Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Florida, Southwestern Jacksonville area
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 9/29/08.
Belmore NOLF (revised 11/28/06) - Branan NOLF (revised 7/12/05) - Fleming Island NOLF (revised 4/14/06)
Foremost NOLF (added 1/7/04) - Howey Airport (revised 9/29/08) - Lake Butler NOLF (revised 1/6/04)
Middleburg Airprot / Middleburg NOLF (revised 5/20/05) - Stengel Airport (revised 2/22/08)
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Belmore Naval Outer Landing Field, Maxville, FL
29.92 North / 81.89 West (Southwest of Jacksonville, FL)
An August 1943 aerial photo of Belmore NOLF (from the University of Florida Online Library, courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This former military airfield was one of a large number of satellite airfields used during WW2 by NAS Jacksonville.
The dates of use of Belmore NOLF are unknown.
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the above August 1943 aerial photo (from the University of Florida Online Library, courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Belmore as a grass field, similar in shape to a baseball diamond.
No hangars or aircraft were visible on the field in the photo.
According to WW2-era Navy memos (via Brian Rehwinkel),
as of April 1944 Belmore OLF was assigned to NAAS Green Cove Springs for Maintenance purposes.
The Belmore airfield was not yet depicted at all on the January 1944 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
or the February 1944 Orlando Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest chart depiction of Belmore which has been located
was on the July 1944 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The last chart depiction of Belmore as an active airfield which has been located
was on the February 1945 Orlando Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
According WW2-era Navy memos (via Brian Rehwinkel),
Belmore was not being used by late 1945.
However, unlike many other small WW2-era military auxiliary airfields
Belmore was a Navy owned field & was declared "surplus-retained".
Belmore OLF showed up in an NAS Jacksonville memo (according to Brian Rehwinkel)
as late as February 1947 (assigned to NAS Jacksonville),
but it was described as being "not in use".
The Belmore airfield had been abandoned by 1949,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the February 1949 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It evidently was never reused as a civilian airfield,
as it was never again depicted on subsequent aeronautical charts.
As seen in a 2004 aerial photo, no trace is left of the airfield at the site of Belmore NOLF
The airfield outline was annotated over the photo by Chris Kennedy.
The site of Belmore NOLF is located southwest of the intersection of Dade Road & Airport Road,
appropriately enough.
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Branan Naval Outer Landing Field, Orange Park, FL
30.18 North / 81.82 West (East of Jacksonville NAS, FL)
A July 1943 U.S. Government aerial photo of Branan Field's runways being paved (courtesy of the FL DOT, via Brian Rehwinkel).
This abandoned field is located only 3 miles southeast of Cecil Field, on Branan Field Rd.
According to a report prepared by Myles Bland in 2002
as part of the federal compliance process for the property's redevelopment,
Alvord & Mary Branan acquired this property in 1940.
During the period just before WW2,
the Department of the Navy began identifying parcels of land suitable for use in support of NAS Jacksonville.
Among those selected included the Branan's land, in part,
because of its close proximity to NAS Jacksonville & an outlying field - Cecil Field,
which stood northwest of the Branan's property.
In 1941, the Navy & Jacksonville engineering consultant Robert Angas identified the Branan's property
as a suitable outlying field for NAS Jacksonville.
The Federal government instituted proceedings against the Branan's real estate in the same year.
In 1941, Angas supplied the Department of the Navy with preliminary plans for "Outlying Field L,"
or "Branan Field", indicating that the property then consisted of an "improved farm" maintained by A. W. Branan.
No airfield at Branan was yet depicted on the June 1942 17M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A July 1943 U.S. Government aerial photo (courtesy of the FL DOT, via Brian Rehwinkel)
depicted Branan Field as the runways were being paved.
The eastern half of Branan's 4 runways had been paved already,
and construction trucks were visible in the northwest portion of the field.
The airfield at Branan had a unique configuration – consisting of 4 paved 4,000' runways,
which all intersected at the same point, with the ends of the runways ringed by a taxiway.
A large cleared area approximately one mile south of OLF Branan
was used as the Spencer Bomb Target, perhaps for dive bombers.
A July 1943 U.S. Government aerial photo (courtesy of the FL DOT, via Brian Rehwinkel)
showed the target to consist of a cleared rectangular area, with a simple small circle in the middle.
