Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Virginia: Loudoun County
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 7/14/08.
Blue Ridge Airport (revised 4/13/08) - Glascock Airport (revised 4/13/08)
Wallace George Field / Godfrey Field / (Original) Leesburg Municipal Airport (revised 7/14/08)
Lipscomb Airfield (revised 7/14/08) - Richardson Field (added 5/10/08) - June Field (revised 5/10/08)
____________________________________________________
Richardson Field, Broad Run Farms, VA
39.06 North / 77.43 West (North of Dulles Airport, VA)
A 1963 aerial view depicted the Richardson Airfield as having a single grass northeast/southwest runway,
with a single Cessna parked next to the southwest runway end.
Richardson Field was one of 2 small private grass airfields located in close proximity to each other (June Field being the other),
in what is today a densely developed Northern Virginia suburb.
Richardson Field was apparently built at some point between 1957-63,
as it was not yet depicted at all on a 1957 aerial photo.
The earliest depiction which has been located of the Richardson Airfield was a 1963 aerial photo.
It depicted the field as having a single grass northeast/southwest runway,
with a single Cessna parked next to the southwest runway end.
The earliest aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Richardson Field
was on the 1964 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
It described the field as having a single 2,000' turf strip,
with the remark "Center of runway often under water."
The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Richardson Field in its original Broad Run Farms location
was on the September 1965 Washington Local Visual Navigation Chart.
It depicted Richardson as a private field with a 2,000' unpaved runway.
A Sterling resident recalled, “When I was in the 7th grade in 1970, kids talked about the airstrip in Broad Run Farms.
The middle would end up under water because it was a low spot.”
In a 1970 aerial view, the distinct runway seen in the 1963 aerial view was gone,
with an oval-shaped course covering part of the northern site of the runway.
However, the 1970 Washington Sectional Chart continued to depict Richardson Field
as a private field with an 1,800' unpaved runway.
A 1974 aerial view showed that the use of the property for aviation had definitely ended,
as trees had grown along various parts of the former runway.
The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Richardson Field
was on the 1975 Washington Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Ed Drury).
However, it appeared to depict the field in a location somewhat further east, which would correspond to the location of June Field instead.
This discrepancy has not been explained.
A circa 2006 aerial view shows that the site of Richardson Field is now unrecognizable as ever having been an airfield.
The site of Richardson Field is located north of the intersection of Dairy Lane & Bobwhite Lane.
____________________________________________________
June Field, Countryside, VA
39.06 North / 77.42 West (North of Dulles Airport, VA)
A 1970 aerial view did not yet depict any specific signs of an airfield on the property.
June Field was one of 2 small private grass airfields located in close proximity to each other (Richardson Field being the other),
in what is today a densely developed Northern Virginia suburb.
A 1970 aerial view did not depict any specific signs of an airfield.
According to the current property owner,
the previous owner bought the property around 1975.
His original plans included a seaport on the river & two runways.
He submitted the proper paperwork with the FAA & started construction.
The airfield was named after his girlfriend at the time.
He did not get a permit form the county,
and ran into trouble down the pike when the Countryside development was being built.
He had a very adversarial relationship with the developer of Countryside.
Mark Williamson recalled, “I spent a couple of days (in 1978) working for the guy who used to own that land.
He was a retired airline pilot & was building a house with the hopes of also building a runway.”
According to the current property owner,
the previous owner did get a special exception from the county (in 1983) to operate a private airstrip.
Originally, the runway was 40' wide & had an additional 100' cleared on either side.
There are power lines on the south end.
His exception required no southern departures or northern approaches (due to the homes).
The property owner had a fleet tied down at the south end of the strip,
including a Stearman, Decathlon, Aero Commander, Smith Mini, Ercoupe, Cessna 172, and a 337.
The encroaching development & continual harassment by the developer drove him away.
One day in late 1984 he ferried out all his aircraft.
At some point between 1964-84, the airfield was apparently renamed from "Richardson" to "June",
as that is how it was labeled on the 1984 USGS topo map.
The last depiction of June which has been located on aeronautical charts
was on 1987 aeronautical charts.
June was no longer depicted at all on the 1991 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
or subsequent aeronautical charts.
The current owner bought the property in 1997.
He doubts if the County would allow regular usage of the airfield
as the Special Exception was limited to the previous owner.
