Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:

Western Tennessee

© 2002, © 2012 by Paul Freeman. Revised 1/27/12.

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Arlington Municipal (revised 1/18/12) - NOLF 15305 (revised 1/27/12) - Jacks Creek Intermediate Field (revised 8/8/11)

NOLF 34105 / Hagler Airport (revised 12/27/08)

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Jacks Creek Intermediate Field, Jacks Creek, TN

35.5 North / 88.52 West (Southwest of Nashville, TN)

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



Jacks Creek Intermediate Field was one of the Department of Commerce's network of Intermediate Fields

which were constructed in the 1930s along airways between major cities,

for the emergency use of commercial aircraft.



Jacks Creek Intermediate Field may have been built at some point between 1938-41,

as it was not yet listed among active airfields in The Airport Directory Company's 1938 Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).

The earliest depiction of the field which has been located

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

It depicted Jacks Creek as being Site 53A along the airway,

and also depicted the Jacks Creek Radio site a few miles to the north.



The Airport Directory Company's 1941 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)

described Jacks Creek as being Site 53A along the Dallas-Louisville airway.

The field was said to consist of an irregularly-shaped sod field having three runways,

of which the longest was the 4,300' north/south strip.

The field was said to be illuminated, but to offer no other services.



The only photo which has been located of Jacks Creek Intermediate Field from when it was operational

was a 10/28/43 aerial view looking north from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock).

It depicted the field as having 3 unpaved runways.



The April 1944 U.S. Army & Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)

described Jacks Creek as Site 53 along the Dallas-Louisville Airway,

and described the field as having a 4,300' unpaved runway.



The 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) described Jacks Creek Intermediate Field

as a 133 acre irregularly-shaped property having 3 sod runways, the longest being a 4,300' north/south strip.

The field was not said to have any hangars,

to be owned by private interests, and operated by the Civil Aeronautics Administration.



The 1948 USAAF Pilot's Handbook (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)

depicted Jacks Creek as an unpaved airfield having two runways: 4,300' north/south & 3,800' northwest/southeast.



The August 1956 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)

depicted Jacks Creeek as a public-use airport having a 4,300' unpaved runway.



Jacks Creek Intermediate Field was evidently abandoned at some point between 1956-61,

as it was no longer depicted at all on the January 1961 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).

This was quite a bit longer than most Intermediate Fields lasted,

as their need had been obviated by advances in the range & reliability of commercial aircraft.



USGS topo maps from 1979, 1986, and 1989 did not depict anything at all at the location of the airfield.



As seen in the 1997 USGS aerial photo,

the outline of the two former runways at Jacks Creek was still recognizable.



The site of Jacks Creek Intermediate Field is located southwest of the intersection of Route 22A & Jones Road.

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Arlington Municipal Airport (LHC), Arlington, TN

35.28 North / 89.67 West (Northeast of Memphis, TN)

Arlington Airport, as depicted on the 1973 USGS topo map.



This is the story of yet another well-used general aviation airport

which has been swallowed up by surrounding development.

It lasted a mere 30 years - not a very long time for a taxpayer investment.



The Arlington Municipal Airport was not yet depicted on the 1965 USGS topo map.



According to a report by the University of Memphis,

the Arlington Municipal Airport was constructed in 1968

as a result of a grant agreement between the Federal Aviation Administration & the Town of Arlington.

A hangar & terminal were added the following year

with the State of TN sharing the cost with the Town of Arlington.

The Arlington airport was in operation by 1969.



The earliest depiction which has been located of Arlington Municipal Airport was on the 1973 USGS topo map.

It depicted Arlington Municipal as having a single northwest/southeast paved runway.



The 1981 DoD VFR Supplement (courtesy of John Clifford) depicted Arlington Municipal as having a single 3,800' asphalt Runway 15/33.



The 1981 USGS topo map depicted Arlington Airport as having a single paved northwest/southeast runway,

with a parallel taxiway leading to a ramp with a single hangar on the east side.



The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury)

listed the operators at Arlington Municipal as Shamrock Aero, Jewel Aircraft Engine Overhaul,

Ken Guthrie Aircraft Sales, and Starflight Inc.

 

Local pilot Bill Zollinger reported that "I don't recall if Shamrock Aero was there from the beginning

but it was certainly there by the mid-1970s & continued at least until the late 1980s.

It was owned by Dr. Sam Hardison, a local dentist,

and the manager was Gary Miller.

John Jewell came along about 1977 & opened an engine overhaul shop there.

Richard Starnes had a general maintenance shop.

Jack Adams Aircraft Sales had an office there before Ken Guthrie.

Ken arrived about 1980 or so."

 

Bill continued, "In the late 1960s the mayor, Sam Yorty, lead a coalition of the town council

to fund the airport & an adjoining industrial park.

The two were supposed to complement each other.

The town as a sleepy bedroom community of Memphis never fully accepted or realized the value of either

but at least the industrial park was quiet.