The earliest chart depiction which ha been located of the Branan airfield
was on the August 1943 17M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
A later WW2-era National Archives photograph depicted painted lines in rectangular shapes near the ends of each runway.
These markings were used by trainee pilots to practice landing aircraft in the specific dimensions provided by aircraft carriers,
a technique also employed at neighboring OLF Switzerland.
No buildings were depicted at the site in WW2-era photographs.
An accident summary lists Branan Field as the site of crashes
of Douglas SBD-4 Dauntless & Curtis SB2C Helldiver aircraft in 1944-1946.
Following the Second World War,
Branan Field was used for the development of the US Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron,
later to be known as the "Blue Angels".
Although NAS Jacksonville is listed as the birthplace of the Blue Angels,
most of the preliminary training was done at Branan in private.
The peculiar geometry of Branan Field made it particularly suitable for training by he Blue Angels -
the large symmetrical shape of Branan Field with its convergence of runways facilitated visualization
by pilots approaching a single central spot from various compass points in jet aircraft.
It was labeled as "Branan (Navy)" on the February 1949 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
and depicted as having a 4,000' hard-surface runway.
Branan Field was abandoned at an unknown point after 1949.
A 1953 aerial photograph (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel)
suggested that the paved surfaces at OLF Branan had been largely removed by 1953,
although the octagonal shape was still apparent.
In contrast, the bombing range south of the OLF had been improved
into an enhanced bull's-eye with directional arrows pointing east & north.
The February 1956 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted "Branan OLF (Navy)" as having a 4,000' hard-surface runway.
However, the remarks in the Aerodromes table said "Closed to all aircraft. Leased for grazing."
Branan Field was labeled "Abandoned airport" on the 1964 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
A 1964 topo map indicated that the octagonal outline of the air field was paved,
but that the runways had been eliminated.
A paved road extended from Naval Air Auxiliary Station Cecil Field to the former OLF Branan,
and an unimproved road extended southward to the bombing range.
Chris Alvarez recalled visited the abandoned site of Branan Field in the early 1970's:
"We would ride our bikes what seemed like 100 miles (but was more like 5) through the woods
to the roughly circular field that was Branan Field
and imagine that it was a UFO landing site, a Secret Government base & other mysterious things!
Cecil Field was still in use then but no bombing or other military use happened at Branan Field when we were there.
We would spend most of the day exploring & looking for traces of military stuff but never really found anything -
there wasn't much left by then but the wide, cleared landing strips & crumbling tarmac."
The outline of the former Branan Field runways were still depicted on the 1993 USGS topo map, along with the ring taxiway,
but the site was unlabeled.
The airfield at was no longer depicted at all (even as an abandoned airfield) on 1990s aeronautical charts.
As seen in the 1999 USGS aerial photo, the runways at Branan Field still existed relatively untouched,
although trees had grown up through several of them.
As seen in the 1999 USGS aerial photo, the Spencer Bomb Target south of Branan Field was still quite recognizable,
being very similar to its rectangular layout as seen in the 1943 aerial photo.
A large road project was being built through the Branan Field site in 2001,
so the remains of the airfield might not last must longer.
According to Ray (a Comair pilot), a visit to the site in 2002 confirmed that it looks nothing like an airport anymore.
The land is currently owned by a gentleman that has a hunting club on the grounds.
The perimeter road & segments of the runways (including one segment still retaining its painted markings) still remain,
although trees have grown up all throughout the area.
According to Myles Bland, "The airfield was built over in 2002 & 2003.
I too was sorry to see it go,
but pleased that it was properly documented before-hand.
The site of the former airfield "is now a very nice subdivision".
In a circa 2000-2005 USGS aerial photo, even though redevelopment had started over the site of the former Branan Field,
much still remained of the numerous runways.
Thanks to Ed Hines for pointing out this airfield.
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Stengel Airport, Gainesville, FL
29.63 North / 82.38 West (Southwest of Jacksonville, FL)
Stengel Airport, as depicted on the July 1943 Orlando Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Stengel Airport is yet another former general aviation airport
which has completely disappeared due to urban sprawl.
According to the Alachua County Library website,
Carl Stengel bought his first plane in 1930, long before most people even imagined getting into one.
He had operated Stengel's Flying School starting in the late 1930s from the Gainesville Municipal Airport.
