Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Pennsylvania - Northeastern Philadelphia area
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 4/18/08.
Budd Factory Airfield (revised 4/18/08) - Buehl Field (Bensalem location) (revised 4/18/08)
Buehl Field (Woodbourne location) (revised 2/26/08) - Keystone / Fleetwings / Kaiser / 3M Airport (revised 4/18/08)
Keystone / Fleetwings Factory & Seaplane Base (revised 3/1/08) - Morrisville Airport (revised 4/18/08)
Silver Star Airport / Old Star Airport (revised 3/17/08) - Somerton Airport / Flying Dutchman Field (revised 2/26/08)
William Penn Airport / Boulevard Airport (revised 2/26/08)
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Morrisville Airport, Morrisville, PA
40.2 North / 74.81 West (Northeast of Northeast Philadelphia Airport, PA)
A 1947 aerial view of Morrisville Airport depicted the field as consisting of a single east/west grass runway,
with a single hangar on the southeast side, around which were parked a dozen light aircraft.
This former general aviation airport was evidently established at some point between 1944-49,
as it was not listed in the April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer).
Diane Siesel Orr recalled, “Morrisville Airport was owned by Frank Pingatore prior to Hortmann, [he] dealt with Piper Cubs.”
Verna Hortman (Bob Hortman's wife) recalled, “Norm & Bob Hortman (brothers) operated Morrisville Airport starting in 1949.
At that time the name of the operation was Aero Dusting Corporation.
They gave flight instructions, maintenance of aircraft, rebuilding & recovering aircraft
and crop dusting for King Farms & many other farms in the area.
I took care of all the office work during the Aero Dusting Corporation years.
Bob left Aero Dusting & went on to crop dust for several different operators throughout the country.”
The earliest photo of Morrisville Airport which has been located was a 1947 aerial view.
It depicted the field as consisting of a single east/west grass runway,
with a single hangar on the southeast side, around which were parked a dozen light aircraft.
The earliest aeronautical chart depiction of Morrisville Airport which has been located
was on the 1950 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
It depicted the field as having a 2,300 unpaved runway.
According to Nathan Sturman, Hortman Aviation was operated at Morrisville by Captain Norm Hortman & his wife Yvette.
"Norm was a very senior TWA Captain,
his French wife Yvette & he were well known to Philadelphia-area fliers,
especially the latter's legendary caution in supervising pilots & students/customers.
Hortman Aviation was famous in the 1950s for its line of yellow Cubs parked by Route 1."
A 1957 aerial photo of Morrisville Airport depicted 10 light aircraft on the field.
A 1958 aerial photo of Morrisville Airport depicted a dozen light aircraft on the field,
as well as the hangar with the checkerboard-painted roof.
The 1959 Philadelphia Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Morrisville as having a 2,100' unpaved runway.
George Johnson recalled of Morrisville Airport, “Norm & Yvette Hortman hired me in 1961 for my 1st instructor job.
Three years & many new friends later, I was lucky enough to get hired by UAL.”
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory (based on a latest report from 1960)
described Morrisville as having a single 2,100' turf Runway 9/27.
The field was said to offer fuel, major repairs, and charter.
The operator was listed as the Aero Dusting Corp.
A 1963 aerial photo of Morrisville Airport depicted a total of 12 light aircraft on the field.
Morrisville Airport was still depicted on the 1967 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
There were still 3 single-engine aircraft visible on a 1970 aerial photo of Morrisville Airport.
According to Nathan Sturman, Morrisville Airport was closed (for reasons unknown) at some point in 1970.
When Morrisville Airport closed, Hortman Aviation moved to nearby 3M Airport.
An October 11, 1971 aerial view appeared to depict Morrisville Airport after it had been abandoned,
but the field was otherwise still intact, with a single east/west grass runway,
and some small buildings on the southeast corner of the property.
By the time of the 1982 AOPA Airports USA Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury),
Morrisville Airport was no longer listed.
A single runway at Morrisville Airport was still depicted on the 1986 USGS topo map, labeled simply as "Airport".
That doesn't necessarily indicate the field was still open at that point, though.
In the 1999 USGS aerial view of the site of the former Morrisville Airport,
it can be seen that a residential neighborhood has covered the property,
and it does not appear as if any trace remains of the former airport.
The site of Morrisville Airport is located north of the intersection of West Trenton Drive & Lincoln Highway.
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Silver Star Airport / Old Star Airport, Langhorne, PA
40.18 North / 74.88 West (Northeast of Northeast Philadelphia Airport, PA)
A January 3, 1938 aerial photo (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Silver Star Airport as being an irregularly-shaped grass field,
with an airport circle marking in the northwest corner.
The date of construction of this former general aviation airport has not been determined.
It may have been established at some point between 1935-37,
as it was not yet depicted on the 1935 Regional Aeronautical Chart.
The earliest reference to this field which has been located
was in The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
It described Silver Star Airport as having two 1,500' sod runways, oriented north/south & northwest/southeast.
