Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Pennsylvania - Northwestern Philadelphia area
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 4/19/08.
Brewster Navy Airfield / Johnsville NAS / Warminster NAWC (revised 4/19/08) - Patco Field (revised 2/25/08)
Pitcairn Field (1st location) (revised 2/25/08) - Pitcairn Field (2nd location) (revised 2/26/08)
Turner Field ((revised 4/19/08) - Warrington Airport (revised 4/19/08)
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40.1 North / 75.31 West (Northwest of Philadelphia, PA)
Patco Field, as depicted on the Philly Chamber of Commerce's
1930 "Aviation Map of the Philadelphia Metro District" (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
The date of construction of this small former general aviation airport has not been determined.
The earliest depiction of Patco Field 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 Patco Field as depicted in the 1930 book "Philadelphia Aeronautical Center of the East"
(courtesy of the George H. Stuebing Collection of the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association).
It described Patco Field as a commercial airport, owned by M.K. Gibson & operated by the Philadelphia Air Transport Company.
The field was said to consist of an irregularly-shaped 76 acre sod field, measuring 2,700' northeast/southwest by 2,500' northwest/southeast.
A single wooden & steel 96' x 72' hangar was depicted on the northeast side of the field,
which was said to offer sales & service of Bellanca & Mono Aircraft Company planes.
An aerial view looking soutwest at Patco 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).
Patco Field was depicted as a commercial airport on the May 1932 J-18 Washington D. C. Airway Map (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
An aerial view looking east at Patco Field
from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airport Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The directory described Patco as a sod field measuring 2,700' northeast/southwest by 2,500' northwest/southeast.
A few small hangars were depicted along the northeast side of the field.
An October 8, 1942 aerial view of Patco Field did not show any evident signs of use.
The 1949 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
depicted Patco Field as having a 2,000' unpaved runway.
Patco Field was still depicted as a commercial airport on the 1951 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe),
and described the field as having a 2,200' unpaved runway.
Patco Field 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 a building had been constructed over the northeast part of the property,
but the southwest half remained clear.
An August 6, 1971 aerial view no longer showed any trace of Patco Field.
As seen in the 1999 USGS aerial photo,
the site of Patco Field has been covered by numerous large buildings,
and not a trace appears to remain of the former airport.
The site of Patco Field is located southwest of the intersection of West Ridge Pike & Industrial Way.
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Pitcairn Field (1st location), Bryn Athyn, PA
40.14 North / 75.06 West (North of Philadelphia, PA)
An undated photo of Harold Pitcairn flying a Cierva C8W autogiro above the Bryn Athyn Cathedral
(just to the southwest of the original Pitcairn Field).
Aviation pioneer Harold F. Pitcairn conducted pioneering development of rotary-wing aircraft.
His first airfield was in Bryn Athyn, on the Pitcairn family estate,
about a 15 minute walk from Harold Pitcairn's home.
According to Steven Lindrooth (using information from Frank Smith's book “Legacy of Wings”),
the first airplane landing on the site of the Bryn Athyn field took place in 1916.
In early 1924, construction began on the hangar / factory building,
and a clubhouse building for the Aero Club of Pennsylvania.
Pitcairn Field was officially dedicated in the Fall of 1924.
According to Steven Lindrooth, “The hangar & the clubhouse were both completed
before the official opening of the Bryn Athyn field in 1924.
The Kingston Smith book has a photo that clearly shows both buildings at dedication.”
By 1926, Pitcairn's flight instruction, sightseeing, and airmail business
had outgrown the limited Bryn Athyn facility fairly quickly,
and he purchased a large farmland tract in Willow Grove to which he relocated his commercial operations.
Some manufacturing operations remained in Bryn Athyn for a while,
as will as some research & development operations.
Pitcairn had previously experimented with rotary-wing aircraft designs,
and now began to focus his attention on rotary-wing development.
Several years earlier, Spanish aristocrat and inventor Juan de la Cierva
had solved the aerodynamic problems which had doomed previous rotary-wing designs.
Cierva called his invention the "Autogiro" (an aircraft distinguished by a free-wheeling main rotor).
