Kansas World War II Army Airfields - Major Airfields

Major Airfields

USAAF Name
Current Name
Command Mission Location Coordinates Notes
Coffeyville Army Airfield
Coffeyville Municipal Airport
Army Air Forces Training Command
Third Air Force
Phase 2 Basic flying training
Reconnaissance Pilot Training
Coffeyville 37°05′39″N 095°34′19″W / 37.09417°N 95.57194°W / 37.09417; -95.57194 (Coffeyville AAF) Aircraft operated were Vultee BT-13A Valiants (42-44); F-5 Lightnings, F-10 Mitchells (44-45) Closed 1945. Now Coffeyville Municipal Airport (CFV)
Dodge City Army Airfield Army Air Forces Training Command Specialized 2-Engine flying training school (B-26 Marauders) Dodge City 37°47′53″N 100°07′00″W / 37.79806°N 100.1166667°W / 37.79806; -100.1166667 (Dodge City AAF) Originally trained Royal Air Force and Free French pilots in basic flight training. Became B-26 Marauder training base. In addition was a training facility for Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs) Closed 1945. Now abandoned.
Fairfax Army Airfield
Fairfax Airport
Air Technical Service Command
Air Transport Command
B-25 Mitchell manufacturing Fairfax 39°08′53″N 094°35′58″W / 39.14806°N 94.59944°W / 39.14806; -94.59944 (Fairfax AAF) Manufactured 1/2 of all B-25's built during war (B-26D, B-26J). ATSC modification center; ATC ferrying base for new aircraft; transport hub on mid-America transport route. Aftr the war it became GM Buick assembly plant; manufactured F-84F Thunderstreaks during 1950s. Airport closed on April 1, 1985.
Garden City Army Airfield
Garden City Regional Airport
Army Air Forces Training Command
Air Technical Service Command
Phase 2 Basic flying training
Aircraft storage depot.
Garden City 37°55′39″N 100°43′28″W / 37.9275°N 100.72444°W / 37.9275; -100.72444 (Garden City AAF) Aircraft operated were Vultee BT-13A Valiants. Also AT-17 (UC-78) advance training beginning in 1943. Closed 1944 and became aircraft storage depot until 1946. Now Garden City Regional Airport (GCK)
Great Bend Army Airfield
Great Bend Municipal Airport
Second Air Force B-29 Superfortress bomber training Great Bend 38°20′47″N 098°51′55″W / 38.34639°N 98.86528°W / 38.34639; -98.86528 (Great Bend AAF) One of three B-29 training bases in Kansas for the 58th Bombardment Wing, the first B-29 combat unit of World War II. Also used legacy B-17Fs for pilot training. Closed 1945. Now Great Bend Municipal Airport (GBD)
Herington Army Airfield
Herington Regional Airport
Second Air Force Unit staging base Herington 38°41′41″N 096°48′29″W / 38.69472°N 96.80806°W / 38.69472; -96.80806 (Herington AAF) Processed B-24 Liberator; later B-29 Superfortress aircrews prior to overseas deployment Closed October 1945. Now Herington Regional Airport (HRU)
Independence Army Airfield
Independence Municipal Airport (Kansas)
Army Air Forces Training Command
Air Technical Service Command
Phase 2 Basic flying training
Aircraft storage depot.
Independence 38°41′41″N 096°48′29″W / 38.69472°N 96.80806°W / 38.69472; -96.80806 (Herington AAF) Aircraft operated North American BT-14 Yale. Closed 1945 and became aircraft storage depot until 1947. Now Independence Municipal Airport (IDP)
Liberal Army Airfield
Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport
Second Air Force B-24 Liberator Basic Training School Liberal 37°02′39″N 100°57′36″W / 37.04417°N 100.96°W / 37.04417; -100.96 (Liberal AAF) Closed 1945. Now Liberal Mid-America Regional Airportt (LBL)