A hangar was said to have "Silver Star Airport Langhorne" painted on the roof.
The earliest depiction which has been located of the Silver Star Airport
was a January 3, 1938 aerial photo (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Silver Star Airport as being an irregularly-shaped grass field,
with an airport circle marking in the northwest corner.
A 1938 postmark commemorating the Silver Star Airport (courtesy of the Langhorne Historical Society, via Jay Cooke).
An article in the 5/5/38 issue of the Delaware Valley Advance (courtesy of the Langhorne Historical Society, via Jay Cooke)
reported of the 1st dispatch of air mail from a local airport, Silver Star Airport.
It was described as a "great historical event".
The 1st air mail flight from Silver Star was said to be conducted by pilot William Engle.
Silver Star Airport, as depicted on the 1943 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Silver Star Airport was described in the April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
as having a 2,400' unpaved runway.
Silver Star Airport was still depicted on the 1945 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Norman Freed).
Lynn Gentzsch recalled, “Silver Star / Old Star... It changed names in the late 1940s when it was purchased by Johnny VanSant.
I remember that Stearman & there was also a WWII glider, several Piper Cubs.
All the planes were lined up along Lincoln Highway (Route 1).”
The 1950 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) depicted Old Star Airport as having a 2,300' unpaved runway.
An undated (circa 1940s-50s?) photo taken from Route 1 looking northwest at several aircraft (including a T-6 Texan) at Old Star Airport
(courtesy of Deborah Jordan, whose father - George Rice - worked at Old Star).
Deborah said, “I remember him taking my brother & I out there when we were real small... in the early 1950s.”
Old Star Airport, as depicted on the 1959 Philadelphia Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Lindsey Parsons operated a PJ-260 aerobatic biplane from Old Star Airport.
He recalled, "It's home field was Old Star Airport in Langhorne.
The single runway was 2,600', sod, and on about a 2% uphill grade when taking off in a normal prevailing wind.
I could start the roll at the far end of the strip, be airborne about half way up the hill,
half roll the bird at the end of the runway
and immediately push it up through a half outside loop to complete the 'initial climb out'.
This was spectacular performance back in the early sixties!"
Finton Thompson recalled, "I did quite a bit of flying with my uncle out of Old Star Airport in Langhorne.
Old Star was located adjacent on the west side of US Route 1
about one mile north of the intersection of Route 1 & Woodburne Road.
I often rode my bicycle over to Old Star
and spent many hours watching the construction of & flying of the PJ-260's.
There was also an old 'character' that flew out of there in his Boeing Stearman - just like an old barnstormer.
Heck, Old Star even hosted airshows
and I clearly remember seeing the 'Flying Farmer' routine flown from the rear seat of a J-3 Cub.
My 'passenger' logbook shows flights in & out of Old Star as well as 3M & Buehl Field (Bensalem) during 1961-62
in a Piper PA-15 Vagabond that belonged to a friend of my uncle's."
Nathan Sturman recalled "Rod Jocelyn, who flew aerobatics out of Old Star."
The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Old Star Airport
was on the 1965 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
It depicted the field as having a 2,400' unpaved runway.
It is possible that Old Star Airport may have closed (possibly temporarily) at some point between 1965-67,
as the 1967 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe) no longer depicted Old Star.
Both Old Star Airport & nearby Buehl Field were still depicted on the 1969 USGS topo map.
Bill Cawthorne recalled, “I was flying at Old Star until December 5, 1970.
Fred Lewis was my instructor.
The airport 'manager' was C.J. Alexander, who I named my 4th son Alex after.
The tumble-down hangars had a curious collection of aircraft
such as a Pitcairn Autogiro whose fabric was in shreds, a Belanca Viking (3-tailed ) owned by a Mr. Applegate
and a Globe Swift & Stinson Reliant being rebuilt in the large hangar on the hill.
The 'locked' hangar on the hill was home to various parts of what had to be an extreme aerobatic biplane.
I drove the fuel truck during the last airshow there.
At any given time, people would stop by in an array of aviation history.
The engine trailer had pictures of aviation pioneers like Gabby Grabeski by a P-51.
I spent my entire high school years there.
I flew a Tripacer N3339Z , a PA-18 Super Cub N9891D, and a PA-28-140 Cherokee N6436R owned by C. J.
I was the airport orphan & if mom wanted to know where I was, she started at Old Star & asked who I was flying with.
The further you got from the hangars on the flightline the less the airplanes saw their owners.
Some were in a sad state. Most were flyable.
I arrived with a passion for aviation that has not diminished.”
Tom Barney recalled, “Old Star was still open in the early 1970s
because a friend & I were the last pilots to solo from that airport.
Our instructor was Fred Lewis. I think we soloed in 1970 or 1971.”
An August 7, 1971 aerial view showed Old Star Airport to be very well-used,
with a total of over 30 light aircraft visible on the field.