In the Fall of 1928, Pitcairn Aviation acquired the rights to manufacture autogirosin the United States.
On December 18, 1928, a Cierva Autogiro acquired by Harold Pitcairn
was assembled & flown from Pitcairn Field in Bryn Athyn.
This was the first flight of an autogiro in the United States.
Redesign & manufacturing of autogiros was immediately begun by Pitcairn,
with Pitcairn having formed a business partnership with Cierva to develop Autogiro technology in the United States.
Pitcairn's airmail operation (Pitcairn Aviation, Inc.) was sold in the Summer of 1929.
This company would eventually become Eastern Airlines.
The sale of the airmail operation freed Pitcairn to concentrate on production of the Pitcairn Mailwing biplane
and to look forward to rotary-wing aircraft production.
According to Steven Lindrooth, “At the time of the sale,
it was decided that all operations including the rotary-wing operations were to be moved Willow Grove.
This move was in process at the time the Bryn Athyn factory building (hangar) burned, in middle October, 1929.
Much tooling & several uncompleted airframes were destroyed,
but the drawings & engineering data were at Willow Grove by that time.”
No further research and/or manufacturing operations were conducted from that point onward at Bryn Athyn.
According to Steven Lindrooth, “I believe that the Bryn Athyn field
remained as an airport for some time after the fire.”
An August 8, 1942 aerial photo of the original Pitcairn Field,
showing a single northeast/southwest grass runway, with the hangar & clubhouse ruins to the east.
No aircraft were visible on the field.
According to Steven Lindrooth, “Anecdotally, it seems that it was used, at least occasionally,
until the beginning of the Second World War.
I do not believe that it was used after the war.”
A 1958 aerial photo of the original Pitcairn Field
showed that the open grass airfield area remained remained clear,
but the hangar & clubhouse were gone, with trees having grown up in their place.
An August 7, 1971 aerial photo depicted the site in the same condition.
As seen in the 2005 USGS aerial photo,
the open grass expanse of the original Pitcairn Field still remains clear.
The square of woods protruding into the field just east of the center of the photo is the location of the hangar & clubhouse ruins.
A December 2005 photo by Steven Lindrooth, looking southwest along the original Pitcairn Field,
with the Bryn Athyn Cathedral barely visible in the background.
A December 2005 photo by Steven Lindrooth of the remains of the Clubhouse of the Aero Club of Pennsylvania.
Stephen reported, “The building simply collapsed on itself & over the years has settled into its own basement.
It is kind of sad & kind of amazing to walk into a grove of trees
and see this bit of aviation history under the leaves & brush.”
A December 2005 photo by Steven Lindrooth of “the concrete steps [at] the northwest corner of the original hangar.
The outline of the hangar is easy to find (but hard to photograph)
as the original slab & foundation are still there, albeit buried in leaves & debris.”
Steven Lindrooth reported in 2006, “There is a 'historical marker' at the corner of Tomlinson & Buck Road in Bryn Athyn,
but it is not really close to the original airfield site.
This site is truly the birthplace of rotary wing flight in the United States.”
The site of the original Pitcairn Field is located northeast of the intersection of Huntingdon Pike & Cathedral Road.
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Pitcairn Field (2nd location), Willow Grove, PA
40.19 North / 75.14 West (North of Philadelphia, PA)
Pitcairn Field, as depicted on the Philly Chamber of Commerce's
1930 "Aviation Map of the Philadelphia Metro District" (courtesy of Tom Beamer).
In 1926, when many people were afraid of airplanes & most considered flying a daredevil sport,
aviation pioneer Harold F. Pitcairn bought a large section of farmland north of Philadelphia,
to relocate his aviation operations from a smaller airfield in nearby Bryn Athyn.
Starting in 1926, Pitcairn developed, built, tested and flew many different aircraft -
most notably the Pitcairn Mailwing & Pitcairn Autogiro.
During his lifetime, Harold Pitcairn & his associates pursued a dream of developing "The Safe Aircraft".
Harold Pitcairn was the 14th recipient of the highest award in American aviation, the Collier Trophy.