When the Alachua Army Airbase took over Gainesville Municipal Airport in 1941,
Stengel moved to his operations to Stengel Field, located on Archer Road.
The date of construction of Stengel Field has not been determined,
but it was not listed in the Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo),
listed in the Airport Directory Company's 1941 Airports Directory (according to Chris Kennedy),
nor depicted on the January or July 1942 Orlando Sectional Charts (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of Stengel Field which has been located
was on the July 1943 Orlando Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
An undated (circa 1940s?) aerial view looking west at the Stengel Field ramp,
showing over a dozen of what appear to be Civilian Flight Training program aircraft.
Note the very unusual complement of 3 completed hangars in the foreground,
along with what appear to be another set of 3 unfinished hangars on the west side of the ramp.
The 1944 US Army & Navy Directory of Airfields (according to Brian Rehwinkel)
described Stengel as having a 3,800' sod runway.
Shown in front of an aircraft (type not determined) of Orlando Air Lines are Ernest Marquis (pilot),
Jack Frierson (Stengel Field operator), and Don Dobbins (field business manager).
The 1945 Haire Publishing Company Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described Stengel Field as having 3 hangars,
and listed the operator as Don Dobbins.
According to the University of Florida Housing website,
following WW2, faculty apartments were constructed at the Stengel Air Field & managed by the University.
A February 1949 aerial photo of Stengel Airport, from the FL DOT (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).
The airfield consisted of an open grass area, with a single east/west runway.
A closeup of the ramp of from the 1949 aerial photo of Stengel Airport, from the FL DOT (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).
Three hangars remained standing on the east side of the ramp,
while on the west side of the ramp had the uncompleted set of another 3 hangars.
A total of 6 aircraft were visible on the ramp.
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Stengel Field as having a single 3,500' sod Runway 9/27,
but described the field as unattended.
Stengel Field was depicted on the 1966 Orlando Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
as having a 3,300' unpaved runway.
Don Loftus recalled, “I flew into Stengel Field just before it closed back in the late 1960s.”
A January 1971 USDA aerial photo (from the University of Florida Online Library, courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel)
of Stengel Airport in its final year of operation.
Note that the orientation of the single grass runway appeared to have changed somewhat, compared to the 1949 aerial photo.
A closeup of several planes still on the ramp at Stengel Airport
from the January 1971 USDA aerial photo (from the University of Florida Online Library, courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).
Stengel Airport was apparently closed within the next year,
as it was not listed among active airports in the 1/15/72 Flight Guide (according to Chris Kennedy).
Almost exactly one year after the 1971 photo, this January 1972 FL DOT aerial photo (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel)
shows that the airport property was already being subjected to redevelopment -
the airplanes have been replaced by the construction equipment & materials
being used to convert the airport site into a residential and commercial development.
"Apparently, no time was wasted after the airport closed in transforming the site."
The site of the former Stengel Airport was redeveloped as the Butler Plaza & Archer Square Shopping Centers.
Brian Rehwinkel recalled, "When I was in school at the University of Florida,
I used to shop at a grocery store located on the site of this former airport
and I had no idea there was ever an airport there."
Stengel Airport continued to be depicted on the 1977 USGS topo map,
even though it had apparently been redeveloped several years before then.
The field was depicted as having a single northwest/southeast runway.
Inexplicably, the 1993 USGS topo map continued to label the site as "Stengel Airport",
even though it also depicted that the site had been completely redeveloped with shopping centers & a trailer park.
As seen in the 1999 USGS aerial photo, not a trace remains of the former airfield.
It had been replaced by Butler Plaza.
The site of Stengel Airport is located on the northwest corner of Southwest 34th Street & Archer Road.
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Howey Airport, Howey in the Hills, FL
28.7 North / 81.77 West (Northwest of Orlando, FL)
Howey Airport, as depicted on the February 1949 Orlando Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This former small airport was apparently built at some point between 1945-49,
as it was not depicted at all on the 1945 Orlando Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the February 1949 Orlando Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
which described "Howey" as having a 2,000' unpaved runway.
A January 11, 1958 USDA aerial photo of Howey Airport (via the FL Department of Transportation, courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel)
showed the field as having 2 unpaved runways, with a ramp & a single hangar at the northeast corner.
The Aerodromes table on the 1964 Orlando Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy)
described the field as having 2 runways, with the longest being a 2,000' turf strip,
but the remarks said "Northwest/Southeast runway permanently closed."