The airfield consisted of 2 grass runways.
Lynn Gentzsch recalled, “When he [Johnny VanSant] sold out to the Oxford Valley Mall,
he opened VanSant Airport in Erwinna.”
Old Star Airport evidently was closed at some point between 1971-73,
as the 1973 USGS topo map showed that the Oxford Valley Mall had been built just north of the former Old Star Airport,
which was no longer depicted at all.
A 1999 USGS aerial view of the site of the former Old Star Airport.
Jay Cooke reported in 2001 that "The stone farm house used as an [airport] office is still there on a used car lot."
There do not appear to be any other remaining traces of Old Star Airport.
The site of Old Star Airport Airport is located north of the intersection of Woodbourne Road & Maple Avenue,
just south of the Oxford Valley Mall.
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Somerton Airport / Flying Dutchman Field, Philadelphia, PA
40.11 North / 75.02 West (Northwest of Northeast Philadelphia Airport, PA)
Somerton Airport, as depicted on the Philly Chamber of Commerce's
1930 "Aviation Map of the Philadelphia Metro District" (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
The earliest depiction of Somerton Airport which has been located
was on the Philly Chamber of Commerce's 1930 "Aviation Map of the Philadelphia Metro District" (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
The airfield layout of "Somerton (Flying Dutchman) Field",
from the 1930 book "Philadelphia Aeronautical Center of the East"
(courtesy of the George H. Stuebing Collection of the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association).
The directory described the field as consisting of an 115 acre irregularly shaped field.
The field was said to be owned & operated by Ernest Buehl.
One metal hangar & one wood hangar were depicted on the west side of the field.
An aerial photo looking north at "Somerton (Flying Dutchman) Field"
from the 1930 book "Philadelphia Aeronautical Center of the East"
(courtesy of the George H. Stuebing Collection of the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association).
Flying Dutchman Field, as depicted on the May 1932 J-18 Washington D. C. Airway Map (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 1935 Regional Aeronautical Chart depicted Somerton Airport
in close proximity to Boulevard Airport & Northeast Philadelphia Airport.
An aerial view of Somerton Airport, looking south,
from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The directory described Somerton Airport as having a 2,900' x 2,600' sod all-way landing area.
Two checkerboard-roofed hangars were depicted along the northwest side of the field.
A January 5, 1938 aerial view of Somerton Airport showed the circular airport symbol in the center of the grass field,
with 2 checkerboard-painted hangars on the west side of the field,
around which were parked 4 light aircraft.
In May of 1941 the "Brewster Flying Club" was organized at Somerton Airport.
It was comprised primarily of individuals who worked at the Brewster Aircraft plant in nearby Johnsville.
In 1947, the club moved to nearby Warrington Airport & took on the name of "Warrington Flying Club".
The 1947 Washington Sectional Chart described Somerton Airport
as having a 2,100' unpaved runway.
The operator of Somerton Airport, Ernest Buehl,
had opened Buehl Field in nearby Bensalem at some point between 1945-49.
The last depiction of Somerton Airport as an active airport which has been located
was on the 1951 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe),
which described the field as having a 2,100' unpaved runway.
Somerton Airport was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1951-55,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the 1955 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
A 1958 aerial photo showed that houses had begun to cover the northern half of the former airport property,
but the 2 hangars still remained standing on the western side.
By the time of an August 7, 1971 aerial photo, the site of Somerton Airport had been covered in residential development,
and not a trace appeared to remain of the former airport.
The 1999 USGS aerial photo of the site of the former Somerton Airport
showed that it had been covered in residential development,
and not a trace appeared to remain of the former airport.
The site of Somerton Airport is located east of the intersection of Bustleton Avenue & Tomlinson Road.
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William Penn Airport / Boulevard Airport, Philadelphia, PA
40.1 North / 75.02 West (Northwest of Northeast Philadelphia Airport, PA)
What was labeled "William Penn Airport", as depicted on the Philly Chamber of Commerce's
1930 "Aviation Map of the Philadelphia Metro District" (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
This airport was 1st known as William Penn Airport.
According to Tom Beamer, George Hutchinson (Interstate Flying Corporation)
established the William Penn Airport in 1928.
The earliest depiction of an airfield at this location which has been located
was on the Philly Chamber of Commerce's 1930 "Aviation Map of the Philadelphia Metro District" (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
It was labeled as the "William Penn Airport".
The airfield layout of William Penn Airport,
from the 1930 book "Philadelphia Aeronautical Center of the East"
(courtesy of the George H. Stuebing Collection of the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association).
The directory described the field as consisting of an 80 acre field, measuring 2,700' northeast/southwest by 2,100' north/south.
The field was said to be owned & operated by the Interstate Flying Corporation,
which also provided sales & service of Fairchild planes.
Two 60' x 50' metal hangars were depicted on the east side of the field, along Roosevelt Boulevard.
