Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Texas, Southern Fort Worth Area
© 2002, © 2005 by Paul Freeman. Revised 10/19/05.
Barron Field (revised 10/27/03) - Benbrook Field (added 7/22/03) - Luck Field
Oak Grove Airport (revised 8/1/05) - Pylon Field (revised 8/2205) - Singleton Field / Russell Field (revised 5/3/05)
Sky Ranch Field / Lucas Field (revised 4/10/04) - TCU Airfield (revised 10/19/05)
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32.67 North / 97.4 West (Southwest of Downtown Fort Worth, TX)
TCU Airfield, as depicted on the March 1947 Dallas Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
This short-lived former airfield was operated by Texas Christian University (located a few miles to the northeast).
TCU Airfield was apparently established at some point between 1944-47,
as it was not listed among active airfields in the April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer).
The earliest depiction of TCU Airfield which has been located
was on the March 1947 Dallas Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 1948 USAF Target Complex Chart (courtesy of David Brooks)
depicted the "TCU Airfield" as an irregularly-shaped area, bounded by the railroad tracks on the southeast side.
No runways or buildings were depicted at the field.
David Brooks reported that the field "appears to have supported an Air Force ROTC unit
where flight training took place for students in the ROTC at TCU."
Ganey Bradfield reported, “I live directly across the railroad track from the obtuse angle in the southeast airport boundary.
I have lived at this location since 1951.
I have flown off the TCU airport many times (with the CAP).
I remember flying off the airport in the late 1950s.
The entrance road to the airport crossed the track pretty much where Wedgemont Circle North intersected Granbury Road.”
The TCU Airfield was apparently closed by 1957,
as it was not depicted at all on the 1957 DFW Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The location & layout of the former TCU Airport, superimposed by Ganey Bradfield on a 1963 TX Highway Department map.
Ganey Bradfield recalled, “In 1963, the Westwood Addition to Fort Worth had been developed.
It was developed on the TCU Airport property.”
There was no trace remaining evident of the former TCU Airport on the 1995 USGS aerial photo.
As seen in the 2001 USGS aerial photo, not a trace remains of the former TCU Airport.
The site of TCU Airfield is located northwest of the intersection of Wedgemont Circle North & Granbury Road.
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Singleton Field / Russell Field, Everman, TX
32.65 North / 97.31 West (South of Fort Worth, TX)
Singleton Field, as depicted on the February 1942 Dallas Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
This former general aviation airport was evidently opened at some point between 1937-42,
as it was not listed among active airfields in the Airport Directory Company's 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo).
The earliest depiction of Singleton Field which has been located
was on the February 1942 Dallas Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Singleton Field as having a 2,400' unpaved runway.
At some point between 1944-47, it was apparently renamed "Russell Airfield",
as that is how it was labeled on the March 1947 Dallas Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 1948 USAF Target Complex Chart (courtesy of David Brooks) depicted Russell as having an irregular outline,
but it did not depict any runways or buildings.
Bill Sievers recalled of Russell Field,
"In the 1950's and into the 1960's it was a very active general-aviation airport."
The September 1957 Dallas Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Russell Field as having a 3,100' unpaved runway.
Gerry Gieger recalled, "I do remember the Goodyear Blimp stopping at Russell field whenever it was in this area."
Ganey Bradfield recalled, “Russell Field... I have flown off it several times.
The BIG thing about it was a cliff on the north end that did a number on unsuspecting pilots landing to the south.
That cliff created a pretty good down draft that, if you weren't aware of it,
would drop you down pretty low on final approach.
One could tell if the landing pilot was unfamiliar with that feature -
he would always have to add power to get to the end of the runway.”
The 1963 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse)
depicted Russell Field as having two turf runways: 3,100' Runway 17/35 & 1,900' Runway 4/22.
Each runway had a parallel taxiway,
which led to a group of six hangars & an office at the southwest corner of the field.
The manager of the field was listed as O.C. Thompson,
and the operators were listed as Aero Tex Maintenance, Foster Flying Service,
Fulton Flying Service, Texair Flyers Inc., and Williams Flying Service.