The current owner has flown in & out of the strip in a Cessna 172.
A circa 1997 photo of the airfield owner's wife in front of a friend's Cessna 172 at June Airfield.
He recalled, “They were invited, back then there was just a house trailer & the barn on the property.”
Paul Freeman visited the June Airfield site in 1999, to find the runway still in very good shape,
June Airfield is located along the bank of the Potomac River, in a now heavily built suburban area.
The housing development of Countryside abuts the south side of the airfield property,
and the airfield may be seen in between 2 houses at the end of a cul-de-sac.
The airfield consists of a single 2,500' grass runway, approximate alignment 3/21.
A private home sits next to the runway, along with a barn with large doors that apparently served as a hangar.
Aerial view of June Runway 3 taken 5/2000 by Paul Freeman from a Piper Warrior.
USGS aerial photo 2002.
An "airport bunny" surveys the scene at the June Airfield.
Photo by Paul Freeman, 2004, looking north along the runway.
A 2004 photo by Paul Freeman looking north at a 1946 Ercoupe & a 1964 Smith Miniplane at the June Airfield.
As of 2004, these 2 planes were based at June, but were reguarly flown.
The owner of June Airfield recalled, “In 2004 a [U.S. Government] Blackhawk landed to check out the Ercoupe & the Smith,
I guess they thought they (the airplanes tied up near blue barrels) were a threat of some type.
Since 9/11 not too many pilots are venturing into the ADIZ which is really too bad.”
An undated picture looking south at the Ercoupe at June Airfield,
from a 2006 advertisement for the plane.
The seller described the plane as “Ercoupe 415-C. Serial # 2943 N-2318H.
Continental C75-6-12, converted to C85 Serial number 3048-6-12.
718 hrs total time since new. All logs since new. Currently registered but has not been in the air since 1968.
Hangared until last year. Of course out of annual. Needs all AD's checked since 1968.
Fabric wings, metal prop, air worthiness certificate. Sport Light Aircraft eligible.
1,260 max take off weight. Electric start.
Remember, this aircraft has not been airborne in almost 40 years. Title search is clean.
I registered her in November of 2005.”
The owner of June Airfield reported in 2007, “I did taxi the Ercoupe around one day before I sold it
and I had quite an audience watching from Selden Court.
In the last 12 months, a Piper Cub dropped in that wanted to land on a grass strip
and a Hughes 500 had to land due to Air Force One being in the vicinity.
The Cub did a full-stop landing & I went down & talked to him for a few minutes.
It surprised me since there is a deer stand on the northwest side of the airstrip at the northern end.
Anyway he made it in & out with no issue.”
The owner of June Airfield reported that as of 2007 he no longer keeps any planes at the field.
____________________________________________________
Blue Ridge Airport, Chantilly, VA
38.96 North / 77.46 West (West of Washington, DC)
Blue Ridge Airport, as depicted on the 1940 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
Note that this chart depicted Blue Ridge Airport in an erroneous location, south of Route 50.
Of the millions of travelers who pass through Washington Dulles International Airport each year,
most likely almost none of them are aware that the site was once home to another airport,
established 24 years before the opening of Dulles Airport.
According to the book "Loudoun Discovered" by Eguene Scheel,
Harry Sager leased land for $50 / month from Otho Kirwood to establish an airport.
The field consisted of 2 grass strips, each a half-mile long, in the shape of an "X".
Next to the strips were 2 hangars & the Blue Ridge Flying Club shack.
Blue Ridge Airport was chartered by the U.S. In 1938,
as Loudoun County's first official airport (even though it was predated by Wallace George's field in Leesburg).
Harry Sager wanted to be an airline pilot, and needed to accumulate flying hours.
He initially had 3 aircraft based at Blue Ridge: a Piper J-2 Cub, a J-3, and a Stinson MS8-A.
Buddy Thompson taught flying at Glascock Field,
and performed aerobatics in a WW2 surplus T-19 trainer to attract sightseers for $5/hour.
Blue Ridge Airport was not yet depicted on the 1939 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the 1940 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
However, note that this chart depicted Blue Ridge Airport in an erroneous location, south of Route 50.
The location & runway configuration of Blue Ridge Airport (just left of the center),
as depicted on an undated map from the book "Loudoun Discovered".