An aerial photo looking west at William Penn Airport
from the 1930 book "Philadelphia Aeronautical Center of the East"
(courtesy of the George H. Stuebing Collection of the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association).
William Penn Airport, as depicted on the May 1932 J-18 Washington D. C. Airway Map (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The airport was acquired by Dick Bircher in 1933,
according to his great-grandson, John Bircher III.
At this point, it was apparently renamed Boulevard Airport.
Boulevard Airport was described in the 1934 Department of Commerce Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy)
as having a 2,400' x 2,100' sod rectangular field.
The 1935 Regional Aeronautical Chart depicted Boulevard Airport
sandwiched in between Northeast Philadelphia Airport & Somerton Airport.
A 1936 aerial view looking north at Boulevard Airport, from the Dallin Aerial Survey Collection,
courtesy of Barbara Hall of the Hagley Museum & Library, Wilmington, DE.
A closeup of the hangars from the 1936 aerial view of Boulevard Airport, from the Dallin Aerial Survey Collection,
courtesy of Barbara Hall of the Hagley Museum & Library, Wilmington, DE.
A photo of Boulevard Airport owner Dick Bircher in a beautiful Ryan STA (circa mid-to-late-1930s, courtesy of John Bircher III).
John Bircher III recalled, "My Grandfather, John Bircher was the son of Dick Bircher
and learned to fly before he could drive at Boulevard.
I have pictures of several of the aircraft they had,
as well as photos of the airport fire that ravaged most of the buildings."
A fabulous photo of a ski-equipped Stinson Reliant coming in to land at a snowy Boulevard Airport,
with 2 hangars visible in the background (circa mid-to-late-1930s, courtesy of John Bircher III).
An aerial view of Boulevard Airport, looking northeast,
from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The directory described Boulevard Airport as having an 85 acre sod landing area, measuring 3,000' x 2,000'.
The aerial photo in the directory depicted 2 hangars along the east side of the field,
on the west side of Lincoln Highway (known today as Roosevelt Boulevard).
The Herrick HV-2A, test-flown at Boulevard Airport in 1937.
In 1937, Boulevard Airport was the site of early flight testing of a vertical takeoff convertaplane designed by Gerard Herrick.
The Herrick HV-2A was constructed by Heath Aircraft to Herrick's specifications,
combining an innovative gyroplane rotor system with a conventional airplane.
George Townson, a young & enthusiastic test pilot, flew the aircraft throughout its test program.
The HV-2A's new rotor system proved to be much safer than the one installed on previous Herrick convertaplanes.
Townson made the 1st conversion from fixed-wing to gyroplane mode in 1937 at the Boulevard Airport.
By the end of the year, he had made more than 100 conversions in the aircraft.
On one flight, Townson experienced heavy vibration after converting into gyroplane mode
and set down in someone's backyard, but after making a few adjustments, he took off again,
remaining in gyroplane mode for the rest of the flight.
Running low on resources, Herrick had to abandon the HV-2A's development program in 1937.
A January 5, 1938 aerial view of Boulevard Airport showed the circular airport symbol in the center of the grass field,
with a single hangar on the northeast corner.
There were no aircraft visible on the field.
John C. Bircher III recalled that Boulevard Airport "was closed during the war [WW2],
and Dick & Granddad moved the cadet flight school to a farm Dick bought in Gettysburg."
The temporary wartime closure of the airport was apparently a result of wartime security concerns,
as was the case at many other small civil airports along the coasts during the war.
Boulevard Airport was not depicted at all on the 1943 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
In 1943, Gerard Herrick tried to use the HV-2A aircraft to drum up enthusiasm for his newest variant, the HV-3.
This model was a coaxial helicopter that did not come to fruition.
Boulevard Airport reopened after WW2.
Dean Westover reported in 2003,
"I know that Boulevard Airport was open in August of 1946.
I have purchased a 1946 Aeronca Chief.
During a title search I found that it was delivered to Carl Norton of Boulevard Airport on 8/12/46."
The 1947 Washington Sectional Chart described Boulevard Airport
as having a 2,200' unpaved runway.
David Leidel observed of Boulevard Airport, "I know it was operational in 1947,
as I have a photo of myself standing near George Villsmeyer's airplane when I was 2 years old."
In 1949, Gerard Herrick proposed a convertiplane with rotor-mounted ramjets,
but this proposal also did not attract any investors.
The last depiction of Boulevard Airport as an active airport which has been located
was on the 1951 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe),
which described the field as having a 2,200' unpaved runway.
Boulevard Airport was once again the site of vertical flight research & development work
by yet another innovative small company.
The Helicopter Engineering Research Corporation conducted test flights at Boulevard Airport starting in 1951.
They produced the Jovair 4E Sedan & the Jovanovich JOV-3.
The company principals (including President D.K. Jovanovich)
were formerly with the Piasecki Company (another Philadelphia-area company which pioneered vertical flight).
The Helicopter Engineering Research Corporation was eventually acquired by McCulloch Motors Company in 1957.