In 1927, when Pitcairn won the U.S. Postal Service contract to carry the overnight mail between New York & Atlanta,
he designed the Pitcairn Mailwing, a single-engine, open-cockpit biplane.
Faster, safer, and more efficient than any other aircraft on the market,
the Mailwing was immediately bought as standard equipment by many other airlines.
Pilots loved the aircraft because of its reliability & ease of handling.
When crashes did occur, pilots were often able to walk away with minor injuries due to the Mailwing’s rugged construction.
A series of tragic accidents, coupled with changes in government regulations,
induced Pitcairn to sell his fledgling air mail business to Eastern Air Transport (which would eventually become Eastern Airlines).
By 1930 the firm was known as the Autogiro Company of America (AGA),
a patent licensee to Buhl, Kellett, Sikorsky, etc.
An undated photo of a Pitcairn Autogiro in US Navy markings.
The airfield layout of Pitcairn Field as depicted in the 1930 book "Philadelphia Aeronautical Center of the East"
(courtesy of the George H. Stuebing Collection of the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association).
It described Pitcairn Field as a commercial airport, owned & operated by Pitcairn Aviation of PA, Inc.
The field was said to consist of an irregularly-shaped 190 acre sod field, measuring 3,800' northwest/southeast by 3,400' northeast/southwest.
Two wooden hangars were depicted on the east side of the field,
which was said to offer repairs, fuel, and sales & service of Pitcairn airplanes.
An aerial view looking northwest at Pitcairn 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).
Throughout the 1930s, the Pitcairn team would develop & manufacture many different models of Autogiros at Willow Grove,
perfecting the technology which would later be used in the development of the modern helicopter.
Pitcairn Field was depicted as a commercial airport on the 1935 Regional Aeronautical Chart.
In 1940 a company called G & A (Gliders & Aircraft) took over the Pitcairn Autogiro Company's military contracts.
These included the CG-4A, a troop-carrying glider, and the XO-61, a pusher-type autogiro.
In 1942, for patriotic reasons, Pitcairn reluctantly sold his airfield to the United States Navy to support the war effort.
Two hundred fifty Naval personnel from Mustin Field at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard took possession of the field that year.
The modest Pitcairn Field was soon replaced with a much larger modern airfield
which extended further toward the northwest, equipped with paved runways, taxiways, and numerous hangars.
An August 8, 1942 aerial photo of the newly-built NAS Willow Grove,
which had been constructed over the site of Pitcairn Field.
What may have been an original runway of Pitcairn Field is visible at the bottom of the photo
(the narrow strip running northeast/southwest, just south of the new runways).
The former Pitcain hangars were visible along the east side of the field.
In January 1943, the field was officially commissioned the United States Naval Air Station Willow Grove.
"Willow Grove (Navy)", as depicted on the 1943 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
By 1943, the Firestone company had absorbed G & A Aircraft.
It has not been determined if they continued to operate at Willow Grove,
or if Firestone's aircraft operations were relocated elsewhere.
Firestone continued to develop & a build a handful of rotary wing aircraft until suspending operations in 1947.
Following WW2, NAS Willow Grove was designated a Naval Air Reserve Training Station.
Training & operation support activities increased during the Korean War.
In 1957, the Navy purchased additional land, bringing the air station to its present total of 1,100 acres.
A 1958 aerial photo showed that the former Pitcairn Field runway had been removed at some point between 1942-58.
As seen in the 2001 USGS aerial photo,
the much larger airfield of the present-day NAS JRB Willow Grove has covered the site of Pitcairn Field
(at the southeast corner of the present-day airfield).
Steven Lindrooth reported in 2006, “The Pitcairn factory & at least one other building still stand & are in use.
The original factory is now the Tinius Olsen Machining Company.
The Kellet Autogiro factory was across the street from Pitcairn Field.
It suffered a fire a few years ago, but I believe at least some of it still stands & is in use.”
The site of Pitcairn Field is located west of the intersection of Maple Road & Easton Road,
at the very southeast corner of the present-day NAS JRB Willow Grove property.