A 1964 aerial view by Ken Morris, looking northeast at Russell Field's hangars, taken from 'Hap's' Taylorcraft.
Ken recalled, “Bill Carr & I were his instructor & charter pilots.”
Russell Field, as depicted on the 1965 DFW Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
A circa- 1964-69 photo by Ken Morris of Russell Field's control tower & hangars.
A circa- 1964-69 photo by Ken Morris of Russell Field's control tower,
which appeared to be decayed by that point, with broken windows.
Ken Morris recalled, “My first flying job was flying for 'Hap' Foster at Russell Field.
C.O. Williams was the check pilot that gave me my commercial license.
'Old Man' Thompson, as he was known, (manager of Russell Field)
as a good friend & a great old man rich in aviation history.”
Jim McCurdy recalled, “Hap Van Foster was the primary flight instructor at Russell Field
when I did my solo flight in 1966.
He later crash landed on the Continental Divide in Colorado during a bad snow storm.
As I recall, the crash broke one of his legs.
He was not killed in the crash, but died from exposure to the elements the next day.
They said he made a great landing considering the weather and the terrain,
and would have survived easily except for the freezing weather.”
Russell Field was described as having a 3,100' unpaved runway
in the 1967 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Brad Stanford).
A 1969 photo by Ken Morris of a Beechcraft Stagerwing in front of the Russell Field terminal building.
Jeff Burns recalled, "When I was growing up [late sixties & early seventies]
my Dad would often take us to Russell Field to watch airplanes.
Back then when the Goodyear Blimp would visit the Fort Worth area & stay overnight,
they would usually moor the blimp at Russell Field.
The entrance to Russell Field used to be south of where Alta Mesa Boulevard is now.
The hangars were just to the south of the present day Holiday Inn.
Alcon Laboratories original building was to the north [of present day Alta Mesa]
next to the I-35W service road.
The two ¼ circle office towers visible in the photograph
are roughly in line with the old flight path approaching the runway.
The airport did not extend into the subdivision to the northeast.
The subdivision was existing before Russell Field closed.
I also think that the runway extended further south by the time the airport closed
[compared to what was depicted from the 1963 airport directory above].
I remember from watching the planes taxiing etc,
that my impression was that the big red wind tee that was in front of the little control tower building
seemed to be more in the middle [north/south wise] of the field rather than so far south."
George Horn recalled, “My first assignment with S & S (which also operated S & S Patrol Field) was at Russell Field.
I moved there & based a plane there for S&S in 1972.
I flew Gulf Oil pipeline patrols out of there for over a year.
At the time old Col. Williams was still around, pretty frail,
he was usually rocking on the front porch of the old wooden terminal.
A Mr. Foster actually ran the airport & he had a single-pilot 135 operation using an old Cessna 310 for freight mostly.
Mr. Foster was good to me & gave me a key to his shop & allowed me to use his tools and shop whenever I wanted.
In late 1973 I believe it was, I offered old Col Williams a ride in my company Cessna 140
and much to my surprise he took me up on the offer.
I had to help him into the little airplane he was so frail.
I recall he insisted on keeping his cane in his lap.
All I did was take off, and fly one circuit & while on downwind I noticed he had a big grin
and he leaned over and said to me 'Well, I guess you better put me back down.'
I believe it was the old flight instructor's last airplane ride, as he died shortly thereafter.”
George Horn continued, “In the last month or so of 1973 I relocated to the home base, S&S Patrol Field near League City
as I had hired Ron Lane to replace me as the Fort Worth area pilot.
It was shortly afterwards that I learned Mr. Foster had been killed flying freight (explosives for the government).
I believe he hit a mountain somewhere.
Just before I'd moved Mr. Foster had agreed to sell me a Grumman Wigeon with Rangers which sat in one of the shade hangars.
It's engines were in crates, and the wings were also removed & crated & stored alongside as was the interior.
The price we'd agreed upon was $500.
He told me there was no hurry to pay him, as he knew I'd have to scrape to come up with it on patrol pilot's salary.
