Recent from talks
Page Field Army Airfield
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Page Field Army Airfield
Page Field Army Airfield' was a United States Army Air Forces base, approximately 4 miles south of Fort Myers, Florida. It was active during World War II as a Third Air Force training airfield. It was closed on 30 September 1945, two years prior to the establishment of the United States Air Force as an independent service.
Today, the facility is Page Field, a civilian general aviation reliever airport. Prior to the construction of Southwest Florida International Airport in the 1980s, it also served as a commercial service airport for the Fort Myers / Lee County area.
In 1924, the city of Fort Myers, Florida, purchased 670 acres of land south of the city with the intention of developing it into a municipal golf course. However, that plan was halted when a Florida "Land Bust" stopped development.
In 1927, it became a civil airport named "Palmetto Field", for the large amount of palmetto brush growing in and around the airport. National Airlines commenced regular flights into the airfield in 1937, but those were soon discontinued due to the poor landing conditions. Efforts to upgrade the airfield were boosted by a January 1940 Works Projects Administration (WPA) project constructed three concrete runways. In addition, other improvements were made and by the time of the Pearl Harbor Attack, "Lee County Airport" had grown to about 600 acres in size.
With the United States at war, the War Department decided to lease the airport from Lee County, and the initial lease for its military use was signed in February 1942, and later renewed in June 1944. The airport was turned over to the jurisdiction of the United States Army Air Forces, who assigned it to Third Air Force. At first, the USAAF called the airport Fort Myers Army Air Base; eventually the field would be named Page Field to honor Captain Richard Page, a World War I aviator killed in a seaplane accident near Everglades, Florida on March 3, 1920. Captain Page was the first person from Florida to join the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps. During World War I, he was credited with three German aircraft destroyed in combat and was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross along with the French Croix de Guerre and other awards.
Along with the existing airport, the ground support station at Page Field construction of a large number of facilities based on standardized plans and architectural drawings, with the buildings designed to be the "cheapest, temporary character with structural stability only sufficient to meet the needs of the service which the structure is intended to fulfill during the period of its contemplated war use." To conserve critical materials, most facilities were constructed of wood, concrete, brick, gypsum board and concrete asbestos. Metal was sparsely used. Page Field was designed to be nearly self-sufficient, with not only hangars, but barracks, warehouses, hospitals, dental clinics, dining halls, and maintenance shops were needed. There were libraries, social clubs for officers, and enlisted men, and stores to buy living necessities. Page Field was officially opened as an operational base on 25 April 1943.
The first use of the airfield was by the 98th Bombardment Group, which had been formed at MacDill Field, near Tampa in February 1942, and was moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana for equipping and personnel assignment. It arrived at Page Field on 30 March 1942 while the base was under construction, such was the need for the facility in the early part of the war. At Page Field, the B-24 Liberator bomber crews practiced formation flying, and other combat maneuvers for about six weeks which they would need for combat missions. The training also included anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Keys and the southeast Florida Atlantic coast.
The 98th departed in mid-May and wound up in British Palestine in July as part of Ninth Air Force. They were replaced by the 93d Bombardment Group, which also moved in from Barksdale Field on 15 May. The 93d also trained with B-24 Liberators. In August, the 336th Bombardment Group arrived with B-26 Marauders from MacDill Field, The 93d moved out to England in September to become part of Eighth Air Force; the 336th was moved to Lake Charles Army Air Field, Louisiana where it became a training unit for medium bomber pilots and aircrews.
Hub AI
Page Field Army Airfield AI simulator
(@Page Field Army Airfield_simulator)
Page Field Army Airfield
Page Field Army Airfield' was a United States Army Air Forces base, approximately 4 miles south of Fort Myers, Florida. It was active during World War II as a Third Air Force training airfield. It was closed on 30 September 1945, two years prior to the establishment of the United States Air Force as an independent service.
Today, the facility is Page Field, a civilian general aviation reliever airport. Prior to the construction of Southwest Florida International Airport in the 1980s, it also served as a commercial service airport for the Fort Myers / Lee County area.
In 1924, the city of Fort Myers, Florida, purchased 670 acres of land south of the city with the intention of developing it into a municipal golf course. However, that plan was halted when a Florida "Land Bust" stopped development.
In 1927, it became a civil airport named "Palmetto Field", for the large amount of palmetto brush growing in and around the airport. National Airlines commenced regular flights into the airfield in 1937, but those were soon discontinued due to the poor landing conditions. Efforts to upgrade the airfield were boosted by a January 1940 Works Projects Administration (WPA) project constructed three concrete runways. In addition, other improvements were made and by the time of the Pearl Harbor Attack, "Lee County Airport" had grown to about 600 acres in size.
With the United States at war, the War Department decided to lease the airport from Lee County, and the initial lease for its military use was signed in February 1942, and later renewed in June 1944. The airport was turned over to the jurisdiction of the United States Army Air Forces, who assigned it to Third Air Force. At first, the USAAF called the airport Fort Myers Army Air Base; eventually the field would be named Page Field to honor Captain Richard Page, a World War I aviator killed in a seaplane accident near Everglades, Florida on March 3, 1920. Captain Page was the first person from Florida to join the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps. During World War I, he was credited with three German aircraft destroyed in combat and was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross along with the French Croix de Guerre and other awards.
Along with the existing airport, the ground support station at Page Field construction of a large number of facilities based on standardized plans and architectural drawings, with the buildings designed to be the "cheapest, temporary character with structural stability only sufficient to meet the needs of the service which the structure is intended to fulfill during the period of its contemplated war use." To conserve critical materials, most facilities were constructed of wood, concrete, brick, gypsum board and concrete asbestos. Metal was sparsely used. Page Field was designed to be nearly self-sufficient, with not only hangars, but barracks, warehouses, hospitals, dental clinics, dining halls, and maintenance shops were needed. There were libraries, social clubs for officers, and enlisted men, and stores to buy living necessities. Page Field was officially opened as an operational base on 25 April 1943.
The first use of the airfield was by the 98th Bombardment Group, which had been formed at MacDill Field, near Tampa in February 1942, and was moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana for equipping and personnel assignment. It arrived at Page Field on 30 March 1942 while the base was under construction, such was the need for the facility in the early part of the war. At Page Field, the B-24 Liberator bomber crews practiced formation flying, and other combat maneuvers for about six weeks which they would need for combat missions. The training also included anti-submarine patrols over the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Keys and the southeast Florida Atlantic coast.
The 98th departed in mid-May and wound up in British Palestine in July as part of Ninth Air Force. They were replaced by the 93d Bombardment Group, which also moved in from Barksdale Field on 15 May. The 93d also trained with B-24 Liberators. In August, the 336th Bombardment Group arrived with B-26 Marauders from MacDill Field, The 93d moved out to England in September to become part of Eighth Air Force; the 336th was moved to Lake Charles Army Air Field, Louisiana where it became a training unit for medium bomber pilots and aircrews.
Recent media