Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Virginia: Northeastern Fairfax County
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 7/18/08.
Crossroads Airport / Washington-Virginia Airport (revised 7/18/08) - Springfield Airport (revised 4/13/08)
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Crossroads Airport / Washington-Virginia Airport, Bailey's Crossroads, VA
38.84 North / 77.11 West (Southwest of Washington, DC)
What was originally known as "Crossroads" Airport,
as depicted on the 1945 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
E.C. Germain submitted an application in 1941 to locate an airport on Mary Cornelius’ land,
under the name of Crossroads Airport.
Germain was doing business as Washington Air Charter Service,
which at one point appears to have been a division of Mount Vernon Airways, Inc.,
which operated from the old Alexandria (Hybla Valley) Airport.
In 1942, a license was granted to Germain to build & operate Crossroads Airport.
It was planned to be 150 acres,
with a NW/SE runway proposed to be 3,500' & a NE/SW runway of 2,500'.
However, wartime shortages of construction materials meant that the opening
of the airport would have to wait until the end of WW2.
Crossroads Airport was not depicted on the 1944 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
The earliest depiction of the airfield which has been located
was on the 1945 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss),
which depicted "Crossroads" Airport as a commercial airport.
According to Frank Perfetti, “When the Benn brothers bought the airport in 1945 they payed $100,000 or $500,000 for it.”
In 1946 J. D. Benn & Charles Benn submitted an application to build & operate Bailey’s Crossroads Airport.
The airport was up & running by 1947, the flight school welcoming ex-GIs to the flying world.
The Benn brothers ran Bailey’s Crossroads for two decades.
A north/south grass runway was laid out first.
This was used while the longer northeast/southwest runway, 12-30, was constructed & graveled.
Later, the north/south runway was also graveled.
By 1948 the flight school had 10 Piper J-3s, 2 Cessna 120s, a Cessna 140, a PT-19
and a UC-78 for twin-engine & instrument work.
The earliest photo that has been located of Washington Virginia Airport was a 1949 aerial view.
It depicted the field as having 2 unpaved runways, with hangars on the northeast & southwest sides of the field.
A total of 28 aircraft were visible parked on the northeast side.
A 1949 photo by Nick Proferes depicted 2 ERCO Ercoupes Washington Virginia Airport,
with the drive-in movie theater screen visible in the background.
A circa 1949 photo of Nick Proferes in his newly acquired ERCO Ercoupe at Washington-Virginia Airport.
Nick recalled of being at Washington Virginia Airport with his father, “I recall the place vividly,
having flown with him on many occasions since I was about 5 or 6 years old,
including the golf balls which used to somehow fly over the road from the driving range & make holes in his wings.”
The 1949 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
described "Wash-VA" Airport as having a 2,800' unpaved runway.
The 1949 USAF Target Complex Chart depicted the Washington-VA Airport as having two runways
and a single hangar northeast of the runway intersection.
The 1951 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
and the 1955 Washington Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
depicted Washington-Virginia Airport as having two runways,
with the longest being a 2,800' unpaved strip.
At least one of the runways at Washington-Virginia was paved by 1957,
as the 1957 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
described the field as having two runways,
with the longest being a 2,800' hard-surface strip.
Power lines & encroaching buildings led to substandard approaches.
Nonetheless, its incredibly convenient location
led to it becoming one of the most active airports in the DC area.
Eventually, hangar space for 70 aircraft was constructed
and sales operations for Piper, Cessna & Beech were underway.
When nearby Beacon Field closed in 1960, a number of aircraft moved to W-VA.
By then well over 100 aircraft were based at Washington-Virginia Airport.
Due to the proximity of the Pentagon, manufacturers, including those of helicopters,
would demonstrate their wares at the airport to the Pentagon Brass.
This included a demonstration in 1951 or 1952 or the Piper PA-18 by Charles Lindbergh.
The first jet helicopter, the French Alouette, was also demonstrated there to officials
and the Goodyear blimp would come calling once a year or so.
But by the late 1950s, the suburbs of Washington were creeping past Bailey’s Crossroads
and problems with the neighbors were increasing.
Washington-Virginia was listed among active airports on the 1960 Washington Sectional Aeronautical Chart,
with 2 paved runways (the largest was 2,800').
A 1962 aerial view depicted Washington-Virginia Airport as having 2 paved runways.
Two new rows of T-hangars had been added on the southeast end of Runway 35 at some point between 1949-62,
along with 2 other hangars on the northeast side of Runway 30.
The airport was obviously well-used,
as a total of over 52 light aircraft were visible on the field.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described the field as having 2 asphalt runways (12/30: 2,800' long, and 17/35: 2,200' long).
Charles T. Benn ran the fixed-base operation & student training activities.
The 1964 National Geographic Map of Suburban Washington (courtesy of David Brooks)
depicted the Washington Virginia Airport as having two runways.