Boulevard Airport was closed on October 4, 1951 (according to John Bircher).
An article in that night's issue of the Evening Standard newspaper (courtesy of John Bircher)
was entitled "Auction at City's 1st Airport Clears Way for Housing".
The article read, "The buildings & equipment of Boulevard Airport, Philadelphia's first,
were auctioned off yesterday to make way for a housing development
on the site at Roosevelt Boulevard & Red Lion Road.
More than 100 bidders paid a total of $14,200 for the several hundred items in the sale.
The biggest price, $7,000, was paid for the 70' x 90' main hangar,
which had originally been set up at what is now International Airport.
Issac Schlossbach of the Asbury Park Air Terminal paid $1,560 for 6 individual airplane hangars."
Boulevard Airport was no longer depicted at all on the July 1952 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
A 1958 aerial photo showed that houses had begun to cover the wester half of the former airport property.
The hangar had been demolished, but its foundation was still evident on the eastern side of the site.
By the time of an August 7, 1971 aerial photo,
the site of Boulevard Airport had been covered with a shopping center & a residential development,
and not a trace appeared to remain of the former airport.
A circa 2000 aerial view of the site of the former Boulevard Airport.
A small segment of a runway of the Northeast Philadelphia Airport is just visible in the southeast corner.
The site of Boulevard Airport is located on the west corner
of the intersection of Roosevelt Boulevard & Red Lion Road.
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Budd Factory Airfield, Philadelphia, PA
40.11 North / 75.04 West (Northwest of Northeast Philadelphia Airport, PA)
An October 8, 1942 aerial view which appears to show the Budd Red Lion Factory while under construction,
with a single northeast/southwest runway also under construction.
The Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company was a major manufacturer of railroad cars.
The Budd Company decided to apply their manufacturing experience
with stainless steel to the manufacturing of aircraft.
Their initial entry into the world of aeronautics was made in 1930
through the contract manufacture of aircraft wheels & stainless steel wing ribs.
The 1st complete aircraft designed & built by Budd was the BB-1 Pioneer amphibian,
a single example of which (NR749N) was built in 1931.
The Pioneer was powered by a single 210hp Kinner C-5 motor,
and used design concepts from the Savoia-Marchetti S-31.
Budd's stainless steel construction aircraft construction process was patented (US patent #2,425,498 in 1942).
Indeed this was the world's 1st stainless steel aircraft, truly making it a "Pioneer".
The earliest depiction which has been located of the Budd Factory Airfield was an October 8, 1942 aerial view,
which appeared to show the Budd Red Lion Factory while under construction,
with a single northeast/southwest runway also under construction to the north of the factory.
Another runway was eventually added, oriented Northwest/Southeast.
The Budd Airfield was not yet depicted on the 1943 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The Budd Factory Airfield was opened in 1943, according to ExplorePaHistory.com.
The Budd RB-1 Conestoga, manufactured in the Philadelphia plant.
During WW2, Budd again saw an opportunity to apply its stainless steel construction experience to aircraft once again,
and the result was the Budd RB-1 Conestoga cargo aircraft,
the 1st mass-produced aircraft constructed primarily of stainless steel.
The Conestoga was also significant in that it was the 1st modern military cargo aircraft
to adopt a configuration which has become the standard in post-WW2 military cargo aircraft,
with a high wing, and a rear ramp facilitating easy loading of cargo.
This is the exact configuration still used by almost all post-WW2 military cargo aircraft (C-123, C-130, C-17, etc.).
The 1st flight of the RB-1 Conestoga was in 1943, piloted by Guy Miller.
Three prototypes of the Conestoga were built,
followed by a short production run of 17 examples for the Navy.
Unfortunately, the Conestoga was not a success, due to undesirable handling qualities,
and a further contract for 180 examples was canceled.
David Leidel recalled, "My father was a Flight Test Engineer on the RB-1 at Budd Field
during the latter stages of WW2.
They had a lot of problems with the Budd ship & his flight log tells quite a tale."
The earliest aeronautical chart depiction of the Budd airfield which has been located
was on the 1944 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe),
which depicted "Budd" as a commercial airfield.
An undated (circa 1940s?) aerial view looking east at the Budd Red Lion Factory, with one runway visible behind the factory.
The Budd Factory Airfield, as depicted on the 1945 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
A January 29, 1945 view of a Budd RB-1 Conestoga at Budd Field.
Posing with the RB-1 were Sally Siebert from the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVE)
and Winifred Thompson from the Women’s Army Corps (WAC).
A total of 14 war-surplus Budd RB-1s eventually became the starting point of Robert Prescott's Flying Tiger Airlines in 1945.
After WW2, Budd abandoned the manufacturing of aircraft,
and the plant was once again retooled to produce automobile frames & railroad cars (not exactly the smartest move!).
