Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Central Connecticut
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 4/9/08.
H & H Airport / West Haven Airport (revised 3/17/07)
Rentschler Field (revised 4/9/08) - Stephenson Field / Bristol Airport (revised 3/17/07)
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H & H Airport / West Haven Airport, West Haven, CT
41.24 North / 72.98 West (Southwest of Hartford, CT)
A 1934 aerial view of West Haven Airport, taken by the Fairchild Aerial Survey Company (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The airport in West Haven was established in 1925,
according to the website of the Haley Elementary School (which eventually occupied the site of the airport).
The airport reportedly was a “small but bustling municipal airfield
that specialized in chartered commuter flights, flight instruction, freight service, and aerial photography.”
The earliest directory reference which has been located to an airport in West Haven
was in the 1931 "Airports & Landing Fields in New England" (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It described an “H & H Airport” as being located “2 miles from West Haven”, but did not give any more specific location.
It was described as being an oblong sod field,
with two runways measuring 2,500' northwest/southeast & 1,000' north/south, and an 80' x 60' hangar.
It was said to be a private field, operated by Chappy Lenox of the Lenox Brothers Flying Service.
The H & H Airport may have closed at some point between 1931-33,
as no airport in West Haven was listed in The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy)
or depicted on the 1934 U.S. Navy Aviation Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction which has been located of the airport in West Haven
was a 1934 aerial view, taken by the Fairchild Aerial Survey Company (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The airport may not have been operational at this point,
as there were no aircraft or other signs of activity on the field.
A single hangar was visible on the east side of the property.
An aerial view looking northwest at West Haven Airport,
from the Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airport Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The field had evidently been reopened under the name “West Haven Airport” at some point between 1934-37,
as that is how it was listed in the directory.
It described West Haven as a commercial airport, being 66 acres in size.
The field was said to consist of a turf field, with two runways, measuring 2,220' east/west & 1,085' north/south.
A hangar was said to be marked with the field's name.
The earliest chart depiction of West Haven Airport which has been located
was on the August 1938 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted West Haven as a commercial/municipal airport.
The 1945 NY Sectional Chart continued to depict West Haven as a commercial/municipal airport.
The 1947 USGS topo map depicted West Haven Airport as an open area,
but did not depict any other features (no runways or buildings).
The last chart depiction of West Haven Airport which has been located
was on the January 1949 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted West Haven as having a 2,000' unpaved runway.
The West Haven Airport was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1949-51,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the 1951 USGS topo map.
Haley Elementary School opened in 1952 on the site of the former airport,
according to the website of the Haley Elementary School.
The 1971 USGS topo map showed that the former airport property had been covered by the school
and a number of residential streets.
Many of the streets on the former airport property bear names which recall the former field,
like Compass Lane, Aircraft Road, Skyline Drive, Tower Road, Wing Tip Road, etc.
The 1991 USGS aerial photo showed no remaining trace of the former airport.
As seen in the 2004 USGS aerial photo, not a trace still remains at the site of the former West Haven Airport.
The site of West Haven Airport is located south of the intersection of South Street & Aircraft Road.
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Stephenson Field / Bristol Airport, Bristol, CT
41.66 North / 72.91 West (Southwest of Hartford, CT)
Bristol Airport, as depicted on the Boston Chamber of Commerce's
1931 "Airports & Landing Fields of New England" (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The date of construction of this former small general aviation airport has not been determined.
The earliest depiction of Stephenson Field which has been located
was in the Boston Chamber of Commerce's 1931 "Airports & Landing Fields of New England" (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It described Stephenson as a commercial field.
The field was said to consist of a 30-acre T-shaped turf field, measuring 2,000' x 1,700',
having four runways, of which the longest was the 1,950' northwest/southeast strip.
The field was said to have a 60' x 50' hangar.
The commercial operator was the Reliable Flying Service, Inc.,
and the manager was Gordon Warner.
The Pilots Handbook Publishing Company's 1931 Pilots Handbook (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described Stephenson Field as being 1,900' x 1,500' in size.
The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described Stephenson as a commercial airport, being 90 acres in size.
The field was said to consist of a turf field, measuring 1,475' north/south by 1,380' east/west,
and it was said to have a hangar.
A 1934 aerial view of Stephenson Field, taken by the Fairchild Aerial Survey Company (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as having a single hangar on the south side,
around which were visible 2 aircraft.
Stephenson Field, as depicted on the 1934 U.S. Navy Aviation Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
An aerial view looking north at Stephenson Airport,
from the Airport Directory Company's 1938 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The directory described Stephenson as a commercial airport consisting of a 52 acre rectangular field, measuring 2,280' north/south.
A single hangar & some other small buildings were depicted along the east side of the field.
An aerial view looking northwest at Stephenson Airport,
from the Airport Directory Company's 1941 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The directory described Stephenson as a commercial airport consisting of a 52 acre rectangular field, measuring 2,280' north/south.
A single hangar & some other small buildings were depicted along the east side of the field.
Stephenson was depicted as a commercial / municipal airport on the March 1943 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The Haire Publishing Company's 1945 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described Stephenson Field as a "class s-1" field, owned by Bristol Flying Field, Inc.,
and operated by Aviation School, Inc.
The manager was listed as H. E. Darling.
