated Norton Field through the WW2 days.
The earliest depiction which has been located of Norton Field
was an undated aerial view from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airport Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
It depicted the field as a square grass field with 2 buildings at the northwest corner.
The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airport Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo)
described Norton Field as consisting of a 2,250' x 2,000' rectangular sod field.
A single hangar was said to be in the northwest corner,
with "Norton Field" painted on the roof.
An advertisement for Norton Field from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airport Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
Norton Field was depicted as a commercial airport on the June 1939 Huntington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Norton Field was depicted as a commercial airport on the 1941 Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
An aerial view looking north at Norton Field from The Airport Directory Company's 1941 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The field was described as a 100 acres square sod field.
A hangar was said to have "Norton Field Midwest Aviation Corp." painted on the roof.
During the Second World War, Norton Field conducted a very active training program,
under the government sponsored War Training Service & Civilian Pilot Training programs,
utilizing a large fleet of training aircraft.
These government programs provided an introduction to the regular Army & Navy pilot training programs.
A circa 1941-42 photo (courtesy of Mark Hess) of Carl McGary, instructor at Norton Field, in front of a Piper Cub with students Walter Beaver, Keith Fields, Bernard Hatch, and and Bob Chew.
along with the taxicabs of the Northway Cab Company also owned by the Denton family.
Norton Field, as depicted on the 1943 USGS topo map.
Norton Field was described by the April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
as having a 2,800' unpaved runway,
and it was listed as conducting Army flight operations.
Parks Aircraft Company purchased the Norton Field property from the Lamp family in 1944.
A 1945 view of several Pipers in front of the Norton Field control tower & hangar (courtesy of the Whitehall Historical Society).
An aerial view of Norton Field from the Haire Publishing Company's 1945 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The directory described Norton Field as having a 2,200' x 2,000' sod field, with a single hangar.
The manager was listed as Herman Swingle,
and the operator was listed as the Northway Flying Service.
The Denton family moved their operation from Norton to their new field in 1947.
After the move Norton Field continued to be used for the operations
of H. R. "Dutch" Swingle (who operated a flight training school)
and Vern Acheson of the Columbus Aircraft & Sales Company.
The last photo which has been located showing Norton Field in operation
was a 1949 aerial view of several aircraft parked next to the Norton Field hangar (courtesy of the OH Historical Society).
The date of closure of Norton Field has not been determined,
but the airfield property was sold to become a housing subdivision on 11/16/1949.
A 1957 aerial view showed housing covering the site of Norton Field.
The control tower reportedly survived longer than the rest of the airfield buildings,
but the last remaining original Norton Field building was demolished in December, 1979.
The original role of the site of Norton Field has been somewhat remembered,
as the 1994 USGS topo map depicted a "Norton Field Playground" at the location of the former airfield,
and some of the residential streets on the site have names including "Norton Lane",
"Rickenbacker Avenue", "Langley Avenue", and Wright Avenue".
The 1994 USGS aerial photo showed that the site of Norton Field had been covered by a housing development,
and not a trace of the airport remained visible.
The Ohio Bicentennial Commission dedicated a Norton Field Historical Marker at the site on June 24, 2000.
A 2004 photo by Christopher Trott of the Norton Field historical plaque.
A 2004 photo by Christopher Trott of the site of Norton Field.
Christopher reported, "They are trying to sell the field that's still there for retail development.
I don't know how long or if it'll be sold & developed, but that's the last signs of Norton Field as it is."
As seen in a 2006 aerial photo,
the site of Norton Field has been covered by a housing development,
and not a trace of the airport remains visible.
The site of Norton Field is located southwest of the intersection of East Broad Street & Hamilton Road.
Thanks to Billy Spiropoulos for pointing out this field.
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Clickenger Airport / South Columbus Airport (4I2), Columbus, OH
39.88 North / 82.97 West (North of Rickenbacker Airport, OH)
"Clickenger" was depicted as an auxiliary airfield on the June 1939 Huntington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This small general aviation field was originally named Clickenger Airport.
The date of construction of Clickenger Airport has not been determined.
The earliest reference to the field which has been located
was in The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
which described Clickenger as a commercial airport having 3 graded earth runways
within a 3,200' x 1,900' rectangular field.
A hangar was said to have "Clickenger Airport" painted on the roof.
The Airport Directory Company's 1938 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described Clickenger as an "Auxiliary" airfield having 2 sod runways,
with the longest being a 2,640' north/south strip.
A hangar was said to be located along the north side of the field.
The earliest depiction which has been located of Clickenger Airport
was on the June 1939 Huntington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Clickenger as an auxiliary airfield.
Clickenger was depicted as a commercial airport
on the 1941 Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The earliest photo which has been located of Clickenger Airport
was a 9/28/43 aerial view looking north from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).
It depicted Clickenger as an irregularly-shaped grass field with several hangars along the northwest side.
The 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) described Clickenger Airport
as a 40 acre rectangular field having a 2,600' x 1,600' sod all-way airfield.
The field was said to have a single 80' x 48' wood & concrete block hangar.
Clickenger was described as being owned & operated by private interests.
Clickenger Airport, as depicted on the 1943 USGS topo map.
Clickenger Airport was described by the 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
as having a 2,600' runway.
Richard Christ recalled, “I was stationed at Lockbourne AFB from 1951-54.
During that time I joined the SAC Flying Club which was based at Clickenger Airport, and obtained my private license (1952).
During the time I was there, Vern Atchison was the manager/FBO owner
and the Strategic Air Command Flying Flub was one of his best customers.
The club charged it's members $4/hr dual for flying the planes they had and $2/hr for solo, using instructors who were also members.
My license cost about $125 total! Almost unbelievable compared to todays costs.