According to the book, Blue Ridge Airport was located "west of the Sterling Road & a mile north of the Willard Crossroads".
Harry Sager left Blue Ridge for Eastern Airlines in 1941,
and rented out the field to E.C. Germain, the manager of Hybla Valley Airport in Alexandria.
Blue Ridge Airport was depicted in its correct location (north of Route 50)
on the November 1941 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Blue Ridge Airport closed temporarily in 1942,
due to wartime security decrees that required either a 24-hour guard over all aircraft
or the removal of propellers at night.
Blue Ridge Airport apparently reopened as security precautions were relaxed.
It was listed as an active airfield in the 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer),
and described as having a 2,400' runway.
Blue Ridge was depicted as a commercial airport on the 1945 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss)
and the 1946 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
Blue Ridge was still depicted as an active airport on the 1947 & 1949 Washington Sectional Charts (courtesy of Mike Keefe),
and described as having a 3,000' unpaved runway.
The only photo which has been located of the Blue Ridge Airport was a 1949 aerial view.
It depicted the field as having 2 grass runways in an “X”-shape,
with a few small buildings along the road along the east side of the field.
A closeup from the 1949 aerial view, showing 5 planes at Blue Ridge Airport.
Blue Ridge Airport apparently closed at some point between 1949-51.
Strangely, it was still depicted as an active airfield on the 1951 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesty of Mike Keefe),
but the remarks in the Aerodromes table on the reverse side of the chart said "Closed."
The field was described as having 2 runways, with the longest being a 3,300' unpaved strip.
Blue Ridge Airport was no longer depicted at all on the 1955 Washington Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
The 2 grass runways of Blue Ridge Airport were still clear on a 1957 aerial view,
but the buildings had been removed from the east side of the field,
and there were no aircraft visible on the property.
With the increase in Washington area airline traffic,
the federal government eventually determined a need for a new international airport for the area,
and Chantilly was chosen as the site.
A total of 9,800 acres were purchased or condemned by the federal government from 1959-61,
including the site of the former Blue Ridge Airport.
Harry Sager proposed naming the new field Blue Ridge Airport,
but Dulles Airport was chosen as the name, and it opened in 1962.
A 1962 aerial photo showed that the construction of Dulles Airport
had completely eradicated any trace of the former Blue Ridge Airport.
A recent aerial view by Patrick Hendrickson of www.highcamera.com of the site of the former Blue Ridge Airport,
now the site of the Dulles Air Freight Complex.
Today, the site of the former Blue Ridge Airport is located roughly on the site of the Dulles Air Freight complex,
northwest of the intersection of Autopilot Drive & Aviation Drive,
just northwest of the passenger terminal.
____________________________________________________
Glascock Airport (98VA), Arcola, VA
38.94 North / 77.54 West (West of Dulles Airport, VA)
Glascock Airport, as depicted on the 1947 Washington Sectional Chart.
According to the book "Loudoun Discovered" by Eguene Scheel,
Glascock Field was laid out by Delmas Glascock in 1941.
Glascock was fascinated by airplanes from an early age,
and had always dreamed of owning his own airfield.
He purchased the first 22 acre parcel for his airfield in 1941.
This proved to be unfortunate timing,
as the onset of WW2 delayed any further work on the nascent airfield.
Nellie Rutherford, one of Glascock's daughters, recalled, “When [the airfield] was built, I was a little girl.
The family would be out there helping.”
As young man who lived nearby, Forrest “Buddy” Thompson,
traded work on the airfield construction project for flying lessons from Glascock.
Thompson worked on the airfield from 1941-42 in exchange for flight lessons from Glascock,
before leaving for military service during WW2.
Glascock purchased his first airplane in the early 1940s - a Piper J-3 Cub.
Buddy Thompson went on to earn his wings as a military pilot,
and returned to Glascock Airport in 1945.
He gave Glascock Airport's first flying instruction to Delmas Glascock's 13 year old daughter Nellie.
Nellie Rutherford recalled, “I remember flying with my father as a child & then later flying myself as a teenager.”
After the war, Glascock purchased an adjoining parcel of 36 acres in 1946,
and graded the north/south runway.
The State of VA issued Glascock Airport an operating license 1946.