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Warrington Airport (8N9), Warrington, PA
40.23 North / 75.15 West (North of Willow Grove NAS, PA)
Warrington Airfield (and a large number of other little airports), as depicted on the 1947 NY Sectional Chart.
This is yet another one of the large number of vanished little airports which used to surround Philadelphia.
Warrington Airfield was apparently built at some point between 1945-47,
as it was not depicted on the 1945 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Norman Freed).
The earliest depiction of Warrington Airfield which has been located is the 1947 NY Sectional Chart.
According to Ken Samen (Vice Chairman Warrington Township Historic Commission),
“The Warrington Airfield once operated on farmland owned by the Cadwallader family.
The Cornell family would later buy this property.
The Airfield began operation shortly after World War II,
when Norman Cornell provided part of his property to his son Ernest Cornell,
who had returned from WWII, and wanted to continue his love of flight.”
In 1947 the "Brewster Flying Club" relocated from Somerton Airport to the Warrington Airport
and took on the name of "Warrington Flying Club".
The club moved to Montgomeryville Airport on October 11, 1953 by a majority vote of the membership.
According to Ken Samen, “Alby Cornell took over management of the Airfield in 1951.
Alby’s services at the airfield include flight lessons, transportation, and plane storage.
Later it would be commonplace for providing shuttle services to the Philadelphia Airport.”
The 1957 PA Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
described Warrington as having 2 turf runways: a 2,600' northeast/southwest strip & a 1,425' east/west strip.
The operator was listed as Norman Cornell.
The earliest photo which has been located of Warrington Airport was a 1958 aerial view.
It depicted Warrington as having 2 unpaved runways,
with several buildings & 9 light aircraft visible at the south end of the field.
The Aerodromes table on the 1958 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Norman Freed)
described Warrington as having 2 runways,
with the primary runway being a 2,500' turf strip.
Warrington, as depicted on the 1959 Philadelphia Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Warrington as having 2 unpaved runways (2,800' Runway 6/24 & 1,500' Runway 16/34),
along with 2 buildings at the south end of the field.
A circa 1960 aerial photo of Warrington Airport (courtesy of Ken Samen of the Warrington Township Historic Commission)
showed ten single-engine aircraft clustered around a few small hangars.
A circa 1960 photo of a Stinson V-77 Warrington Airport, with a Taylorcraft behind it (courtesy of Ken Samen).
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Warrington as having 2 runways,
with the longest being the 2,800' sod Runway 6/24,
and listed the operator as N. A. Cornell.
A March 1969 photo of a ski-equipped Aeronca Champion 7AC at Warrington Airport (courtesy of Ken Samen).
An August 17, 1971 aerial photo of Warrington Airport depicted the field as having 2 unpaved runways,
with a large number of aircraft visible at the south end of the field.
According to Ken Samen, “The main runway at Warrington was paved in 1973.”
The northeast/southwest unpaved runway was replaced by a considerably shorter paved runway, oriented northwest/southeast.
The airport's property had shrunken somewhat, as a quarry had eaten up a northern chunk of the property.
Warrington, as depicted on the 1975 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury) described Warrington
as having a 1,600' asphalt Runway 17/35 & a 1,800' turf runway 15/33.
What was previously the field's primary runway (6/24) had apparently been abandoned.
The operator was listed as Cornell Aviation.
The remarks said, "Limited to single engine aircraft under 2,000 lbs."
Warrington was still listed among active airports in the 1986 Flight Guide (according to Chris Kennedy).
A 1991 aerial photo looking north while on approach to Warrington Airport's Runway 35
(courtesy of Ken Samen of the Warrington Township Historic Commission).
It depicted Warrington as having a single paved runway, along with several hangars & light aircraft to the west.
A 1991 aerial photo of Warrington Airport's ramp
(courtesy of Ken Samen of the Warrington Township Historic Commission)
depicted a well-used airfield, with a total of over 20 light aircraft, including one twin-engine aircraft.
According to Ken Samen, “The Warrington Airfield closed in 1991.”
Alby Cornell stated that the field was not closed due to neighbor complaints, “It was just time for him to retire.”