First they pushed Shamrock out for bringing in too much business (noise)

and then they hired a retired FedEx flight engineer to run the place.

He told them he would get the registration of any noisy aircraft & have the FAA punish them.

He lasted 3-4 years & they brought in East Memphis Aviation as a lame duck

whereupon they jerked the rug & airport out from underneath him after not accepting any more aid money

and waiting the proscribed period after which they are no longer liable.

Then they made sure to place things on the ex-runway to ensure no further use even as an emergency airfield.

What they failed to take into account (other than the obvious)

is that Memphis is growing in their direction & within a very few years will completely surround them.

This will bring 24 hour grocery stores & the other bustle & noise from the 'big' city to them.

If they had paid a little more attention to their economic base

and planned to grow their town they would at least have minimized this effect."



A 1985 photo taken while Gary Burlison was on final approach to Arlington's Runway 33.

Gary recalled, “I received my private certificate in July 1985.

My instructor's name was Jim Dotson; he worked there 8-10 years.”

 

As of 1998, Arlington Municipal was apparently a quite well-used airport,

with a total of 51 resident aircraft,

and the total number of takeoffs & landings per year was 34,166.

the fixed base operator was Memphis East Aviation,

 

In the 1998 USGS aerial photo, in addition to the 3,800' paved runway,

the field had a parallel taxiway, and a ramp with two hangars on the east side.

A total of 29 light aircraft were visible parked outside.

 

In spite of this relative health,

the town of Arlington had the University of Memphis conduct a "cost/benefit analysis"

of whether or not to close their airport in 1998.

Guess what? The result of their "cost/benefit analysis" was to close the airport -

which was probably a foregone conclusion that the "analysis" was intended to support.

By selling the 102 acre municipal property to developers (who rarely have any connection to local politicians, right?),

the town government was able to realize a substantial short-term financial gain,

regardless of the long-term potential of a municipal asset

(which was partially paid for by both federal & state taxpayers).

 

Rhea Palmer recalled, "My husband & I spent a lot of time out at Arlington Airport in Tennessee.

We were there when it was closed & it was a fiasco!

A.I. Guron was the man running it at the time

and he has since moved his operation a little west to DeWitt-Spain Airport right next to the Mississippi river.

I have fond memories of that airport.

My husband asked me to marry him at the end of Runway 15."



The exact date of closure of Arlington Municipal is unknown, apparently between 1998-2002.

It was depicted as an abandoned airfield on 2002 aeronautical charts.



A 2006 aerial view by Damon Morris looking south at the remains of the Arlington Municipal Airport.

The southern half of the runway & taxiway remain intact, while new construction covers the northern portion.

The former ramp & several hangars also remain intact.



A circa 2007 aerial view looking north at the former hangars & runway remains of the Arlington Municipal Airport.



Arlington Municipal airport is located south of the intersection of Route 70 & Airline Road, appropriately enough.

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Naval Outlying Landing Field 15305, Ellendale, TN

35.29 North / 89.83 West (Northeast of Memphis, TN)

A 3/23/43 U.S. Navy aerial view of NOLF 15305 (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).


According to Brian Rehwinkel, “Memphis OLF #15305 (also known as Site 15)

was one of at least 16 outlying fields used by NAS Memphis [5 miles northwest] during the Second World War.”


The designation of Naval Outlying Land Field 15305

refers to its bearing from the parent Naval Air Station, NAS Memphis (153 degrees) and its distance (05 miles).'


According to Brian Rehwinkel, “The field was first leased in late 1942 or early 1943.

A 12/31/44 Outlying Field Report for NAS Memphis described the field with a 'stabilized' landing mat with 3 runways

(It is likely the field was originally a grass field).”


NOLF 15305 was not depicted at all on the March 1944 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).


The earliest depiction of the field which has been located was a 3/23/43 U.S. Navy aerial view (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).

Brian observed it showed “the field, apparently shortly after the landing mat was added.

Erosion seems to be a bit of a problem.”

It showed the field to consist of a distinctive “wagon wheel” configuration,

with 3 paved runways extending from a central landing mat, surrounded by a paved circular ring.

Many of Memphis' satellite airfields were built in this same "wagon wheel" airfield configuration.


A closeup from the 3/23/43 U.S. Navy aerial view (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel), showing a biplane trainer near the center of the field.


According to Brian Rehwinkel, “The Navy [acquired] title to the field in May 1945.

The Navy purchased the land for this field (and the land for the other 4 hard-surfaced outlying fields)

because of the considerable investment made in putting stabilized landing mats on these fields in order to make them 'all-weather' landing areas.

After the war, this field – and the 4 other paved fields – was retained for a period after the war.”


The earliest aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of NOLF 15305

was on the October 1946 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).


A circa 1947 Navy document (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel) described the runway as a

“one inch wagon wheel shaped asphalt pavement on a 6 inch sub base.”

The document went on to describe the 1,200' runways in “poor” condition.