However, no airfield at the site was depicted on the 4/16/1946 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
According to an article by Lynn Wolstenholme in the 1/2/08 issue of the Loudoun Times-Mirror,
Glascock would fly out of the airport for work.
Johnny Glascock recalled, “I would fly with my dad when he was a bondsman
and he would handcuff [the bail jumper] to me so he wouldn't get away.”
Glascock expanded his stable of aircraft after the war with a Fairchild PT-19 & a Stearman biplane,
and a Stinson 108 Detroiter in 1946.
Thompson took passengers for sightseeing flights in the Stinson, gave flying lessons,
and performed aerobatics in the PT-19 trainer to attract crowds for $5/hour.
The shoulder of Route 50 at the end of Runway 18/36 was the parking lot for the audience.
The earliest depiction which has been located of Glascock Airport
was on the 1947 Washington Sectional Chart.
It described Glascock as having 2,100' unpaved runway.
A circa 1940s photo of Delmas “Bill” Glascock in front of one of his first planes (a Piper Cub)
at Glascock Airport (courtesy of Glascock family).
Glascock Airport was described on the 1949 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
as a 2,100' unpaved runway.
The earliest photo which has been located of Glascock Airport was a 1949 aerial photo.
It depicted the field as having 2 grass runways.
Note how wide the runways were – they would become noticeably narrower in each subsequent decade.
No aircraft were visible on the field, but what appeared to be 2 small hangars were located on the southeast corner.
The heyday of Glascock Airport was the late 1940s & early 1950s,
when a total of 12-15 aircraft were based at the tiny field.
A number of local residents learned to fly at Glascock.
Glascock was described on the 1951 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
as having 2 runways, with the longest being a 2,600' unpaved strip.
A 1958 aerial view showed that the 2 small hangars remained on the southeast corner of the airfield,
and another small building had been added at some point between 1949-58
on the southwest corner of Runway 36.
The Aerodromes table on the 1964 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss)
described Glascock as having 2 turf runways, with the longest being 2,700'.
The largest aircraft to have used Glascock Field was a DeHavilland Twin Otter
flown by USAF Col. George Lutz.
It was also used by Army CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
The 1968 VA Airport Directory (courtesy of Don Thomson)
depicted Glascock Field as having 2 grass runways,
and listed the operator as D.T. Glascock.
A closeup of a 1974 aerial photo depicted Glascock Airport perhaps at its zenith of popularity.
The 2 small hangars previously seen at the southeast corner had been removed,
but a total of 4 light aircraft were seen parked in their place,
and an individual T-hangar had been constructed on the opposite side of the runway.
A 1981 aerial view showed that the popularity of Glascock Airport had waned -
there were no longer any aircraft visible on the field,
but the individual T-hangar remained standing on the southwest side of Runway 36.
In the mid 1980s, a number of ultralight aircraft were based at Glascock,
but the increased air traffic at nearby Dulles International Airport forced their operations to be discontinued.
Glascock is located a mere 2 miles from the end of Dulles International Airport's Runway 30,
well within the inner ring of Dulles' Class B airspace,
which makes use of the field a bit of an issue.
The 1990 USGS topo map depicted “Glascock Landing Field” as having 2 unpaved runways.
As of 1997, the field was still owned by Delmas Glascock (who was 89 at the time),
and managed by his son, Thomas.
Delmas & Thomas Glascock were to be commended for keeping this little slice of VA aviation history alive,
and not allowing it to be converted into yet another development of townhouses.
According to an article by Lynn Wolstenholme in the 1/2/08 issue of the Loudoun Times-Mirror,
airport founder Delmas Glascock passed away in 1999.
A 2001 photo by Paul Freeman looking north at the sole aircraft based at Glascock,
a Cessna 150 parked at the approach end of Runway 36.
A 2002 USGS aerial view of Glascock Field, with its sole Cessna 150 visible at the south end.
As of 2003, Glascock Field was still listed as an active private airfield,
although just barely!
Glascock consists of 2 grass runways (the largest, 18/36, is 2,500').
A 2004 aerial view looking northeast at Glascock Field by Patrick Hendrickson of Highcamera.com aerial photography.
As of early 2004, the only aircraft on the field was a Cessna 150 (owned by retired USAF Col. Howard Junkermann),
tied down on the south end of Runway 36, only a few feet from Route 50.