A circa 1964-65 photo by Mike Keefe of the Goodyear Blimp Columbia at the Washington-VA Airport.
According to Mike Keefe, the Goodyear Blimp visited the Washington-Virginia Airport
and was featured in several photographs in the Evening Star newspaper.
A circa 1964-65 close-up by Mike Keefe of the Goodyear Blimp Columbia at the Washington-VA Airport.
What appear to be hangars are in the background at left.
A 1965 photo taken by Robert Morris with his Polaroid Swinger camera approaching Washington Virginia Airport.
A 1965 photo taken by Robert Morris of his Piper Comanche at Washington Virginia Airport.
In 1966, the state provided $22,000 to relocate & improve the E/W runway
provided that the N/S runway (which barely cleared Route 7) was closed.
Frank Perfetti recalled, “Washington/Virginia Airport was where I learned to fly
starting in November 1966 at the young age of 15 years old.
I remember that 2 initial solos were required: one on the long runway & one over the drive-in theater screen,
that runway was so narrow that landing in the grass on the side was quite acceptable.
Charlie Ben was landing a Aztec over the screen one day & hit it with his main landing gear leaving two tire marks on top of it.
On the bottling plant at the other end there were big X's painted on it
because someone had landed their J3 Cub on the roof one day & stopped it before reaching the other end.
One time someone lost their engine on takeoff & crashed in the Toys-R-Us parking lot.
Also 9 AT-6s modified to look like Japanese Zeros landed there one day
on their way to the filming of the movie 'Tora-Tora-Tora'.
One of them lost control crashing into a couple parked airplanes & had to have its wing replaced.”
A circa 1960s aerial view looking northwest at Washington-Virginia Airport.
Note the drive-in movie screen across Route 7, directly in the path of Runway 17.
An undated aerial view looking northeast at Washington-Virginia Airport.
Note the area across Route 7 formerly occupied by the drive-in movie theatre
has already been redeveloped into another shopping center.
An undated view of the main hangar of Washington-Virginia Airport.
A 1968 photo of the Washington-Virginia Airport office.
Note the sign for the Giant supermarket (just above & to the right of the office) which had already been built across Route 7,
foreshadowing the increasing development which would eventually doom the little airport.
The 1968 Virginia Airport Directory (courtesy of Don Thompson) depicted the Washington-Virginia Airport
as having a 2,400' Runway 11/29 & a 2,150' Runway 17/35.
It also said that the airport was subject to "special air traffic rules, see FAA AIM".
Washington-Virginia was always an amusing airport to fly in & out of,
surrounded by various power lines, apartment houses & commercial buildings.
There was a Coca Cola distribution center building about 500' from the threshold of runway 35.
A 42' high drive-in movie screen was a bit to the side & just off the threshold of runway 17.
At night you could catch a minute of two of Humphrey Bogart & Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca
on each downwind & while turning base for runway 11.
In 1968, J.D. Benn died suddenly at work of a heart attack, and an era began to end.
The continuing pressures from neighbors & the recognition by the family
that the land value - and the taxes - had grown so huge,
that it could be no longer operated as a privately-owned airport.
In its last year of operation, Washington-VA Airport was depicted on the 1970 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Clifford)
as having two paved runways, with the longest being 2,600'.
Frank Perfetti recalled, “Just before the closing of the airport
someone was doing a pre-buy purchase of one of the flight school's Cherokee 140s,
he missed the drive-in theater screen but hit the high tension power lines,
bringing them down & electrifying the whole line of fence welding a gate shut
and passing into the airport's power line feed, popped the runway lights & electrified the water fountain inside the building.”
The 1970 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Mark Sublette)
described the Washington-Virginia Airport as having two macadam runways: 2,650' Runway 11/29 & 2,200' Runway 17/35.
The airport was described as offering fuel, repairs, hangars, tie-downs, and charter,
and the operator was listed as Washington Virginia Flight Service (also a Piper dealer).
According to the book "Virginia Airports" by Vera Rollo & Norman Crabill (published by the VAHS),
the Washington-Virginia Airport closed on 10/18/70.
Frank Perfetti recalled, “The Benn brothers sold [the airport] for $9 million.
In its 25 years of operation there was never a fatal crash there
but when they turned it into apartments 35 workmen were killed
when concrete shoring was removed too soon & the building collapsed on them.”
In the 1970s, Mary Cornelius’ original acreage was redeveloped as the Skyline high-rise office buildings,
apartment towers, and shopping complex.
A 1979 aerial view showed that the new buildings had covered
the runways, hangars, and other primary elements of the former airfield.
A 2002 USGS aerial view of the site of the former airport -
now occupied by the Skyline towers.