I intended it to be a long term reconstruction project,
and when I learned of his death, I returned to visit Mrs. Foster to pay her & pick up the logbooks.
I was too late.
I was told the shade hangars had been bulldozed into a hole, complete with the airplane and crates of misc. spare parts.
It's all under concrete now.
I believe the death of Mr. Foster was the final blow for Russell Field, as he was the last operator there.”
Russell Field was still depicted as an active airport on the 1974 Rand-McNally DFW road map.
Russell Field was no longer depicted on the 1978 DFW Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ray Brindle).
Jeff Burns recalled, "I heard stories that the Miller brewery [to the south] bought the field to expand their facilities.
It seemed that shortly after Russell Field closed,
the Miller Brewery built a building either on, or immediately off of the south end of the runway.
Later the Holiday Inn came in, then Alcon expanded [several different times] and finally Alta Mesa was cut through."
Bill Sievers recalled, "When I visited Fort Worth in 1987,
I stayed at the Holiday Inn in that general location which is just about where the airport was.
I looked around for any evidence of it which might have remained, but couldn't find any."
By the time of the 1995 USGS aerial photo,
a hotel & other buildings occupied the site of Russell Field,
and not a trace of the airfield appeared to remain.
The location of Russell Field, as seen in a 2001 USGS aerial photo.
An October 2004 photo by Tim Tyler "looking south over the rear of the Holiday Inn Fort Worth South parking lot,
onto the Alcon Corporation property used for parking truck trailers,
and then beyond that is the large Miller Beer brewery & distribution center.
The highway visible [on the right] is Interstate 35."
In October 2004, Tim Tyler stayed in the Holiday Inn which occupies part of the site of the former Russell Field.
"Unfortunately, I didn't notice any signatures whatsoever of the site having once been an airfield."
The site of Russell Field is located east of the intersection of Interstate 35 & Altamesa Boulevard.
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32.7 North / 97.14 West (Southeast of Fort Worth, TX)
"Sky Ranch", as depicted on the March 1947 Dallas Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while open has not been located.
This former general aviation airfield was evidently established at some point between 1944-48,
as it was not listed among active airfields in the April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer).
The earliest depiction of an airfield at this site which has been located
was on the March 1947 Dallas Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted "Sky Ranch" as a municipal or commercial airfield.
At some point within the next year, the field was apparently renamed "Lucas Airfield",
as that is how it was labeled on the 1948 USAF Target Complex Chart (courtesy of David Brooks).
It depicted the field as having an L-shaped outline,
but it did not depict any runways or buildings.
Lucas Field was depicted on the September 1957 Dallas Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
as having a 2,500' unpaved runway.
Joel Russell recalled, “Pops' [Burnham's] shop was located west down Arkansas Lane
about a quarter mile or so from Lucas.
It was a magical place for a kid growing up,
with all kinds of planes in various stages of repair
and a bone yard out back that sheep kept mowed down.
The shop itself was a large metal Quonset hut & later a smaller concrete block building was off to the side.
He would rebuild all sorts of planes, then tow them to Lucas down Arkansas Lane
with the tail wheel tied over the tailgate of his turquoise Chevy Camino pick-up.”
The 1963 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse)
depicted Lucas Field as having three turf runways, with the longest being the 2,125' Runway 17/35.
Six hangars & an office were located along the northern edge of the field.
The manager of the field was listed as C.W. Burnum,
and the operator was listed as the Burnum Aviation Company, Inc.
Lucas Field was depicted on the 1965 Dallas Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss)
as having a 2,100' unpaved runway.
Lucas Field was evidently closed (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1965-67.
as it was no longer depicted in the 1967 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Brad Stanford).
David recalled, “Back in the late 1960's / early 1970's, as a child I played soccer in the Arlington Soccer Association.
All our games were played at 'Lucas Field', as were all league games for several years,
until the league grew too large and we needed new fields.
I can remember as a child that there was an old crashed airplane in a pond still there at Lucas,
and one building remained, which became a concession stand.”
Joel Russell recalled, “The wrecked plane at Lucas in the pond was an experimental 'Twin Luscombe'
that he [Pops Burnham] designed & built.