According to an article by Lynn Wolstenholme in the 1/2/08 issue of the Loudoun Times-Mirror,
residential developer Van Metre purchased the Glascock Airport property in 2005.
However the airport continued to operate for a few more years.
Nearby resident Mike Rhodes reported in 2005, “The field is still maintained
and I believe the 150 (N714BG) is the sole plane still based there.
I have recently seen someone there working on it
and at times it isn't there so I can only assume it is still active.”
Stephanie Sperling (of Thunderbird Archeology) reported in 2005
that she is “conducting a Phase I archaeological survey on the Glascock property.
I plan on filing the airfield with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.”
A circa 2006 aerial view looking north at the Cessna 150 still tied up at the south end of Glascock Field.
A 2007 photo by Paul Freeman looking west at the windsock & Cessna 150 at Glascock.
The August 2007 Washington Terminal Area Chart depicted Glascock as a private airfield having a 2,500' unpaved runway.
As of 2007, Glascock was the closest-in private airfield which remained in use in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington.
Unfortunately the end appeared to have come for Glascock Airport in 2007.
An article on the front page of the 12/5/07 issue of the Loudoun Times-Mirror was entitled “Two rezonings OK'd”.
It reported that “The Glascock Field at Stone Ridge” application to rezone the Glascock Field property had been approved,
and thus would permit the construction of 276 multifamily dwelling units & 1,310,355 square feet of office space.
The applicant was Glascock Field at Stone Ridge LLC (formerly known as Stone Ridge Community Development III LCC).
This action to rezone the property was somewhat predictable,
as a majority of the pro-development Loudoun County Board of Supervisors had been voted out of office only the month before,
yet the local press reported that the outgoing Board had a number of rezoning applications under its consideration before its term was up.
True to form, ignoring the wishes of the voters (who had replaced them with a slate of new board members opposed to further development),
the lame-duck Board members took advantage of the situation to repay their development-industry campaign contributors.
According to an article by Lynn Wolstenholme in the 1/2/08 issue of the Loudoun Times-Mirror,
the sole remaining plane based at Glascock Field was the Cessna 150 owned by 89 year old Fairfax resident Howard Junkerman.
Howard reported, “I use the field & go up for leisure & travel.”
According to the Loudoun Times-Mirror article,
“eventually the landing strip will be surrounded by 276 homes, a more than 1-million square foot office park
and a hospice center with 2 heliport pads.
Loudoun's Board of Supervisors recently approved Van Metre's rezoning application for the property.”
However, the contention that the Glascock Airport property will be used for a “hospice center”
is is contradicted by HCA Healthcare on their website,
in which they say “HCA Virginia today announced plans to develop a new medical campus
on 49 acres of land it has acquired on Route 50 in southern Loudoun County.
HCA Virginia’s 49-acre site is located at the intersection of Route 50 & Gum Spring Road,
and adjacent to Glascock Field, an airplane landing strip.
The land is currently undeveloped & is already zoned for outpatient medical facility use.
We plan to develop the property in 2 phases - first, by providing outpatient services, and later by building a hospital.”
Glascock Field is located on the northwest corner of the intersection of Route 50 & Gum Spring Road.
See also: "History of Glascock Airfield" by Howard Junkermann, at the Leesburg Balch Library.
____________________________________________________
Wallace George Field / Godfrey Field / (Original) Leesburg Municipal Airport,
Leesburg, VA
39.11 North / 77.55 West (Northwest of Washington, DC)
The original Leesburg Airport, as depicted on the 1947 Washington Sectional Chart.
Leesburg's original airport was originally a cow pasture,
located on the south side of Edward's Ferry Road, west of Route 15.
The first plane landed on the field in 1918,
when the property was known as the George Farm, owned by Wallace George.
George's stone house was located at 229 Edward's Ferry Road.
According to the book "Loudoun Discovered",
many barnstormers performed on what was known at the time as the "Cow Pasture Airport",
and were most likely the first aircraft to operate in Loudoun County.
As recounted in the book "Within the Iron Gates",
rides were sold for an average of $5,
and the highlight of the show would be a parachute jump.
The facilities at the George Farm didn't quite amount to an airstrip,
but was rather a bumpy mowed path through the center of the George property.