The Aerodromes table on the 1966 Orlando Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy)
described the field as having a single 1,850' bare runway.
The 1969 USGS topo map depicted the "Howey Landing Strip" as having a single northeast/southwest unpaved runway,
with a single hangar on the northeast corner of the field.
The former crosswind runway was no longer depicted.
Howey was listed in the "Low Use" section of the 1971 Flight Guide (according to Chris Kennedy),
as was described as having a single 1,800' unpaved Runway 4/22.
It was depicted as "Howey Airport" on the 1978 & 1979 USGS topo maps.
Howey was listed as a private field in the 1980 AOPA Airports USA directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
Howey Airport was evidently abandoned (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1980-82,
as it was no longer listed at all in the 1982 AOPA Airports USA directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
It was depicted as "Howey Landing Strip" on the 1985 USGS topo map.
Howey Airport was no longer depicted at all on the 1998 World Aeronautical Chart.
The 1999 USGS aerial photo showed that the airfield consisted of a single 2,400' runway, oriented northeast/southwest.
The single hangar sat at the northeast end of the runway.
A circa 2001 aerial photo of the former airfield
showed the outline of the former northeast/southwest runway,
along with the single hangar.
There was no trace remaining of the former crosswind runway.
Two views of the remaining hangar at Howey Airport, by Robert Murphy, 2003.
Robert Murphy "stumbled across" this former airfield in 2003.
"I was actually looking for abandoned buildings to photograph when I came across what I thought was an old warehouse,
but upon later inspection, it is an old hangar.
The sign scars on the side of the building say something like 'GREEN AIRWAYS',
'HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS' (that's the name of the town, believe it or not).
It didn't cross my mind that this was an old airstrip,
but I believe the area that looks to be the former runway was all low brush."
Douglas Wilson reported in 2005 that a recent visit showed the Howey Airport property to be for sale.
“According to my latest information, the hangar has been bulldozed.”
Indeed a 2008 aerial view by Bob, looking northeast, shows that the runway & hangar of the Howey In The Hills Airport have been completely removed -
another bit of local aviation history wiped away by “development”.
Howey Airport is located south of the intersection of Route 19 & South Florida Avenue.
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Foremost Naval Outer Landing Field, Penny Farms, FL
30.02 North / 81.8 West (South of Jacksonville, FL)
A 1943 aerial photo of Foremost NOLF (from the FL DOT, courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).
The photo is remarkable, as not only does it show at least 2 aircraft (type undetermined) parked on the field (center-left),
but it even depicts 2 aircraft in flight over the field (one at bottom-left, the other at top-right).
This airfield was evidently established during WW2,
as one of the many satellite airfields used to support Navy flight training in the Jacksonville area.
The date of construction of the Foremost airfield has not been determined.
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was the above 1943 aerial photo of Foremost NOLF (from the FL DOT, courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).
It depicted the airfield at Foremost as consisting of a 2,600' square grass all-way landing field.
What appeared to be a small pond occupied part of the northwest corner of the field,
along with what may have been a group of small buildings (farm houses?).
No airfield at Foremost was yet depicted on the January 1944 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
An April 27, 1944 Navy memo (according to Brian Rehinkel) described Foremost Field
an outlying field assigned to NAAS Green Cove Springs (located a few miles to the east).
Foremost was not listed among active airfields
in the April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer),
presumably due to its status as a relatively small airfield.
The earliest chart depiction which has been located of the Foremost airfield
was on the July 1944 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted “Foremost (Navy)” as an auxiliary airfield.
The last chart depiction which has been located of the Foremost airfield
was on the February 1945 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
According to Brian Rehwinkel, "As with most of the OLFs, it was not needed after the war,
and by November 1945, it had been declared surplus property."
By the time of the February 1949 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
Foremost was no longer depicted at all (not even as an abandoned airfield).
Nothing at the site was depicted on USGS topo maps from 1981 or 1993.
As seen in the above 1999 USGS aerial photo,
the site of Foremost NOLF is barely recognizable,
as the square airfield area has been almost completely covered by trees
(except for an odd-shaped clearing in the southwest corner).
It can be confirmed that this is indeed the same property, though,
as the small pond visible in the northwest corner of the field in the 1943 aerial photo is still present.