By the time of the 1993 New York Sectional Chart,
Warrington Airfield was no longer depicted at all.
The 2 runways of Warrington Airfield were still depicted on the 1995 USGS topo map.
In a circa 2001-2005 aerial photo, Warrington's former paved runway was still largely intact,
including the Runway “35” markings.
The hangar had been removed, but a house still remained near the former ramp at the bottom of the picture.
A 2005 photo (courtesy of Ken Samen) looking along the abandoned runway of Warrington Airport.
According to Ken Samen, “In 2005 the remnants of the asphalt airfield
are being removed to make way for a large housing development.”
Warrington Airfield is located northwest of the intersection of Easton Road & Bristol Road.
Thanks to Greg Bullough for pointing out this airfield.
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Turner Field, Prospectville, PA
40.22 North / 75.21 West (Northwest of Willow Grove NAS, PA)
Turner Field (and a large number of other little airports), as depicted on the 1947 NY Sectional Chart.
This small general aviation airport was located only 3 miles west of the Willow Grove Naval Air Station.
Turner Field was apparently built at some point between 1945-47,
as it was not depicted on the 1945 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Norman Freed).
The earliest depiction of Turner Field which has been located is the 1947 NY Sectional Chart.
The 1957 PA Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
described Turner as having 3 turf runways, with the longest being the 2,300' east/west strip.
The operator was listed as Arthur Turner.
The primary runway at Turner apparently gained a paved section within the next year,
as the Aerodromes table on the 1958 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Norman Freed)
described Turner as having a total of 3 runways,
with the primary runway having a 1,700' macadam section within a total length of 2,300'.
The earliest photo which has been located of Turner Field was a 1958 aerial view.
It depicted the field's new paved runway, along with 7 light aircraft.
A 1958 photo (courtesy of Barie Blizard, enhanced by Steve Moyer) of Art Turner (owner of Turner Field)
in front of his first Aeronca, at Turner Field.
Turner Field, as depicted on the 1959 Philadelphia Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Turner Field as having a single 2,050' paved Runway 13/31
a 2,300 unpaved Runway 7/25, and a 1,900' unpaved Runway 3/21.
Several hangars were depicted just north of the runway intersection.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Turner Field as having 2 runways,
and listed the operator as A. V. Turner.
Steve Moyer recalled, “Bud Turner (Art’s son) was my best friend
and was killed on 11/22/62 while flying from Avoca to Turner Field.
They descended into Blue Ridge Mountain early in the evening.”
Tom Bright took flying lessons at Turner Field in the early 1960s,
and recalled that Bud Turner was killed in a crash of his Piper Aztec.
"The newspaper later that week gave the details that his altimeter indicated 2,500' MSL,
but the Aztec was found at 1,500', just short of the crest of a wooded hill."
Tom also recalled that Turner Field flight instructor "Jim Frankenfield was part-owner of a homebuilt parasol wing plane.
I heard later he died when the wing came adrift."
Aeronca 7AC Champion N83618 at Turner Field 1965, by Nathan Sturman.
Nathan Sturman took his first flying lesson at Turner Field in 1963.
"It was a crisp Tuesday morning in 1963, and I was on summer vacation
when I removed the sum of twenty dollars from my savings account...
and bicycled the 25 kilometers from my home in Philadelphia to Turner's Field, now closed.
It was a long, hot ride through pleasant countryside, with the occasional fright of being chased by an unfriendly dog."
"I arrived at Turner's Field at about noon.
Instructors Ike Blair & Jim Frankenfield were lounging around the living room/office in the white farmhouse.
The airplane I was to get my first lesson in was a chocolate brown & cream 1946 Aeronca 7AC Champion, N83618,
equipped with a 65 hp Continental engine & big funny splashguards above its balloon tires."
Turner Field was described on the Aerodromes table on the 1965 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss)
as having 2 runways, with the longest being a 2,100' asphalt strip.
The remarks included, "Runway 3/21 closed."
An August 17, 1971 aerial photo of Turner Field depicted the field as having one paved runway & one grass strip.
Over a dozen light aircraft were visible on the field.
Turner Field, as depicted on the 1975 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ed Drury).