I don’t remember when, but what I do remember was that someone else flew it
and was involved in a ground loop accident & was written off. Pop never spoke of it.”
Lucas Airfield was still depicted on the 1979 AAA DFW road map,
but it had most likely been closed for several years by that point.
The location of Lucas Field, superimposed by David Brooks over the 1995 USGS aerial photo.
The site of Lucas Field has been covered by residential development,
and not a trace of the airfield appeared to remain.
The site of Lucas Field is located southeast of the intersection of South Bowen Road & Arkansas Lane.
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32.67 North / 97.46 West (Southwest of Fort Worth, TX)
An undated aerial view of the control tower, flying field, and hangars at Benbrook Field.
Photo is from the Benbrook TX Public Library (via Corky Baird).
A 1918 overhead view of Benbrook Field.
Photo is from the Benbrook TX Public Library (via Corky Baird).
An undated aerial view of the hangars of Benbrook Field.
Photo is from the Benbrook TX Public Library (via Corky Baird).
An undated photo of a group in front of a biplane & hangar at Benbrook Field.
Photo is from the Benbrook TX Public Library (via Corky Baird).
An undated aerial view of a formation of biplanes from Benbrook Field.
Photo is from the Benbrook TX Public Library (via Corky Baird).
The Royal Canadian Flying Corps established this airfield in 1917,
as one of three fields in the Fort Worth area where it trained pilots for WW1
(the other two fields were Hicks Field & Barron Field).
This airfield was initially known as Taliaferro #2,
and was also known as Carruthers Field.
The RCFC used the field through 1918.
One particular Canadian aviator, Captain Vernon Castle,
was already world renown as the famed dance team of Vernon & Irene Castle.
Regrettably, he was killed in a plane crash at Benbrook during training exercises.
Some witnesses, including William Fuller,
believed that he deliberately crashed in order to avoid hitting another plane, and saved their lives.
His burial was witnessed by thousands of mourners,
who sadly watched the flagged draped casket pass in downtown Fort Worth.
Even today, there is a street in Benbrook named in his honor.
As seen in the above 1918 aerial photo,
Benbrook Field consisted of a grass landing area alongside of which were arrayed an amazing total of 16 hangars.
The dimensions & orientation of the landing area are unknown.
A complex of other buildings was located on the opposite side of the hangars.
After the beginning of World War I,
it was renamed Benbrook Field by the United States Army.
Benbrook was used during WW1 as an aerial gunnery school for American & Canadian students
and was afterward deactivated.
By 1932, Benbrook Field was no longer depicted at all on the Dallas Sectional Chart.
As seen in a circa 2000 aerial view, no traces of the former Benbrook Field were still apparent -
the area had been densely redeveloped with housing.
A 2003 photo by Scott Murdock of the memorial to the fliers of Benbrook Field.
According to Bill Sievers, "Essentially one corner of the field was where
Cosby North Street & John Reagan Streets join in Benbrook.
If you look beside one of the houses there, I believe on John Reagan Street,
you can see a large concrete apron which the owner uses a patio.
I was told this was where one of the hangar buildings was located.
About a mile south of there, near one of the neighborhood's water tanks,
there is a memorial plaque which describes the airfield."
David Martin reported in 2004, "I live about 200-300 yards west of the eastern edge of what was the field.
There are some of what appears to be remaining concrete slab areas
in a very few back yards along Cosby North Street here. I have seen them.
Homeowners in that area say that they have been told those are remnants of the old airfield.
There is also in a very small undeveloped area just north of Cosby North Street & south of Mercedes Street
a thing which I guess is a possible cistern from the field.
There is one remaining building in a field west of US 377 South
(although as a police officer here in Benbrook I can not say people should go out there as it is trespassing).
I have been out to that building several times as we have used it for tactical training.
It is what I believe is a munitions building
and seems to be of the same construction as the one remaining building at Barron Field.
The walls of both buildings are extremely thick."
"The memorial at Benbrook Field is for the famous dancer Vernon Castle [who died in a crash at Benbrook].