The Budd Airfield was depicted as having a 4,400' hard-surface runway
on the 1947 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
The Budd Airfield was still depicted as an active airfield on the 1949 NY Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
However, it was apparently closed within the next year,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the January 1950 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
A 1958 aerial photo depicted the Budd Factory Airfield while it was still mostly intact,
with the majority of the length of both paved runways still intact.
An circa 1950s photo of the Budd BB-1 Pioneer, as it sat mounted on a pylon outside the Franklin Institute (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
Sadly, according to Tom Beamer, the sole example of the Budd Pioneer sat outside on a mounting
in front of Philadelphia's Franklin Institute for a long time.
This eventually led to the loss of the Pioneer's lower wing & empennage fabric, deteriorated by time & weather.
"By the time I saw it in the 1970s both wings were bare."
By the 1960s the former Budd airfield was used to store car frames.
The runways at the Budd plant were not depicted at all on the 1969 USGS topo map.
An August 7, 1971 aerial photo showed that most of the length of the 2 paved runways of the former Budd Factory Airfield still remained intact,
with the factory & numerous other industrial buildings remaining on the southern side of the property.
Residential construction had started to cover a middle portion of the former northwest/southeast runway.
In the 1980s the plant was sold to TransitAmerica Corporation in an attempt to reverse its declining fortunes.
That attempt was unsuccessful, and the plant soon closed.
The facility sat vacant for several years, as attempts to sell it again met with no takers.
The runways at the Budd plant were not depicted at all on the 1983 or 1988 USGS topo maps.
In the 1992 USGS aerial view, the factory was still standing,
and most of the East-Northeast/West-Southwest runway was still discernible,
as was the southern half of the Northwest/Southeast runway.
Several more recent buildings had been built at some point over the northern half of that runway.
TransitAmerica eventually razed the factory in 1999,
and a golf course was constructed on the site.
A circa 2000 aerial view of the site of the former Budd Factory Airfield, after the factory had been removed.
Not a trace remains of the former airplane factory or its airfield.
The Budd Company factory was located north of the intersection of Red Lion Road & Sandmeyer Lane,
just 2 miles northeast from Northeast Philadelphia Airport,
directly along the extended centerline of PNE's Runway 33.
Thanks to Jay Cooke for pointing out this field.
...............................................................................................................
A 2002 photo by AirNikon of the sole remaining example of the Budd RB-1 Conestoga,
which sat unrestored at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, AZ.
See also: http://www.wplives.com/wp/Operations/Passenger/CZHIST_1/CZEQUI_1/czequi_1.html
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Buehl Field (Bensalem location), Bensalem, PA
40.1 North / 74.94 West (Northeast of Philadelphia, PA)
Buehl Field, as depicted at is original location in Bensalem
on the 1950 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
According to Laurie VanSant, “Ernest Buehl [who would later go on to establish Buehl Field]
was in the German air force during WWI before he emigrated to the US.”
The original location of Buehl Field was on the southeast corner of Street Road & Hulmeville Road in Bensalem.
Buehl Field was opened at this location at some point between 1945-49,
as it was not depicted on the 1945 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Norman Freed).
The earliest depiction of Buhel Field which has been located
is the 1949 NY Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
Buehl Field was operated by Flying Dutchman Air Service,
whose manager, Ernest Buehl, had previously operated nearby Somerton Airport until some point between 1951-55.
A 1952 aerial view looking north at Buehl Field (courtesy of Laurie VanSant)
depicted the field as having 2 grass runways, with 2 hangars along the west side of the field.
A 1952 aerial view of a hangar marked “Buehl Field” (courtesy of Laurie VanSant)
with a biplane & a monoplane parked nearby.
The 1957 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
described Buehl Field as having 3 turf runways,
with the longest being the 2,500' north/south strip.
The operator was listed as Flying Dutchman Air Service,
and the manager was listed as Ernest Buehl.
The Aerodromes table on the 1958 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Norman Freed)
described Buehl Field as having a total of 4 turf runways, with the longest being a 2,700' strip.
A 1958 aerial view of Buehl Field
depicted the field as having 2 grass runways, with 2 hangars along the west side of the field,
around which were visible 7 light aircraft.
The 1960 & 1961 Washington Sectional Charts (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
described Buehl Field as having a 2,500' unpaved runway.
Buehl Field was apparently closed at this location at some point between 1961-64,
as it was not depicted at all on the 1964 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
At some point between 1965-67,
it apparently reopened at a new location in Woodbourne (5 miles to the northeast).
By the time of a 1970 aerial photo,
the site of the original location of Buehl Field had been redeveloped as the Brockwood Shopping Center & a housing development,
with not a trace remaining of the former airport.
A circa 2001 aerial photo shows that the site has been densely redeveloped,
with no trace remaining of the airfield.
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Buehl Field (N54) (Woodbourne location), Woodbourne, PA
40.19 North / 74.9 West (Northeast of Philadelphia, PA)
Buehl Field, as depicted on the 1967 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
According to Jay Cooke, Buehl Field began operating at this location in approximately 1967.