I assume that Vern made a fair amount of money by selling fuel to us & on the maintenance of our airplanes.
I was one of the earlier members when the club had only a J3 Cub & an Aeronca Champ
but the membership grew fast, and they added several more Champs & a new Mooney Mite.
The Mooney was a blast to fly but the club didn't keep it too long because on 2 occasions it was landed gear up
by newly licenced & inexperience members & had to be shipped back to the Mooney factory for repairs.
Thank goodness I wasn't one of them.
I still have an 8x10 photo of myself standing in front of it when the club auctioned it off.
$1 per ticket, and 6 for $5 according to the sign.
The demise of the airport was inevitable because of the city growing around it.
The railroad yards off the end of the main runway were always a worry in case of an engine failure, because of nowhere to land safely.”
The 1953 Flight Chart (courtesy of Scott O'Donnell)
described Clickenger as having a 2,700' unpaved runway.
A 1953 aerial view looking north at Clickenger Airport depicted dozens of light planes parked on the grass in front of a hangar.
The layout of Clickenger Airport, as depicted in the 1955 OH Airport Directory (courtesy of Stephen Mahaley).
The directory described Clickenger as having 3 runways, with the longest being a 2,750' northwest/southeast strip.
A single hangar was depicted on the north side of the field.
The operator was listed as Jones Flying Service.
A 1957 aerial view depicted Clickenger Airport as having 3 grass runways,
with a total of 13 light aircraft parked around a building on the northwest side of the field.
By 1962, it had been renamed South Columbus Airport,
which is how it was listed in the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory.
It was described as having a single gravel runway, and the operator was listed as Jones Flying Service.
The layout of South Columbus Airport, as depicted on the 1966 OH Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as having a single 2,700' unpaved north/south runway.
The runway at South Columbus was evidently lengthened & paved at some point between 1966-71,
as a 1971 aerial view depicted the field as having a single north/south paved runway,
which extended considerably farther south than the previous airport boundary.
The original hangar remained on the northwest side,
but had been replaced by a much larger group of hangars on the west side of the new runway.
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury) described South Columbus Airport as having a 5,150' asphalt Runway 18/36.
The operator was listed as E.C. Aviation.
John Berryman recalled, “I begin my flight training at the old South Columbus Airport as a 15 year old in 1987.
At that time it was already in decline but there were active pilots who kept their aircraft hangared there
as well as the FBO 'American Aviation Services' where I trained.
It was ran by a man named Bob Maroldy who had recently retired from the Army & just opened it when I flew there.
As a matter of fact I worked as a ground crewman on the banner towing planes
during the Ohio State Football games in exchange for flying time.
When I returned briefly in 1993 to get a picture of the plane I trained with,
the FBO was closed & a friend of his still had one of the planes & was trying to get investors to revitalize the airport.
But this was highly unlikely as that area had become mostly industrial
and Bolton Field & Don Scott are 2 class D airports very close by, much more convenient to get to.
However, I do believe that there were people who wanted to see the airport fail & had their eyes on the land.”
As of the 1994 aerial photo, the airfield consisted of a single paved 5,400' runway,
and a ramp on the west side with at least 3 hangars.
A total of nine single-engine aircraft were visible parked on the ramp.
Unfortunately, by this time, development around the field had become extensive,
with several large industrial buildings having been built immediately along the east side of the runway.
As seen in a circa 2000 aerial photo,
South Columbus Airport was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1994-2000.
In the circa 2000 aerial photo, 2 large buildings had been built over the central portion of the runway,
and a housing development had been built over the southern portion of the runway.
However, about half of the runway remained intact on the northern end,
complete with the circular turn-around characteristic of a runway at the north end.
The remaining runway portion was evidently being used to store trailers or containers.
The former terminal building also remained intact.
At some point after the airport closed, the former main hangar was apparently reused as the “Airport Tennis Club”.
A 2003 photo by Billy Spiropoulos of the former main Hangar of South Columbus Airport.
Billy observed, “The place is indeed an industrial park now.
It had an eerie, desolate, decrepit atmosphere,
even though there are several businesses operating on the site."
A 2003 photo by Billy Spiropoulos of the runway.
Billy observed, "The runway is all cracked up & potholed, with endless rows of cargo trailers parked on it,
but still plainly evident as you look down its length."
A 2003 photo by Billy Spiropoulos of the former main Hangar of South Columbus Airport.
A 2003 photo by Billy Spiropoulos of the what used to be an office attached to the main Hangar of South Columbus Airport.
Note the faded lettering on the windows, which apparently used to read, "Airport Tennis Club".
A 2003 photo by Billy Spiropoulos of the former Hangar 6 at South Columbus Airport.
Billy Spiropoulos noted, "I spotted the ramp & the remaining hangars as well.
The 2 narrow buildings are rusty sheetmetal with numbers still on the walls;
each of the 2 smaller hangars still has an older style Shell Oil logo hanging on it."
An "artsy" 2003 photo by Billy Spiropoulos
of one of the many junked autos resting at the former South Columbus Airport,
one of Detroit's finest, an early 1970s Ford Torino.
Billy noted, "The ramp area is littered with abandoned older cars
(for example: two 1970 or '71 Ford Torinos,
rusty but still complete & still sitting on old-fashioned bias-ply tires)."
A circa 2006 aerial view looking south at the 3 former hangars which remain at the former South Columbus Airport.
A circa 2008 aerial view looking south at the north end of the former South Columbus Airport runway.
The darker-colored portion of the building at bottom-right is a former hangar from Clickenger Airport (predating South Columbus Airport),
which dates back to at least 1955.
The site of South Columbus Airport is located
southeast of the intersection of Lockbourne Road & East Williams Road.
The road leading into the former airport is still labeled "South Columbus Airport Road".
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