The 1986 Flight Guide (according to Chris Kennedy) described Turner Field
as having a 2,126' paved Runway 14/32 & a 2,200' turf Runway 7/25.
According to Bob Zambelli, Turner Field "closed just before I moved here in 1989."
The area around the little airfield had become densely developed,
which most likely precipitated its closure.
The 1992 USGS topo map still depicted Turner field as having a single paved northwest/southeast runway,
along with an unpaved northeast/southwest strip.
Several hangars were depicted north of the runway intersection.
Turner Field had already been closed for several years by the time of the 1995 USGS aerial photo.
The paved runway was marked with closed "X" symbols, and all of the planes were gone,
although numerous individual hangars remained standing.
A sad sight for anyone who appreciates general aviation airports -
the April 2001 USGS aerial photo shows that the outline of the 2 former runways of Turner Field were still recognizable,
even though the northwestern part of the former airport had been gobbled up by a new housing development.
It appeared as if all of the pavement of the former Runway 14/32 had been removed,
but it appeared as if a small piece of ramp pavement still remained, just north of the former runway intersection.
A later (circa 2001-2005) aerial photo showed that even the former runway outlines were no longer extant,
construction having covered the site.
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Brewster Navy Airfield / Johnsville Naval Air Station /
Warminster Naval Air Warfare Center (NJP), Warminster, PA
40.2 North / 75.07 West (North of Philadelphia, PA)
A circa 1942-43 aerial view looking north at the Brewster plant at Warminster (courtesy of Tom Beamer),
with large numbers of newly-constructed aircraft parked in the foreground.
This airfield was originally the site of the Brewster Aircraft factory,
which designed & manufactured military aircraft during WW2.
Brewster's existing facilities in NJ & NY could not be expanded sufficiently to cope with wartime production demands,
so the company moved to a new site in Warminster, PA in 1941.
A 1942 US Navy photo of a Brewster F2A-3 Buffalo.
Brewster designed & manufactured the F2A-3 Buffalo & SB2A Buccaneer during WW2.
The airfield was labeled as "Brewster (Navy)" on the 1943 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The earliest aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of the Warminster airfield
was on the 1943 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted "Brewster (Navy)" as an auxiliary airfield.
Brewster also manufactured a total of 735 examples during WW2 of the F3A,
which was a license-built copy of the Chance-Vought F4U Corsair.
A WW2-era view of Johnsville Naval Air Modification Unit airfield (National Archives photo)
showed the field to consist of 3 paved runways,
with the former Brewster factory on the west side of the field.
A Brewster SB2A Buccaneer dive bomber, manufactured in Johnsville (courtesy of Tony Coulter).
An undated USN photo of a Grumman F6F-5K Hellcat at NADC Johnsville (courtesy of John Voss).
Brewster was a very troubled aircraft company.
Their F2A Buffalo was quickly withdrawn from service in the Pacific,
as it was completely outclassed by contemporary Japanese fighters.
Even after switching to licensed production of the Corsair (a very successful design),
Brewster still had major problems.
Deliveries of the F3A were habitually late (complicated by a labor strike),
and quality control problems were uncovered.
F3As were redlined at a lower speed & prohibited from aerobatics after several examples shed their wings,
which were later traced to poor quality wing fittings.
According to Tom Beamer, Brewster also had serious labor problems,
so serious that the Navy actually took control of the plant briefly.
Because of this it was known as "the Bucks County Playhouse"
(which is the name of a still-popular local theatre in nearby New Hope).
After its takeover by the government, the Brewster plant was eventually closed.
Following the closure of Brewster, the Warminster facility became a USN base in 1944.
After the end of WW2, Warminster eventually became the headquarters of the Naval Air Warfare Center.
Laboratory space at the facility eventually totaled more than a million square feet,
including what was in 1952 the world's largest human centrifuge.
The primary runway had apparently been lengthened at some point prior to 1957 for jet operations,
as the 1957 PA Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
described "NAS Johnsville" as having an 8,000' paved runway.
A 1958 aerial view depicted the hangar painted with “NAS Johnsville PA 358 KC”, with a variety on aircraft parked on the ramp.