The memorial had fallen into disarray but was restored by local Eagle Boy Scout Jarrod Martin
as his service project a few years ago.
It was roughly 1998 or 1999 when he did this.
Martin's dad told me that his son had carefully researched the accident
and the memorial is said to be within 50 feet of the actual crash site.”
See also: The Handbook of TX Online.
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32.62 North / 97.31 West (South of Fort Worth, TX)
A 1918 aerial view of Barron Field (courtesy of Bill Leary).
An undated view of a biplane over Barron Field (courtesy of Bill Leary).
Barron Field was one of three fields in the Fort Worth area which were used by the
Royal Canadian Flying Corps to conduct flight training during the First World War
(the other two fields were Hicks Field & Benbrook Field).
This airfield was also known as Taliaferro #3.
According to The Handbook of TX Online,
construction on Barron Field began in September 1917.
According to Bill Leary (author of the book Flyers of Barron Field),
the U.S. took over took over Barron Field in April 1918.
"The airdrome was behind the hangars.
There were no landing strips; they just circled an observation tower where the instructors watched."
According to an accident report (courtesy of Robert Carter),
Flying Cadet Franklin Fairchild was killed in a February 23, 1918 crash of his airplane at "Taliaferro Field #2, Everman".
According to Scott Murdock, Barron Field was used as a temporary storage depot in 1920.
The field was closed about 1921 & reverted to farm land.
By 1932, Barron Field was no longer depicted at all on the Dallas Sectional Chart.
According to Bill Sievers, "There is still an old building with a historical marker
which explains what activities were engaged in at that airfield during WW1.
This site is located right in the middle of a corn field as I remember,
and if it wasn't for the old building & historical marker,
one would never know there was once a flying field there."
As seen in a circa 2000 aerial view
several modern buildings had been built around the periphery of the Barron Field site.
A 2003 photo by Scott Murdock of the historical marker & sole remaining building at Barron Field.
Benbrook resident David Martin reported in 2004,
"The remaining building at Barron Field was maintained for years by my mom's garden club
and we strongly believe it was the munitions building for that field.
The walls of both buildings [at Barron Field & Benbrook Field] are extremely thick.
My mom's garden club donated the building to the Everman school district a few years ago
and the district was talking about making it into a small museum for their students.
I don't know where that project stands or if the district followed through or not."
The site of Barron Field is located east of the intersection of Barron Way (appropriately enough) & Forum Way.
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Luck Field (F71), Garden Acres, TX
32.6 North / 97.32 West (South of Fort Worth, TX)
Luck Field, as depicted on the July 1963 DFW Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Ken Morris).
The date of construction of this former general aviation field is unknown.
It was apparently built at some point between 1957-63,
as it was not depicted on the September 1957 Dallas Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of Luck Field which has been located
was on the July 1963 DFW Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Ken Morris).
It depicted Luck as having a 3,500' hard-surface runway.
The 1963 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse)
depicted Luck Field as having a single 3,350' asphalt Runway 16/34,
as well as two turf runways: 3,400' Runway 17/35 & 2,650' Runway 8/26.
A total of four hangars were clustered northeast of the runway.
The field apparently also had some military use,
as one building is labeled "Army Reserve Hangar & Office".
The manager was listed as Dr. L.H. Luck.
By the time of the 1970 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Ray Brindle),
the runways at Luck Field had started to shrink.
The paved Runway 16/34 was shortened to 3,000', turf Runway 17/35 was also shortened to 3,000',
and the former turf Runway 8/26 had been closed.
The 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury)
described the runway configuration of Luck Field in basically the same manner.
In the diagram of Luck Field in the 1985 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse),
the number of hangars had increased to eight.
The manager was listed as Leskie Luck,
and the operator was listed as Executive Aviation Inc., which provided flight instruction.
In the 1995 USGS aerial photo,
Luck Field was still operating, and it appeared as if the primary runway had recently been repaved.
However, Forth Worth area private pilot Rich Wolf reported that
"Luck Field closed within a few years after Leske Luck (its owner) died."