The airfield at the George Farm was apparently not officially registered as an airport in its early days.
It was not listed in the 1934 Department of Commerce Airfield Directory (according to Chris Kennedy),
nor depicted on the 1939, 1940, or 1942 Washington Sectional Charts (courtesy of Chris Kennedy & Mike Keefe).
During WW2, the federal
government leased the property,
with the intent of developing a more substantial airfield.
A 1942 article in the Loudoun Times Mirror gave details:
"Location at Leesburg of one of numerous airfields being constructed at strategic points throughout the nation
appeared a certainty with the disclosure of an agreement between A.T. Elgin & J.L. Whitted,
representative of the federal government,
for the lease of 15 acres of land on the west side leading from Route 7 to Dry Mill Road.
This could be one of a chain of emergency fields
that are being constructed by the Army & Navy along the Atlantic Seaboard."
A 1944 Loudoun Times Mirror article elaborated on the progress:
"Surveyors & construction workers are clearing the brush from 40 acres,
one mile east of Leesburg on what is known as the George Farm,
preparatory to converting it into a landing field for airplanes & to establish a flying school there."
A single hangar was built on the George Farm Airstrip during WW2.
By 1944, there still was no airfield depicted at Leesburg
on the 1944 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
The earliest depiction of the airfield which has been located
was on the 1946 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe).
After the end of WW2, Buddy DiZerega, Ross Lipscomb, and Tex Gray
held "airshows" at the George Farm Airstrip in 1947-48.
The 1947 & 1949 Washington Sectional Charts (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
described Leesburg Airport as having a 2,000' unpaved runway.
The move of radio celebrity & pilot Arthur Godfrey to Leesburg brought the town much notoriety,
and he began landing his plane at the George Farm Airfield.
Godfrey began referring to the field as the "International Cow Pasture".
In 1950 he purchased the George Farm,
deeded 58 acres to the town of Leesburg & kept the 42 adjoining acres for himself.
By this point, the airfield consisted of a single grass strip, which was level for about a thousand feet,
then had a gully followed by a hill & then downtown Leesburg.
There was a single wooden hangar with attached office (pictured above),
concrete apron & gas pumps.
Leesburg Airport was described on the 1951 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
as having 2 runways, with the longest being a 2,000' unpaved strip.
The remarks said, "Inactive, usable."
Godfrey Field, labeled "Landing Strip", as depicted on the 1952 USGS topo map.
Leesburg Airport was described on a 1953 Flight Chart (courtesy of Scott O'Donnell)
as having a 2,100' runway.
The David Pearce flying school operated from the field,
with "a fleet of one Piper PA-11 Cub, and a Sanderson ground school course."
According to Mr. Pearce, the field had "Not much else except for a lazy ole stupid cat family
who used to steal your food right out of your mouth if you didn't watch them."
He flew into the old field many times during his flight training in 1955-56,
and started his flying business there in 1960.
The 1957 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
described Leesburg Municipal Airport as having 3 runways, with the longest being a 3,500' turf strip.
The earliest photo which has been located of the original Leesburg Airport was a 1958 aerial view.
It depicted the field as having a single east/west grass runway,
with the original runway parallel on the south side.
A single hangar was visible on the northwest side, along with 2 light aircraft.
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the Leesburg Airport as having a 3,500' Runway 9/27,
with a 2,900' "Old Runway" running parallel on the south side.
A curious note said, "Small aircraft use old runway."
With the continuing growth of the town of Leesburg,
the airfield which was previously located outside of the town was soon surrounded by it instead.
In 1962 the town council contracted with an engineering firm
to examine alternative sites further out of town for a replacement airport.
A site 2 miles to southeast was eventually chosen,
and construction began on the new Leesburg Municipal Airport.
Undated photo of a hangar at Leesburg's original airport.
An undated aerial view looking west at Godfrey Field.
The photo is from the brochure commemorating the inauguration of the new Leesburg Airport,
and had the caption, "Leesburg's growth-antiquated original airport site."
An admittedly poor reproduction of a 1963 aerial view of the hangar & ramp at Godfrey Field, by Sam Legard.
The 1964 Washington Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Mike Keefe)
described the original Leesburg Municipal Airport as having a single 3,100' turf runway.
A 1964 aerial view depicted the original Leesburg Airport in its last year of operation.