NOLF 15305 was most likely abandoned quite soon after the end of WW2.


The wagon wheel runway layout of NOLF 15305 was still depicted on the 1960 USGS top map,

labeled as “Landing Field Abandoned”.



NOLF 15305 was no longer depicted at all on the 1961 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

 

Local pilot Bill Zollinger recalled that "The 'Wagon Wheel' at Ellendale was a common landmark

to those of us flying from Shelby County airport.

There was a lot of speculation about whether engine out training

was allowed to progress to the point of actually doing a touch & go on it.

I came close but never actually touched down.

There was also speculation that the wagon wheel was the very site, or certainly close by,

that Phoebe Omilie & her husband used as part of the process of bringing air mail to the Memphis area."



Skip Robertson recalled, “I was in a [model airplane] club that used the field in the early 1970's until around 1976.

I believe that it was in 1976 that the club lost it's lease there.”



As seen in the 1997 USGS aerial photo,

the airfield at Ellendale consists of three 1,300' runways, arranged evenly around the compass,

with a circular track running around the periphery.

This runway configuration was ideal for primary flight cadets,

as it allowed a landing to be made with minimal crosswind component regardless of the prevailing wind direction.

The runways of the former airfield are still remarkably well preserved in the above 1997 aerial photo.

A narrow shed for a model airplane club sits just west of the runway intersection.

 

Skip Robertson reported, “You can see where we used the center of the two crossed runways...

the X's on them are still a little visible.

I believe that they were concrete at the time.

You can also see the 3 taxiways from the pit area...one at each end and one in the center.”



Recent USGS topo maps did not depict anything at all at the location of the airfield.



Jack Estes reported in 2005, “The narrow 'structure' is actually a pilots shed for a local radio-control airplane club.

If you look carefully in the center of the runways, you can see two smaller paved runways that the models fly off of.

We frequently get Stearman traffic, and your occasional 172 shooting an engine out.

Every now & then, a Stearman will touch down.

That is rare though, because the original parts of the runway are very rough rock/grass.”



A 2006 aerial view by Damon Morris looking southwest at the remains of the Ellendale airfield,

showing the model aircraft runways & buildings which have been added over the site of the former military airfield.



An August 2011 aerial view by Jim Rice looking southwest at the remains of the Ellendale airfield.


Brian Rehwinkel observed in 2012, “Considering the fact the runways were constructed close to 70 years ago,

it is impressive the outlines can still be seen.

I am guessing the runway surface deteriorated long ago, and what we see today is the remains of the extensive sub base

(particularly considering the fact the runways were apparently in poor condition way back in 1947).”


NOLF 15305 is located one mile east of Route 14, four miles north of Ellendale, TN.

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Naval Outlying Landing Field 34105 / Hagler Airport, Wilkinsville, TN

35.41 North / 89.9 West (Northeast of Memphis, TN)

NOLF "34105", as depicted on the October 1946 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

Photo of the field while in use has not been located.

 

This former military airfield was one of 10 satellite airfields

which were used during WW2 to support NAS Memphis (4 miles southeast),

which was one of the busiest Navy training fields during the war.

Many of Memphis' satellite airfields were built in the same "wagon wheel" airfield configuration.

 

The designation of Naval Outlying Land Field 34105

refers to its bearing from the parent Naval Air Station, NAS Memphis (341 degrees)

and its distance (05 miles).

 

NOLF 34105 may have been built relatively late in WW2,

as it was not depicted at all on the March 1944 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

The earliest depiction of the field which has been located

was on the October 1946 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

 

NOLF 34105 was most likely abandoned by the Navy quite soon after the end of WW2.

It was not depicted at all on the 1960 USGS topo map.



The former Navy airfield was apparently depicted as "Hagler" Airport

on the 1961 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

 

Unlike many other small WW2-era outlying fields, this one apparently saw some reuse as a civil airport,

as it was depicted as "Hagler" Airport on the 1961 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

The Aerodromes table on the chart described the field as having two runways:

a 1,200' hard-surface strip & a 2,100' turf strip.

 

However, Hagler was apparently abandoned at some point between 1961-63,

as it was labeled "Abandoned airport" on the 1963 Chattanooga Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).

 

As seen in the 1997 USGS aerial photo,

the airfield at Wilkinsville consists of three 1,300' runways, arranged evenly around the compass,

with a circular track running around the periphery.

The airfield layout is still quite apparent in the above 1997 aerial photo,

although the airfield is somewhat more deteriorated than that at Ellendale.

Two buildings (barns?) have been constructed just east of the runway intersection.

 

The Wilkinsville airfield is exactly the same configuration as NOLF 15305 in nearby Ellendale.

 

USGS topo maps do not depict anything at all at the location of the airfield.


The wagon-wheel layout of the former NOLF 34105 runways was still barely recognizable in a circa 2006 aerial view, looking north.



NOLF 34105 is located at the southwestern terminus of Ahaz Armstrong Road, west of Wilkinsville Road.

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