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Middleburg Airport / Middleburg Naval Outer Landing Field, Middleburg, FL
30.11 North / 81.83 West (South of Jacksonville, FL)
Middleburg Airport, as depicted on the June 1942 17M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The date of construction of this small airport has not been determined.
The earliest reference to the Middleburg Airport which has been located
was in The Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
It described Middleburg as an auxiliary airfield, located 2 miles northeast of the town of Middleburg.
The field was described as having 2 sod runways, in an “L” shape, measuring 2,500' north/south & east/west.
The Middleburg Airport was evidently abandoned at some point between 1942-43,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the August 1943 17M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
At some point in 1943, the Middleburg Airport was evidently reused by the Navy
as one of the many satellite airfields used to support Navy flight training in the Jacksonville area.
The earliest photograph of the field which has been located
was the 1943 aerial photo (from the FL DOT, courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).
It depicted Middleburg as having 3 grass runways.
No aircraft or buildings were depicted at the airfield.
No airfield at Middleburg was depicted on the January 1944 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described "Middlebrurg, Navy" as having a 3,500' unpaved runway.
“Middleburg (Navy)” was depicted as an auxiliary airfield
on the July 1944 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The December 1944 US Army & Navy Directory of Airfields (according to Brian Rehinkel)
described Middleburg OLF as being assigned to NAS Jacksonville,
and described the field as having a 3,200' runway.
The last chart depiction which has been located of the Middleburg airfield
was on the February 1945 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
According to Brian Rehwinkel, "According to Navy property documents,
Middleburg was listed as being 'inactive' by 1945
and no longer showed up on the property list for NAS Jacksonville by June 1948."
By the time of the February 1949 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
Middleburg was no longer depicted at all (not even as an abandoned airfield).
Nothing at the site was depicted on USGS topo maps from 1981 or 1993.
As seen in the January 1999 USGS aerial photo,
the majority of the property of the former Middleburg NOLF remains undeveloped,
with the distinctive outline of the 3 former runways still recognizable.
The only change at the property is that 2 substations (labeled as such on USGS topo maps)
have been built along the southern edge of the property,
with a new road cutting north/south along the western edge of the former airfield.
Jim Burnett reported in 2004, "The Middleburg OLF is now bordered by a high tension power line easement to the west,
and the site soon be home to a new Super Wal-Mart."
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Lake Butler Naval Outer Landing Field (FL03), Lake Butler, FL
30 North / 82.37 West (Southwest of Jacksonville NAS, FL)
"Lake Butler (Navy)", as depicted on the July 1943 Orlando Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This airfield was originally built during WW2 as a satellite airfield for Lake City NAS,
which trained Navy & Marine pilots in PV-2 & PV-3 Venturas.
The date of construction of the Lake Butler airfield has not been determined.
It was evidently built at some point between 1942-43,
as it was not yet depicted on the July 1942 Orlando Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the July 1943 Orlando Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described the "Lake Butler, satellite, Navy" airfield as having a 6,000' hard-surface runway.
It was still depicted as "Lake Butler (Navy)" on the 1949 Orlando Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
A March 1949 aerial photo of Lake Butler NOLF (from the FL DOT, courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).
In the above aerial photo of Lake Butler NOLF March 1949 (from the FL DOT, courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel),
all 4 runways were still marked, but the field showed no other signs of current usage.
There were no aircraft visible at the field,
and there did not appear to be any buildings at all at the airfield.
"Lake Butler OLF (Navy)" was still depicted as an active airfield
on the February 1956 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The Lake Butler airfield was apparently closed by the Navy at some point between 1956-57,
as it was no longer depicted on the August 1957 Orlando Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
At some point between 1956-65, the property was conveyed to the State Department of Corrections,
which built a large prison complex over most of the former airfield site.
It was labeled "Abandoned airport" on the 1964 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The 1974 USGS topo map still depicted 4 paved runways, labeled as “Abandoned Airport”.
At some point between 1974-93, one of the original runways was rebuilt for use by the prison.,
as seen in the 1993 USGS topo map,
which labeled the facility simply as “Airport”.
As seen in the 1995 USGS aerial photo,
one of the original runways has been rebuilt (18/36, a 6,000' paved runway).
The remains of 3 other former paved runways are still recognizable,
over which the prison buildings have been constructed.
As of 2003, the Lake Butler airfield was still in use as the Department Of Corrections Field Airport.