A closeup from the 1964 aerial view of the original Leesburg Airport,
showing a total of 18 light aircraft around the hangar on the northwest side of the field.
The new Leesburg airport was opened in 1964,
and the old airport closed in the same week.
The property of the old airfield was sold to a developer,
and the proceeds went toward the construction of the new airport.
By the time of the September 1965 Washington Local Visual Navigation Chart,
only the new Leesburg Airport was depicted.
A 1970 aerial view showed the original Leesburg Airport was still completely intact, although abandoned.
By the time of a 1975 aerial photo, construction of new apartment buildings had covered the western half of the former runway.
As seen in a 2006 aerial photo, not a trace remains of Old Godfrey Field -
the property along the south side of Edward's Ferry Road
has been heavily developed with apartments & other buildings.
See also: Washington Post, Loudoun News, 11/18/01.
____________________________________________________
Lipscomb Airfield, Leesburg, VA
39.16 North / 77.55 West (Northwest of Washington, DC)
A 1958 aerial view depicted the Lipscomb airfield as having a single grass runway,
with a taxiway leading to several buildings on the north side of the field.
The private airfield of Ross Lipscomb (an early Loudoun County pilot) was located just north of the town of Leesburg.
Lipscomb was known for performing aerobatics at the nearby Wallace George Airfield in Leesburg.
According to Merton Meade, “It was strictly a private-use field on his own farm
which, at one time, was as much as 1,500 acres.
He often brought one of his DC-3 ships in & out.
Ross owned East Coast Flying Service which was a charter & non-scheduled operation
which was based at Washington National & at Martinsburg.”
The date of construction of Lipscomb Airfield is unknown.
No airfield at all was depicted at this location on aeronautical charts from 1939, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1964, 1970, or 1993.
As a private airfield, it could have been not depicted on aeronautical charts at the owner's request.
The earliest depiction that has been located of the Lipscomb Airfield was a 1958 aerial view.
It depicted the field as having a single grass runway,
with a taxiway leading to several buildings on the north side of the field.
A 1964 aerial view depicted the Lipscomb airfield in an unchanged manner.
A closeup from the 1970 aerial view depicted 2 light aircraft at the Lipscomb Airfield.
The single runway of the Lipscomb Airfield was labeled simply as “Landing Strip” on the 1981 USGS topo map.
The single 3,800' northwest/southeast runway of the Lipscomb Airfield was labeled simply as “Landing Strip” on the 1984 USGS topo map.
Merton Meade recalled, “My wife & I lived on the Lipscomb farm for about 7 years,
and I taught Ross Lipscomb's son Sam to fly there.
I kept my 2 Taylorcrafts there at the time, and they're both in the aerial photo [the 1988 photo below].
When I endorsed Sam's logbook as being 'ready to solo except for his age'
(he was about 14 or so at the time & I'd taught him to fly in my Taylorcraft... Ross insisted he learn in a conventional gear ship),
Ross then bought Sam a brand new 172! This was in 1984.
Sam soloed for the first time (the first LEGAL solo, that is) on his 16th birthday in February of 1986,
at the farm, and we had a wonderful party that night at the next door farm, Selma Plantation.
Wonderful memories.”
The Lipscomb Airfield, as depicted on the 1988 USGS aerial photo.
The airfield consisted of a single 3,800' northwest/southeast runway.
Note the plane on the runway, southeast of the intersecting taxiway,
and the four planes parked east of the buildings in the top of the picture.
The date of closure of the Lipscomb Airfield has not been determined.
Merton Meade recalled that Ross sold the Lipscomb Farm around 1995,
at which point the airfield presumably was closed.
As of 2002 the property had been covered by the Raspberry Falls housing development & golf course.
A circa 2001-2005 aerial view looking west at the buildings which remain from the former Lipscomb Airfield,
which are presumably used for maintenance of the present-day golf course which occupies the site.
A 2005 aerial view of the site of the former Lipscomb Airfield
shows that some of the former airfield buildings remain intact on the north side of the property,
and a trace of the former runway remains recognizable in the center of the photo as well.
Lipscomb Airfield was located on the west side of Route 15,
one mile north of the intersection of Business Route 15 & the Route 15 Bypass.
See also: Washington Post, Loudoun News, 11/18/01.
____________________________________________________