"NAS Johnsville" was depicted on the 1959 Philadelphia Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
as having 3 paved runways, with the longest being an 8,000' east/west runway.
A circa mid-1960s aerial view of Warminster (courtesy of Harry Kidd).
An Aero-Space Lines Super Guppy at Warminster in the 1960s (courtesy of Harry Kidd).
An August 7, 1971 aerial view of Warminster,
showing the single east/west active runway, as well as the 2 other abandoned runways.
A closeup from the August 7, 1971 aerial view of Warminster,
showing what appears to be 4 P-3s & a C-130 on the ramp.
NAS Warminster, as depicted on the 1975 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ed Drury).
A February 1983 DOD photo of a A3D-1P Skywarrior at NADC Johnsville.
The 1988 USGS topo map depicted the 3 runways of the US Naval Air Development Center,
as well as the former Brewster factory.
The March 1993 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
Depicted Warminster as having 3 paved runways, with the longest being 8,000'.
A June 1993 DOD photo of a P-3 Orion at Warminster, used for laser testing.
A 1994 photo by Christopher Ness of an F/A-18 Hornet mounted inverted on an antenna test mount at Warminster.
The airfield layout of NAWC Warminster, from a 1994 airport directory.
"Warminster (NAWC)" was still listed among active airfields
in the 1995 Jeppesen Airport Directory.
It was depicted as having a single 8,002' paved Runway 9/27,
along with the 2 shorter paved crosswind runways (which had been abandoned).
In a consolidation move, Warminster was closed at some point between 1995-96,
with NAWC moving to Patuxent River NAS.
Glenn Palaschak recalled, "My last major job as a contractor was in 1996 for Honeywell
at the great Warminster Naval Air Research Center.
I spent about 7 months there converting a guard force monitored fire & security system
in a 5-million square-foot complex that had 2,600 workers just a few months before,
to a remote central station alarm system, because there were no workers, just us armed government guards.
I shot many, many rolls of film of the inside of the buildings, hangars and control tower on the airport site,
the g-force room, the astronauts' training areas, the GPS development areas, the indoor research submarine, etc.
The place was so amazing & spooky, it was as though the 2,600 workers got up one day & went home never to come back.
The bowling team pics, the desks, some family photos, all the department signs, the super high security devices etc. were still standing.
The lockers had many, many Vietnam-era Navy decals.
The office building for the officers had a cement and brick face that said 'Brewster Aviation'
and the inside of the office building was so military with the green paint job & built-in wood cabinets, high cost government issue,
that I thought I was in a Pearl Harbor movie."
The airfield was still depicted on the 1998 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe),
but it was labeled "NAWC Warminster (Closed)".
At the time of its closure, the only runway still maintained was 8,002' Runway 09/27.
Two other paved runways still existed, along with taxiways, a ramp & a large hangar.
Warminster, seen shortly after its closure in a 1999 USGS aerial photo.
The Warminster tower, shortly after the base's closing. Photo by Bob Greenwood.
One of the former Navy office buildings at Warminster,
pictured during its demolition in 2001.
The Warminster airfield still remained mostly intact as of the 2001 USGS aerial photo,
although some of the northern portion of the former southeast/northwest runway had been removed.
The local government planned to reuse portions of the base's office facilities as the "North American Technology Center".
Other large office buildings were demolished in 2001.
As millions of federal tax dollars were spent to construct the aviation infrastructure at Warminster,
it would have made an excellent reliever airport for the Philadelphia area.
But it would make more sense to rip up all of that paid-for infrastructure, right?
Two April 2002 photos by Willim Dougherty of the Brewster lettering on the former Brewster factory building.
The original lettering had been covered by Navy signage on the building for 60-some years,
which was then removed, revealing the original lettering.
According to local pilot Tom Kramer, "It will never again be used as an airport.
The runway destruction has begun.
As of about a month ago [2003], there were huge sections already dug up.
As an aside, at least one of the aircraft used for radar testing, an F-14 sans engines,
was towed on it's own gear one night from Warminster, across the Delaware River toll bridge
and over to South Jersey Regional Airport in NJ & the Air Victory Museum where it resides today."