The date of closure of Luck Field has not been precisely determined,
but it was apparently between 1998-2001.
The increasing value of the property most likely played a large role.
It was also probably due to its proximity to other airports,
as there were a total of three general aviation airports located within a distance of only five miles:
Sycamore Strip to the north, Luck Field, and Oak Grove (later to become Spinks) to the south.
Unfortunately, it appeared that the local area couldn't support three fields in such close proximity,
particularly once the local government replaced Oak Grove Airport with the new Spinks Airport.
A sad sight for anyone who values general aviation airports:
the 2001 USGS aerial photo showed that Luck Field had already been almost completely removed,
with a new housing development being built over it.
Remnants of a portion of the south end of the runway were still visible.
Aerial view of the site of the former Luck Field, looking southeast.
Photo by Paul Freeman, 8/02. Thanks to Charlie McClure for the flight.
The remains of a ramp which formerly surrounded the southern set of hangars at the former Luck Field.
Photo by Paul Freeman, 8/02.
What used to be the entrance to Luck Field, with the former airport owner's home on the right.
Photo by Paul Freeman, 8/02.
Paul Freeman visited the site of Luck Field in 2002, and flew over it as well.
To the casual observer, there is no indication that an airport once stood at the site.
The former airport owner's home is the only airport building remaining on the site -
all of the hangars have been removed.
A development of new homes has been built along the western portion of the airport property,
with a wall surrounding the development that roughly parallels the former runway.
Garden Acres Drive has been extended, and now crosses over the location of the former runway.
The remains of the ramp which used to surround the southern set of hangars is still present.
The site of Luck Field is located west of the intersection of Interstate 35 & Garden Acres Drive.
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Oak Grove Airport (F72), Oak Grove, TX
32.58 North / 97.3 West (South of Fort Worth, TX)
An entry from the 1963 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse).
Oak Grove Airport was built & operated by aviation pioneer Maurice Hunter "Pappy" Spinks.
He was a renowned aerobatic competitor & aviation manufacturer.
The devoted airman even lived in a house on the Oak Grove Airport property.
Spinks was a patron of the Aerobatic Club of America.
He was described by fellow aerobatic pilots as a "rough edged old millionaire",
who had made a fortune during the Vietnam War as a vendor for nearby Bell Helicopter,
by manufacturing the skids for their Huey helicopters.
The precise date of construction of Oak Grove is unknown.
It was apparently opened between 1962-63,
as it was not included among active airfield in the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory.
The earliest depiction of Oak Grove Airport which has been located
was in the 1963 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse).
It depicted the field as consisting of a single 2,000' turf Runway 17/35.
The operator was listed as Oak Grove Flying School.
Two hangars & an office were shown west of the runway,
along with several large buildings along the north side labeled "Commercial Buildings (ALSCO Inc.)".
These were presumably the manufacturing facilities which produced the Huey helicopter skids.
Ken Morris Jr. recalled, “I soloed off of Oak Grove Field on January 1, 1963 in one of Pappy Spinks' Piper J-3s.”
Note Oak Grove's dirt runway.
Photo by Ken Morris Sr. (courtesy of Ken Morris Jr.).
Oak Grove gained a paved runway at some point between 1963-70,
as the 1970 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Ray Brindle)
depicted the field as having a 3,050' asphalt Runway 17/35.
A paved ramp west of the runway had been extended toward the south,
along with a greater number of hangars.
By the time of the 1978 DFW Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ray Brindle),
the runway had been lengthened to 3,500'.
Forth Worth area private pilot Rich Wolf reported that
"Oak Grove faded away after Pappy Spinks died."
Unfortunately, the fate of this airport was sealed by local politics in the late 1970s.
In an unusual geographic arrangement,
there came to be a total of three general aviation airports clustered in close proximity,
as Sycamore Strip & Luck Field were situated within five miles to the northwest of Oak Grove.
As nearby Fort Worth grew rapidly in the 1970s,
local government leaders decided that expanded general aviation facilities were needed.
Given that they had three small airports to pick from,
did they do the logical thing, by picking one of them to be expanded?