The field was said to have 3 sod strips, with the longest being the 1,600' north/south strip,
and it was said to have 3 hangars.
The 1946 USGS topo map depicted the Bristol Airport
as having an irregularly-shaped outline, with three small buildings along the road on the southwest corner of the field.
The January 1955 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
still depicted Bristol as an active airfield, although with the note "Emergency only".
It was depicted as having an 1,800' unpaved runway.
The Bristol Airport was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1955-58,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the January 1958 NY Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
In the 1991 USGS aerial photo it can be seen that the site of the former Bristol Airport has been covered by a large industrial building & parking lots,
and no trace appears to remain of the former airfield.
The site of Bristol Airport is located north of the intersection of Route 229 & Redstone Hill Road.
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Rentschler Field (EHT), Hartford, CT
41.75 North / 72.62 West (East of Hartford Brainard Airport)
An aerial view looking northeast at Rentschler Field (with the Pratt & Whitney factories in the foreground),
from The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airports Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This former airfield was located only a few miles northeast of still-operational Hartford Brainard Airport.
It was the former factory airfield for the Pratt & Whitney aircraft engine company.
The date of construction of Rentschler Field is unknown.
The earliest reference to the field which has been located
was in the Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airports Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It described Rentschler Field as consisting of a 2,700' x 2,500' turf landing area.
The aerial photo in the directory depicted the large factory buildings of the United Aircraft Corporation
(including Pratt & Whitney, Chance Vought, and Hamilton Standard) along the west side of the field.
The manager of Rentschler Field was listed as B.L. Whelan,
and the operator was American Airways,
which provided scheduled transport along the New York - Boston route.
A 1934 aerial view of Rentschler Field, taken by the Fairchild Aerial Survey Company (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as consisting of a square grass field,
along the west side of which was located a hangar marked “United Aircraft”, and a large factory marked “Pratt & Whitney Aircraft”.
The 1934 Department of Commerce Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy)
described Rentschler Field as being a 2,750' x 2,500' rectangular sod field,
with a hangar with "United Airport" painted on the roof.
Rentschler Field, as depicted on the 1935 Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Scott O'Donnell).
An aerial view looking west at Rentschler Field
from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The directory described Rentschler Field as consisting of a 2,700' x 2,500' sod landing area.
The aerial photo in the directory depicted the factory buildings of the United Aircraft Corporation
(including Pratt & Whitney, Chance Vought, and Hamilton Standard) along the west side of the field.
Airline service was listed as being provided by American Airways.
An advertisement for the companies of the United Aircraft Corporation at Rentschler Field,
from The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
A 1996 Army Corps of Engineers report mentions
that Rentschler was used as a temporary Army fighter base in 1941.
The 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Rentschler Field as having a 3,500' hard-surfaced runway,
but the remarks included, "4,000' northeast/southwest strip available."
A 1946 USAAF KS-NY Pilot's Handbook (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Rentschler Field as having three paved runways,
with the longest being the 5,800' Runway 18/36.
An aerial view looking northeast at Rentschler Field,
from the 1956 CT Airport Directory (courtesy of Stephen Mahaley).
The directory described Rentschler Field as having three paved runways, with the longest being the 5,800' Runway 18/36.
The operator was listed as United Aircraft Corporation.
It was listed among active airports in the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory,
with 3 paved runways, and the operator listed as "Pratt & Whitney".
The 1965 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss)
depicted Rentschler Field as having a total of four runways, with the longest being 5,400'.
A 1965 aerial view of Rentschler Field (from the CT State Library, via Chris Kennedy)
showed the field to still have 3 active runways.
showed a total of 6 twin-engine aircraft on the northwest side of the field, including one DC-3.
The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Rentschler Field
was on the 1975 NY Sectional Chart (courtesy Mike Keefe).
At the time of the 1990 USGS aerial photo, the field still had 2 active runways: 4/22 & 18/36.
At least 7 business jets were visible on the ramp on the northwest side of the field.
Rentschler Field was closed at some point between 1990-97.
It was still depicted for several years thereafter as an abandoned airfield on aeronautical charts.
Unfortunately, at some point between 1994-2003,
a portion of the former airport was redeveloped as Rentschler Field,
the University of Connecticut's new football stadium.
A 2003 aerial view by Jeff Franklin of the remaining runways at Rentschler Field,
with the new UConn stadium on the left.
A 2003 close-up aerial view by Jeff Franklin of the new UConn stadium which has been built over a portion of the former Rentschler Field.
As of 2006, the only remaining aviation use on the site was the Rentschler Heliport,
a private facility operated by Pratt & Whitney.
A 2006 aerial view of the remaining runways at Rentschler Field,
with the new UConn stadium on the northeast corner of the site.
John Marchesseault reported in 2007, “Brainard Airport (an active airport a very short distance away)
has a runway at about the same heading.
A pilot friend of mine was telling me it was not uncommon for pilot unfamilar with the area to land at the wrong airport!
Last summer a pilot from Westchester NY did exactly that!
Apparently not noticing the giant 'X' on the runway... or the football stadium at the other end.
It was discovered by a Fire marshal at a meeting in one of the stadium offices.
In the middle of the meeting he saw the plane on final and for a short time it hit the fan.
The plane landed safely & took off again, returning to NY.”
Thanks to Andy McKee for information about Rentschler.
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