Warminster resident Clayton Belcher reported in 2003,
"As of now, the site is the home to an office complex,
a park, and a retirement community.
I understand it is no longer the North American Technology Center.
All the buildings were gutted & refurbished as office buildings.
The south borders of fencing have been removed.
The runways, taxiways, and control tower have all been completely demolished.
The terrain has also been recontoured.
A new road (Johnsville Boulevard) has been constructed connecting Street Road & Jacksonville Road.
The site is still the location of the Doppler 10,000 radar.
Most of the airfield will now be the home to the Warminster Township Park
and the Ann's Choice retirement community.
I have no knowledge of the status of the centrifuge,
but I know its arm, gondola, and other instruments have been dismantled."
A 2004 photo by Clayton Belcher of a closed-runway "X" symbol
on a remaining segment of the former Warminster runway.
A 2004 photo by Clayton Belcher of the former Warminster fire/rescue garage, now reused to hold ambulances.
A 2004 photo by Clayton Belcher of an unidentified former Warminster test facility which remains on Bristol Road.
A 2004 photo by Clayton Belcher of an unidentified tower which remains standing at Warminster.
Clayton Belcher visited the Warminster airfield site again in 2004.
His report: "What I can tell you is Warminster Township has too much open land to deal with & the place looks like a mess.
Fortunately, the control tower still exists & should remain there
and about 1/3 of the northeast end of the main runway still exists.
Rather than tear up miles of taxiways & runway,
Johnsville Boulevard was built over the pavement running north from Street Road,
bending left, and then going west into Jacksonville Road.
Saddest of all, the historic Brewster hangars were demolished
despite attempts to convert them to indoor soccer facilities.
I ran out of film at the centrifuge.
That facility remains untouched & it appears the Navy may still have ownership of it.
I think it's protected since it's a historical site, but that doesn't explain why the hangars were demolished."
A 2004 photo by Christopher Ness of "all that's left of the runways & the current group flying out of it."
A 2004 photo by Christopher Ness of the ammunition bunker,
previously used to store rocket charges (right next to the 200' ejection seat tower).
A 2004 photo by Christopher Ness of the building which previously housed the centrifuge.
"A great deal of the NASA training took place in this building."
An October 2004 photo by Aaron Kuhn of the west end of the former runway.
"In the background on the horizon you see the Anne's Choice Senior living Community built on other decomissioned Johnsville base land.
Running horizontally across the runway you can see the large concrete blocks that are placed every thousand feet across the runway
(to stop planes from landing one can only assume!)."
An October 2004 photo by Aaron Kuhn of the east end of the former runway,
showing "the remaining thousand feet of the runway. The intersection in the distance is Bristol Road & Hatboro Road."
An October 2004 photo by Aaron Kuhn of the sign that resides on the Northwestern side of the base along Newtown road.
The 3 remaining structures on Bristol road can be seen to the left of the sign.
The text of the sign reads: "This property has been acquired through the Federal Lands to Parks Program of the National Park Service,
Department of the Interior for use by the general public."
An October 2004 photo by Aaron Kuhn of what is presumed to be some sort of former test tower.
Aaron Kuhn visited the site of Warminster in October 2004. His report:
"The Warminster Community Park now resides on the land I took these photos from.
If tomorrow's election day referendum for a $10 million improvement to this park passes,
then these structures & the runways will be removed to make way for sports fields on the site!"
However, Aaron Kuhn provided an update a few days later, after the election:
"On the $10 million parks referendum that may affect Johnsville NAS - it did not pass.
So it looks like the old runway remnants will be there for a while still."
A 2005 aerial photo by Paul Freeman, taken from a Diamond Eclipse at 8,000 feet, looking northeast at the former NAS Warminster.
Note that the former Brewster Aircraft factory still remained standing (at bottom-left),
but the former main hangar across the street had been removed at some point between 2001-2005,
and replaced by several smaller new buildings.
A circa 2002-2005 aerial photo looking north at the former Brewster Aircraft factory on the west side of the Warminster site.
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