Buehl Field had relocated from its original location in Bensalem (5 miles to the southwest).
It was operated by the Flying Dutchman Air Service.
The March 1966 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
did not depict a Buehl Field at this location,
but Buehl was depicted on the March 1967 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
The Aerodromes table on the chart described Buehl as having a single 3,250' turf Runway 4/22.
The runway at Buehl was paved at some point within the next 3 years,
as the 1970 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Clifford)
depicted Buehl as having a 3,200' paved runway.
An August 7, 1971 aerial photo depicted Buehl Field as having a single paved Runway 6/24,
with several hangars on the northwest side of the field,
and over 20 light aircraft visible on the field.
Buehl Field was depicted on the 1973 USGS topo map as having a single paved northeast/southwest runway,
and several buildings along the north side of the field.
The 1975 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ed Drury)
depicted Buehl Field as having a single 3,200' paved runway.
According to Bob Zambelli, "I did my instrument checkride at Buehl Field at its last location.
I was signed off by Beth-Ann Buehl, a very competent & attractive lady
who was one of the most enthusiastic 'airplane people' I've ever met."
The March 1993 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Carl Taylor)
depicted Buehl Field as having a single 3,200' paved runway.
An unfortunate incident happened at Buehl Field late in its life, in 1991.
as described in a 1994 NTSB report, Elizabeth Buehl (the co-owner & operator of the airport)
was injured in a confrontation with a pilot.
A 1994 airport directory depicted Buehl Field as having a single paved 3,121' Runway 6/24,
along with a paved ramp & a small group of hangars north of the runway.
The operator was listed as Flying Dutchman.
According to Tom Kramer, "In 1995 I actually was going to base my Skyhawk there [at Buehl] & spoke to them.
However, their fuel prices were outrageous & I looked elsewhere."
The 1995 Jeppesen Airport Directory depicted Buehl Field as having a single paved 3,121' Runway 6/24,
along with a paved ramp & a small group of hangars north of the runway.
The operator was listed as Flying Dutchman.
In the 1996 USGS aerial photo, the airport was still open & appeared quite healthy -
with a total of 13 planes visible outside, including one taking off on runway 24.
A beautiful 1998 aerial picture looking west at Buehl Field (shortly before its closure) by Philip Kineyko.
Buehl was still depicted as an active airfield on the 1998 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
However, Buehl became yet another vanished suburban general aviation airport,
as it closed at some point between 1998-2000.
It was labeled "Buehl (Closed)" on the 2000 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
A circa 2000 aerial view of the site showed not a trace of the former airport.
According to Tom Kramer, "I understand that the reason it closed
was that the original owners died off & the family didn't want to run an airport anymore.
They sold out to the builders of the Senior Citizen housing complex.
It took about a year for the airport to entirely cease to exist.
Incredibly, it still listed as a closed airport on the current Washington sectional chart
though there is no way of telling it ever existed.
Nothing remains."
A September 2005 aerial view by Tom Kramer, looking northwest at the site of Buehl Field.
The property has been completely redeveloped as a senior development,
the Village at Flowers Mill, with no trace remaining of the airfield.
The site of Buehl Field is located west of the intersection of Route 1 & Woodbourne Road.
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Keystone / Fleetwings Factory & Seaplane Base, Bristol, PA
40.11 North / 74.84 West (Northeast of Philadelphia, PA)
An undated photo of the Huff-Daland AT-1, produced in 1925.
This aircraft manufacturing factory along the Delaware River
has gone through a confusing series of owners & corporate names.
Thomas Huff & Elliot Daland formed the Huff Daland Aero Corporation in 1925 in Bristol PA.
Huff Daland produced a series of biplanes as trainers, observation planes, and light bombers,
for the Army & Navy.
In 1927, the Huff Daland Aero Corporation was taken over by Hayden, Stone & Co, an NYC brokerage firm,
and in the same year in the course of a merger, it became the Huff-Daland Division of the Keystone Corporation.
Some of the Huff-Daland designs were floatplanes,
and thus could be operated from the Delaware River adjacent to the Bristol factory.
However, many of their designs were landplanes.
An airfield for landplanes (known at various times as Keystone / Kaiser / 3M Airport)
was eventually constructed just one mile north of the Bristol plant.
Within 1927, the Huff-Daland Division of the Keystone Corporation
was known as the Keystone Aircraft Corporation.
An undated photo of the Keystone XB-1B, produced in 1927.
In 1927, a single example of the Huff-Daland XB-1 bomber became the Keystone XB-1B,
after its original Packard 2A-1530 engines were replaced with Curtiss V-1570-5 "Conqueror" engines.
The improved -B aircraft had better performance than the original,
but still didn't compare favorably to other aircraft of the period & never entered production.
Keystone merged with the Loening Company of NY in 1928.
According to Tom Beamer, the Fleetwings Corporation was organized in 1929,
and soon thereafter became a tenant of Keystone at the Bristol plant.