No, they didn't.
In another classic case of TX government waste
(ironically very reminiscent of what happened at nearby Greater Southwest International Airport),
they decided to ignore Sycamore Strip & Luck Field,
and close Oak Grove Airport & replace it with a newly-built field right next door, Spinks Airport.
After all, why reuse & expand the existing infrastructure,
when far more "pork barrel" work can be expended at taxpayer expense
by building something right next door from scratch!
The property adjacent to Oak Grove to the west was chosen as the site for the new airport in 1981.
In the diagram of Oak Grove in the 1985 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse),
hangars had sprouted up all over the west side of the field, totaling over 25 hangars.
The manager was listed as C.E. Selecman.
The southwest portion of the airfield diagram included the note, "Multiple helipads in this area",
which presumably were used by Bell Hueys in conjunction with the skid manufacturing operations on the field.
Spinks Airport was constructed adjacent to Oak Grove to the west in 1988.
At least the history of the site was acknowledged by naming the new airport after "Pappy" Spinks.
Ken Morris recalled, “Saturday May 27, 1989 at the crack of dawn,
we took off in our Bonanza from Oak Grove Airport for a three day get-away.
Sunday 28, a ceremony was held closing Oak Grove & activating Spinks Airport.
Monday May 29, we returned landing at the new Spinks Airport.”
A circa late 1988 - early 1989 photo by Brian Goad of his father's L-4,
in front of the larger hangar directly north of the radar dome.
According to Brian, “This hangar is where the bar & grill scenes of the movie 'Pancho Barnes' were filmed.”
Brian Goad recalled, “There was activity on part of the old side at least until about mid 1989, not the runway, though.
I know because I was in the Civil Air Patrol & one of their planes was based there, and we used the new runway at Spinks.
We also used the old terminal for operations during training missions.”
Aerial photo circa 2000.
Aerial view of the former Oak Grove Airport, looking southeast.
Photo by Paul Freeman, 8/02. Thanks to Charlie McClure for the flight.
An 8/02 photo by Paul Freeman looking north along Oak Grove's closed Runway 35.
Photo by Paul Freeman, 8/02.
An 8/02 photo by Paul Freeman of what was apparently the former on-airfield home of Oak Grove Airport's founder, "Pappy" Spinks,
with the wind tetrahedron still standing in front.
An 8/02 photo by Paul Freeman of the elegant former terminal buildings at Oak Grove Airport, now fenced off & overgrown.
An 8/02 photo by Paul Freeman of the former manufacturing buildings of ALSCO Inc.,
where Huey helicopter skids were built, at the north end of Oak Grove Airport.
Paul Freeman visited the site of Oak Grove Airport in 2002, and flew over it as well.
What a waste.
Many municipalities would count themselves lucky to have such an airport,
with a 3,500' concrete runway & a large number of hangars.
Yet this airport sits abandoned, wasting away.
An elegant two-story building, of relatively-modern construction (apparently the former airport terminal)
sits behind a barbed wire fence, with vines obscuring almost the entire front wall.
What was apparently the home of Pappy Spinks also still stands.
The former manufacturing buildings of ALSCO (where the Bell Huey skids were built)
still stand at the north side of the airport property,
and are being reused by some business.
The concrete runway still exists, in very good condition.
Portions of the runway are used to store trailer homes.
Some of the hangars on the southwestern portion of the airfield are still used by aircraft operating from Spinks Airport
(a taxiway connects them to the Spinks runway).
But the majority of the hangars & other aviation infrastructure at Oak Grove Airport
are separated from Spinks by a high fence.
It is almost as if the local politicians didn't want to be reminded
that all of that aviation infrastructure was already there.
Very strange.
Oak Grove Airport is located south of East Rendon Crowley Road, a half mile east of Interstate 35.
See also: http://www.ftwtexas.com/spinks/spinks1.htm
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32.69 North / 97.18 West (Southeast of Fort Worth, TX)
Pylon Field, as depicted in the 1963 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse).
According to Troy Whistman, “The airfield was built in 1960.
