History
During World War II, the airfield was named Lincoln Army Air Field and used for mechanics and flight-crew training. It remained open until December 1945 when it was closed and transferred back to the City of Lincoln.
In 1952 the facility was re-opened as Lincoln Air Force Base. After operating as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) base supporting B-47 Stratojet bombers, KC-97 Stratotanker refueling aircraft and SM-65 Atlas intercontinental ballistic missiles, the U.S. Air Force closed the installation in 1966.
During the 1960's, the two primary air carriers providing scheduled passenger service into Lincoln were United Airlines and the original Frontier Airlines. Frontier operated Convair 580 turboprop flights nonstop and direct to Denver and Kansas City. Other destinations were also served as well in the region by Frontier. United flew Douglas DC-6B piston engine prop airliner service nonstop to Denver and also direct to Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Frontier then moved into the jet-age in 1966 when the airline began operating new Boeing 727-100 jetliners. One of the first U.S. cities to receive new jet service operated by Frontier was Lincoln with nonstop Boeing 727 flights to Denver and Kansas City as well as direct jet flights to St. Louis. United began operating Boeing 727-100 and Boeing 737-200 jet aircraft from Lincoln during this same time period with nonstop service to Chicago and Denver as well as direct jet service to Cleveland, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York La Guardia Airport and New York Newark Airport. Over the years, United operated mainline jet service from the airport with a variety of Boeing jetliners to include the B727-200, B737-300 and B737-500. Frontier operated Boeing 737-200 jet service from Lincoln in later years as well.
Other airlines subsequently introduced jet service into the airport including America West with Boeing 737-200 and 737-300 service nonstop to Phoenix, and Trans World Airlines (TWA) with Douglas DC-9-10 and DC-9-30 jet flights nonstop to St. Louis. The original Frontier Airlines ceased all operations in 1986 following its acquisition by Continental Airlines. Continental then served Lincoln with nonstop jet service to Denver operated with Boeing 737-200 and Douglas DC-9-10 jetliners. United continued to serve Lincoln for many years until this airline eventually turned over all service to its United Express partners who currently operate 50 passenger seat regional jet aircraft from the airport.
Today, a portion of Lincoln Airport is now home to the Nebraska Air National Guard's 155th Air Refueling Wing (155 ARW), an Air Mobility Command (AMC)-gained Air National Guard unit flying the KC-135R Stratotanker. Several Nebraska Army National Guard units are also collocated at the installation, located just east of Runway 36, alongside Taxiway Delta. The Air National Guard's tarmac is closed to general aviation and is guarded by Air Force Security Forces 24 hours a day.
The airport's main runway was also an alternative landing site for NASA's Space Shuttle orbiter.
Read more about this topic: Lincoln Airport (Nebraska)
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