Marshall Army Airfield Third Air Force Used by Fort Riley for light observation aircraft Fort Riley 39°03′09″N 096°45′52″W / 39.0525°N 96.76444°W / 39.0525; -96.76444 (Marshall AAF) Later Marshall AFB under ConAC. Turned over to Army in 1950. Still active under United States Army jurisdiction (FRI)
Pratt Army Airfield
Pratt Regional Airport
Second Air Force B-29 Superfortress bomber training Pratt 37°42′18″N 098°45′15″W / 37.705°N 98.75417°W / 37.705; -98.75417 (Pratt AAF) One of three B-29 training bases in Kansas for the 58th Bombardment Wing, the first B-29 combat unit of World War II. Closed 1945. Now Pratt Industrial Airport (PTT)
Sherman Army Airfield Third Air Force Used by Fort Leavenworth for light observation aircraft Fort Leavenworth 39°22′06″N 096°54′53″W / 39.36833°N 96.91472°W / 39.36833; -96.91472 (Sherman AAF) Later Sherman AFB under ConAC. Turned over to Army in 1953. Still active under United States Army jurisdiction operated as joint military-civil use airport for light aircraft (FLV)
Smoky Hill Army Airfield
Schilling Air Force Base
Salina Municipal Airport
Second Air Force
Strategic Air Command
B-29 Superfortress bomber training
SAC B-47/ICBM Base
Salina 38°47′40″N 097°38′45″W / 38.79444°N 97.64583°W / 38.79444; -97.64583 (Schilling AFB) One of three B-29 training bases in Kansas for the 58th Bombardment Wing, the first B-29 combat unit of World War II. Closed 1945.
Major Strategic Air Command base during the early Cold War Era (1951-1965) Now Salina Municipal Airport (SLN)
Strother Army Air Field
Strother Field
Army Air Forces Training Command
II Fighter Command
Phase 2 Basic flying training
Advanced Fighter Training
Winfield 37°10′07″N 097°02′15″W / 37.16861°N 97.0375°W / 37.16861; -97.0375 (Strother AAF) Aircraft operated were Vultee BT-13A Valiants. Later P-47D Thunderbolts Closed 1945. Now Strother Field (WLD)
Topeka Army Airfield
Forbes Air Force Base
Forbes Field Air National Guard Base
Second Air Force
Strategic Air Command
Tactical Air Command
B-29 Superfortress bomber training
SAC Bomber/ICBM Base/TAC Airlift base
Kansas Air National Guard
Topeka 38°57′04″N 095°39′57″W / 38.95111°N 95.66583°W / 38.95111; -95.66583 (Forbes ANGB) In continuous military use since 1941. Initially B-29 replacement aircrew training base. Later in use by SAC and TAC during Cold War. Now Kansas Air National Guard joint civil-military airport
Walker Army Airfield Second Air Force B-29 Superfortress bomber training Walker 38°53′40″N 099°06′05″W / 38.89444°N 99.10139°W / 38.89444; -99.10139 (Walker AAF) B-29 replacement aircrew training base. Closed 1945. Now abandoned
Wichita Army Airfield
McConnell Air Force Base
Air Technical Service Command
Air Transport Command
Strategic Air Command
Air Mobility Command
B-29 Superfortress manufacturing
SAC Bomber/ICBM Base
Refueling tanker base
Wichita 37°37′23″N 097°16′02″W / 37.62306°N 97.26722°W / 37.62306; -97.26722 (Wichita AAF) Boeing B-29 Superfortress manufacturing during Wold War II; ATSC modification center; ATC ferrying base for new aircraft; transport hub on mid-America transport route. Later B-47 manufacturing facility during the 1950s. Major SAC base until 1992 now AMC tanker base.

Read more about this topic:  Kansas World War II Army Airfields

Famous quotes containing the word major:

    Let’s just call what happened in the eighties the reclamation of motherhood . . . by women I knew and loved, hard-driving women with major careers who were after not just babies per se or motherhood per se, but after a reconciliation with their memories of their own mothers. So having a baby wasn’t just having a baby. It became a major healing.
    Anne Taylor Fleming (20th century)