The "Keystone Aircraft Field" & Keystone Seaplane Base, as depicted on the Philly Chamber of Commerce's
1930 "Aviation Map of the Philadelphia Metro District" (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
The earliest chart depiction of the Fleetwings Seaplane Base that has been located
was on the Philly Chamber of Commerce's
1930 "Aviation Map of the Philadelphia Metro District" (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
A circa 1930-32 aerial view of the Keystone aircraft factory & seaplane base (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
A closeup from the circa 1930-32 photo of what appears to be a Keystone-Loening Commuter seaplane
on the ramp in front of the hangar (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
By 1931, Keystone had become the Keystone Aircraft Division of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation.
In 1934, Keystone's parent, Curtiss-Wright, moved operations elsewhere,
and the Keystone factory was sold to the Fleetwings Corporation.
An undated photo of a Fleetwings F-5 Seabird, an all stainless-steel 4-place amphibian (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
A total of 5 Seabirds were produced in 1936.
A December 29, 1937 aerial view of the Fleetwings facility.
The Fleetwings Seaplane Base, as depicted on the 1940 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
Fleetwings built a new factory in 1941 on Green Lane at the Keystone / Kaiser / 3M Airport,
and all aircraft assembly was performed at the new factory at the airport from that point on.
However, this was not the end of their use of the Bristol factory,
as Fleetwings also performed quite a bit of aircraft component manufacturing under sub-contract during WW2,
including work for Curtiss-Wright, Republic, Martin, Vought, Brewster, Grumman and others.
They advertised sub-contracting with their large line of hydraulic metal forming equipment,
which most likely remained at the Bristol location (not relocated to the new factory built at the airfield 1941).
According to Tom Beamer, the Fleetwings Corporation was purchased by Kaiser in 1943,
becoming the "Fleetwings Division of Kaiser Cargo Inc.".
The last chart depiction of the Fleetwings Seaplane Base that has been located
was on the 1945 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Norman Freed).
The Fleetwings Seaplane Base was evidently closed at some point between 1945-50,
as it was no longer depicted on the 1950 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
An August 7, 1971 aerial view of the former Fleetwings factory & seaplane base.
As seen in this circa 2001 aerial photo,
almost the entire Keystone factory complex still exists, after more than 60 years.
However, the hangar & seaplane ramp formerly located at the north end of the complex has been removed.
The site of the Keystone / Fleetwings factory is located along the Delaware River,
southwest of the intersection of Radcliffe Street & Green Lane.
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Keystone Aircraft Field / Fleetwings Field / Kaiser Field / 3M Airport, Levittown, PA
40.13 North / 74.85 West (Northeast of Philadelphia, PA)
The "Keystone Aircraft Field" & Keystone Seaplane Base, as depicted on the Philly Chamber of Commerce's
1930 "Aviation Map of the Philadelphia Metro District" (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
How many residents of present-day Philadelphia
are aware that this obscure little airport (which is no longer is in operation)
was the birthplace of quite a few unusual aircraft?
This airfield was evidently originally built to support the flight testing
of aircraft produced by the Keystone Aircraft factory,
located one mile to the south along the Delaware River in Bristol, PA.
The date of construction of this airfield has not been determined.
The earliest reference to an airfield at this location came from Nathan Sturman,
who observed, “The ill-fated transatlantic fliers of the U.S. Navy, Wooster & Davis,
supervised the building of their converted Keystone Pathfinder 'American Legion' at the plant in Bristol [in 1927],
then test-flew it & departed for Langley Field right on the Green Lane Airfield, later to be called 3M [Airport].”
The earliest depiction of the airfield which has been located
was on the Philly Chamber of Commerce's 1930 "Aviation Map of the Philadelphia Metro District" (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
It depicted the "Keystone Aircraft Field" as a north/south field running along the east side of Green Lane.
The airfield layout of the "Keystone Aircraft Field",
from the 1930 book "Philadelphia Aeronautical Center of the East"
(courtesy of the George H. Stuebing Collection of the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association).
The directory described the field as consisting of a 45 acre sod field.
The diagram listed the length of the field as 3,800', while the textual description gave a contradictory length - 2,200'.
The field was said to be operated by the Keystone Aircraft Corporation.
A single 80' x 80' metal hangar was depicted along the west side of the field,
and it was said to have "Keystone Welcomes You" & "Bristol, PA" painted on its roof.
An aerial photo looking southeast at "Keystone Aircraft Corporation Field",
from the 1930 book "Philadelphia Aeronautical Center of the East"
(courtesy of the George H. Stuebing Collection of the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association).
The Keystone seaplane base is also just visible in the background, indicated by the anchor symbol at the top-right.
Keystone Field, as depicted on the May 1932 J-18 Washington D. C. Airway Map (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A December 29, 1937 aerial view of Keystone Field,
showing it as an open grass area, without any significant i
