Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Central Tennessee

Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:

Central Tennessee

Blackwood Field (revised 1/8/04) - Smithville Intermediate Field (added 5/8/05)

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Smithville Intermediate Field, Smithville, TN

35.96 North / 85.79 West (Southeast of Nashville, TN)

Smithville Intermediate Field, as depicted on the April 1941 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

The Smithville Intermediate Field was one of the Department of Commerce's network of fields

which were established in the 1930s for the emergency use of commercial aircraft flying airways between major cities.

Smithville was evidently established at some point between 1934-38,

as it was not yet listed among active airfields in the 1934 Department of Commerce Airfield Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).

The earliest reference which has been located to the Smithville Intermediate Field

was in The Airport Directory Company's 1938 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

It described Smithville as the Department of Commerce's Site 3 along the Nashville-Washington Airway.

The field was said to consists of 2 runways in a cross shape,

measuring 3,420' east/west & 2,400' north/south.

The earliest depiction which has been located of the Smithville Intermediate Field

was on the April 1941 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

It depicted Smithville as Site 3.

The designation of the Smithville Intermediate Field had evidently been changed at some point between 1941-46,

as the October 1946 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) labeled Smithville as Site 5.

The last depiction which has been located of Smithville as an active airfield

was on the 1949 USAF Pilot's Handbook (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

It depicted the field as having two 3,400' unpaved runways.

The Smithville airfield was evidently closed at some point between 1949-54,

as it was no longer depicted at all on the August 1954 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

It had lasted somewhat longer than many other Intermediate Fields,

many of which were no longer needed due to advances in the range & reliability of commercial aircraft.

The 1984 USGS topo map still depicted the outline of the Smithville airfield,

although it was no longer labeled as such.

The map also labeled the road bordering the west side of the property as “Airport Road”

(although later street maps show that it was evidently renamed “Smith Road” at some point between 1984-2005).

The 1997 USGS aerial photo showed that the outlines of the former runways were still quite recoginizable.

There do not appear to be any buildings at the site related to its time as an airfield.

The site of Smithville Intermediate Field is located northeast of the intersection of Smith Road & Steeplechase Drive.

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Blackwood Field, Old Hickory, TN

36.22 North / 86.6 West (Northeast of Nashville, TN)

An undated photo of Army biplanes (type undetermined)

at Blackwood Field (courtesy of the TN State Library, via Marvin Maes).

A photo of J.W.Ray sitting on a Martin B-2 bomber at Blackwood Field in 1924.

This former military airfield is located on the property of The Hermitage

(the home of President Andrew Jackson).

Blackwood Field was opened in 1921 to house the First Squadron, Air Service, Tennessee National Guard.

The airfield property consisted of 100 acres, on which two hangars were erected.

The historical marker at the site (pictured above) indicates

that H.O. Blackwood gave $1,000 to aid the construction of the field.

However, a history of the squadron indicates that H.O. Blackwood donated a farm adjacent to The Hermitage,

and that a WW1-era hangar was moved from Memphis to the site.

The flying unit at Blackwood Field was redesignated the 136th Air Observation Squadron at the end of 1921,

and operated four new Curtiss JN-6HG Jennys & one DeHavilland DH-4B aircraft.

The squadron was once again redesignated the 105th Observation Squadron in 1923,

and received 0-2 observation airplanes in 1926.

According to Peggie Black,

"My grandfather, Frank McCampbell was a member of the 105^th AS based out of Blackwood Field."

The first airmail flight from Nashville was conducted from Blackwood Field to Chicago in 1924.

However, as pointed out in an article in the 12/21/03 issue of The Tennessean (courtesy of Marvin Maes),

the poor condition of the unpaved roads leading to Blackwood Field (and the cost of improving them)

removed Blackwood from contention for serving as a permanent airmail airfield for Nashville.

The increasing use of airmail also brought about the need for a closer airport to Nashville,

eventually leading to the establishment of McConnell Field (west of downtown Nashville) in 1927.

The 105th Observation Squadron relocated to McConnell Field in 1927,

and Blackwood Field closed in 1928.

A circa 2000 aerial view of the general location of Blackwood Field.

Shute Lane runs north/south along the east side of the picture.

A 8/02 photo by Paul Freeman of a historical marker which sits along the west side of Shute Lane,

the eastern boundary of the site of Blackwood Field.

The marker was erected in 1970.

No airfield remains are perceptible in the above aerial photo of the site,

but the remains of concrete footings are visible from adjacent Shute Lane

when vegetation doesn’t block the view.

The airport site is located northwest of the intersection of Shute Lane & Lebanon Pike.

Thanks to Marvin Maes for pointing out this field.

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