However, Kevin Rosengren observed in 2003 "a tower that looked like an old airport beacon tower, behind the Mobil",
on the south side of Route 7, east of Route 50, which is about a mile west of the site of Washington-Virginia Airport.
Could this be the former airport's beacon tower, presumably relocated when the airport property was being redeveloped?
Furthermore, Darren Fox observed in 2004 "some existing evidence of the airfield.
There is today, a Burke & Herbert Bank on Seminary Road right next to a Shell station
that is at the corner of Seminary & Carling Springs Roads.
It turns out that there are two sets of two marker light on the bank building!
The lamps are long since dead, but the red glass beacons are still there today.
I personally remember these beacons working when the airfield was in operation
as they marked this little building that sat at just outside the airfield property at the end of Runway 11/29!"
A 2004 photo by Darren Fox of the Burke & Herbert Bank building at Seminary Road & Gorham Street,
which still has two sets of former airfield marker lights on the roof.
The two towers of the Skyline apartment complex (which were built on the site of the airport) are in the background.
Two 2004 close-ups by Darren Fox of the front & rear set of airfield lights which remain on the Burke & Herbert Bank building.
Darren Fox has indicated the location of the building which still has the marker lights
on the 1968 airfield layout & a vintage photo of the airport,
making it obvious why this building needed obstacle lights - it sat directly off the end of the runway!
Darren Fox recalled, "I remembered it seemed that those Cessnas & Pipers would miss those beacons by only a few feet!
If memory serves me right, I think that this Burke and Herbert bank was a BP gas station in the last days of the airport.
I spoke to my father today, and seem to remember the BP station too."
See also: The VA Aeronautical Historical Society Newsletter
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Springfield Airport, Springfield, VA
38.79 North / 77.17 West (Southwest of Washington, DC)
Springfield Airport, as depicted on the 1945 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
Today, millions of drivers pass through the infamous "mixing bowl" - the intersection of the Washington Beltway & Interstate 95,
which is renowned as a traffic bottleneck among Washington commuters.
However, how many of those drivers know that this spot was once the location of the Springfield Airport?
The date of construction of Springfield Airport is unknown.
It apparently opened at some point between 1944-45,
as it was not listed in the 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer).
The earliest reference to Springfield Airport which has been located
is the 1945 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss),
which depicted Springfield as a commercial airport,
adjacent to the south side of the Southern railroad tracks.
According to the book "Virginia Airports" by Vera Rollo & Norman Crabill (published by the VAHS),
Springfield Airport was opened "after WW2" by Carl Allen.
"The airport had a north/south 3,000' sod runway
and offered fuel & maintenance to the public."
In 1947, Charlie Kulp (who would later go on to fame as the Bealton Flying Circus' “Flying Farmer”)
worked as an Airframe & Powerplant mechanic at Springfield Airport
(according to an article by Linda Burdette in the 1/06 issue of the VAHS Virginia Eagles newsletter).
The September 1948 USAAF Pilot's Handbook (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Springfield Airport, but did not give any other details about the field.
The 1948 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
and 1949 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
described Springfield Airport as having a 2,200' unpaved runway.
The irregular outline of the Springfield Airport property was depicted on the 1949 USAF Target Complex Chart,
but no runways were depicted.
The planned alignment of Interstate 95 was also depicted running adjacent to the west side of the airport property.
A 1949 aerial photo depicted the Springfield Airport as having 2 grass runways in an “X” shape.
There did not appear to be any hangars,
and no aircraft were visible on the field.
Charlie Kulp left his job as an A&P Powerplant mechanic at Springfield Airport in 1950
(according to an article by Linda Burdette in the 1/06 issue of the VAHS Virginia Eagles newsletter).
At some point afterward, the owner of the airport & his wife were killed in an airplane crash,
and the airport closed soon afterward.
Springfield Airport was evidently closed by 1951,
as the remarks in the Aerodromes table on 1951 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe) said "Closed indefinitely."
Strangely, even though the remarks indicated the field was closed,
it was still depicted as an active airfield on the front side of the 1951 Sectional.
It was described as having three runways, with the longest being a 2,770' unpaved strip.
According to the book "Virginia Airports",
"As in so many other cases,
developers purchased the land & built a large residential subdivision, Springfield Estates."
Springfield was a short-lived airport, apparently lasting no more than 7 years.
It was obviously doomed by its location,
directly adjacent to the paths of both the Washington Beltway & Interstate 95,
which were constructed in the 1950s.
By the time of the 1962 Washington Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy),
Springfield Airport was no longer depicted at all.
A 1962 aerial photo showed houses covering the site,
with not a trace remaining of the former airport.
As seen in the 2002 USGS aerial photo, the site of the former Springfield Airport is now a densely developed residential neighborhood,
adjacent to the infamous "mixing bowl" - the intersection of the Washington Beltway & Interstate 95.
Not a trace appears to remain of the former Springfield Airport.
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