Sid Fisher, and another instructor, Tom Russell, were instructing at nearby Lucas Field.
They got to talking about building their own field to instruct out of, found the property, and went in as partners.”
Joel Russell recalled of Pylon Field, “I was pretty well raised at the airport the first 7 years of my life.
By the age of 3, Mom said I could walk up and down the row of hangars
and tell you what kind, and who the each plane belonged to.
My Dad [Tom Russell] was partners with Sid Fisher, so access was unlimited.
There was always someone there that I could hitch a ride with to go around the patch.
Dad & Sid had thought of buying out 'Pop' Burnham & Lucas Field
but for reasons unknown to me at this time, that didn’t happen.
I do have a letter sent by Burnham Aviation with a list of all properties & price.”
The 1962 AOPA Airport Directory described Pylon Field as having a single 1,800' turf Runway 17/35.
According to Troy Whistman, “Tom sold his interest in 1962 & went on to crop dusting.
He based a clipped-wing Piper on the field at Pylon,
and died there, when an aerobatic routine went wrong & he crashed right in the middle of the runway.”
The 1963 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Steve Cruse) depicted Pylon Field as having a single long t-hangar east of the runway,
and an office on the northeast side, along West Mayfield Drive.
The manager was listed as Sid Fisher.
Pylon Field, as depicted on a 1965 Enco Oil DFW road map.
Pylon field was described in basically the same manner on the 1965 Dallas Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
Joel Russell recalled, “My Dad [Tom Russell] bought a J-3 in Clyde TX to use as a duster for a year or two,
then rebuilt it in our garage in the Poly area of Ft. Worth as a Clip-Wing Cub.
I remember that it was taken to Pops for final assembly and FAA certification
then towed to Lucas for the first flight it made to Pylon.
At that time it was silver with with a red lightning bolt on the side.
Dad had drawings that he had made similar to Charlie Hillard's cub with a red, white and blue sunburst.
That paint never got applied.
On December 20, 1965 he picked me up from school to go to the airport to do some flying.
He was going to practice on his aerobatics, and return to take me up afterwards.
After a pass or two, coming from the south end of the field he began to execute a perfect slow roll
in front of myself, Brady 'Old Man' York and Marvin Dotson.
As he reached the center of the field inverted, and about 50’ above ground level
the carbureted engine sputtered & the plane began to drop like a rock.
I believe he tried to snap roll to the left, but the plane impacted on the nose & right wing.
I remember the sound… like someone dropping a dumpster in a parking lot.
The plane came to rest in show center standing on the nose, facing south.
He was killed on impact.
It was sometime before I was able to return to the airport.”
The runway at Pylon Field had been paved by the time of the 1970 TX Airport Directory (courtesy of Ray Brindle).
It depicted a 1,764' asphalt Runway 17/35,
along with a paved taxiway east of the runway led to two rows of t-hangars.
An early 1970s aerial view looking southeast at Pylon Field (courtesy of Sid Fisher, via Troy Whistman),
“before the big hangar was built. You can see the poured pad for the new hangar in the bottom of the picture, to the left of the runway.”
Pylon Field was still depicted on the 1973 USGS topo map.
According to Troy Whistman, “The school district purchased the property in 1973 & gave them two years of usage.
Sid says that the last person to solo at the field was Roger Dellinger.
The last flight out was in the spring of 1975.”
Pylon Field was no longer depicted at all (not even as an abandoned airfield)
on the 1978 DFW Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ray Brindle).
The site of the former Pylon Field circa 2000, showing the remains of the runway.
A 8/02 photo by Paul Freeman looking south along the remains of the runway at Pylon Field,
still perceptible on the grounds of Marshall High School.
Paul Freeman visited the site of the former airport in 2002.
Martin High School has been built along the southern edge of the former airfield.
An uninformed observer would never guess that this was once the site of an airfield.
However, the entire 1,800' length of the former runway still exists,
now surrounded on either side by the school's athletic fields.
The site of Pylon Field is located southeast of the intersection of West Mayfield Road & French Wood Drive.
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