Although this facility is an active private airfield, it was not depicted at all on aeronautical charts.
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Fleming Island Naval Outer Landing Field, Hibernia, FL
30.08 North / 81.72 West (South-Southwest of Jacksonville NAS, FL)
A June 1943 aerial view of Fleming Island NOLF.
US Government photo, courtesy of FL DOT, via Brian Rehwinkel.
A closeup of several Navy planes (unidentified, but they appear to be of at least 2 different types)
from the above 1943 aerial view of Fleming Island NOLF.
US Government photo, courtesy of FL DOT, via Brian Rehwinkel.
This abandoned WW2-era military airfield was built as a satellite airfield for Jacksonville NAS.
The Fleming Island airfield was evidently established at some point between 1942-43,
as it was not yet depicted at all on the June 1942 17M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of the Fleming Island airfield which has been located
was the above June 1943 aerial photo (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel).
It depicted the airfield as having a total of 4 paved runways.
A total of 6 single-engine aircraft were visible on the airfield.
No buildings were depicted at the site.
The earliest chart depiction which has been located of the Fleming's Island airfield
was on the August 1943 17M Regional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted “Fleming's Island (Navy)” as an auxiliary airfield.
The February 1949 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted "Flemings Island (Navy)" as having a 4,000' hard-surface runway.
The February 1956 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted "Fleming I OLF (Navy)" as having a 4,000' hard-surface runway.
It also depicted that the airfield had its own NDB navigational beacon - very unusual for a satellite airfield.
However, the remarks in the Aerodromes table said "Closed."
Fleming Island was labeled "Abandoned airport" on the 1964 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
Chris Alvarez recalled visiting the Flemmings Island airfield in 1974.
"The field was approximately a half mile down an overgrown road into the pine woods.
I knew it then as 'Thunderbolt Speedway'.
In the late 1960's it was home to a local speedway.
But by 1974 it was not being used & the paved runways had pretty much disintegrated."
Drag racing historian Bret Kepner confirms that "Thunderbolt Dragway was, indeed,
located on the property of the abandoned Fleming Island NOLF.
Local racers, (and there were plenty; this was a very popular track before closing in the early 1970s),
insist the name came from a large stockpiling of P-47s [Thunderbolts]
on the NOLF before it was decommissioned."
According to Sam Fischer, “In the fall of 1989 it [Fleming Island NOLF]
was used to film the airstrip portion of a TV movie called 'The Road Raiders'.
It was set in the Philippines in 1942 & was about a band of left-behinds using the hulks of aircraft & trucks to carry on the fight.
They had a P-37 fuselage mounted on a truck chassis.
I remember they flew a P-51 into the strip & parked it along one of the runways.
They used black paper & silver tape glued to look like bullets or shrapnel had torn up the metal.”
The 1992 USGS topo map still depicted the outline of the 4 former runways, but the site was unlabeled.
At the time of the 1996 USGS aerial photo,
the remains of 4 paved runways (the largest was 4,000’) & taxiways still existed.
Bret Kepner pointed out that the "image clearly shows the remains of the dragstrip on the northern East/West runway,
and even the finish line is still clearly defined."
Matthew Smith recalled, “Fleming Island NOLF was still pristine
when I took a bicycle down the dirt road off US 17 to check it out [in 1997 or 1998],
having seen 'abandoned airfield' marked on some older maps.
The paving was still there, the old start/finish lines were still there.
The big construction project started the next year.
The name Thunderbolt Elementary was very controversial at the time the school board picked it,
as the drag strip had apparently not been well-liked by everyone in the area
(not that there ever WERE any people in the area, but Clay County, my home,
has plenty of people to give you the what-for whether they have a reason to or not).”
Bret Kepner noted that "Upon my arrival to Fleming Island NOLF in late 2000,
I was greeted by one of the largest construction projects I've yet seen.
The entire area... had been plowed & crews were simultaneously building malls, housing, and schools in the area.
Incredibly, an elementary school built on the site has been named Thunderbolt Elementary in honor of the dragstrip."
A circa 2005 aerial photo (courtesy of Don Loftus) shows that all traces of the 4-runway airfield
have been completely removed between 1996-2005, with the site covered by housing.
Fleming Island NOLF was located on the west side of Route 17,
along west shore of the St. Johns River,
approximately 10 miles South of Jacksonville Naval Air Station.
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