Wright Field

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Wright Field
Wright Field 1920.JPG
Wilbur Wright Field circa 1920
IATA: noneICAO: KDWFFAA: DWF
Summary
Airport type Military
Owner United States Air Force
Location Riverside, Ohio
Elevation AMSL 790 ft / m
Coordinates 39°46′46.00″N 84°6′16.05″W / 39.77944°N 84.1044583°W / 39.77944; -84.1044583
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
05/23 8,000 2,438 Asphalt/Concrete
14/32 9,500 2,896 Asphalt/Concrete

Wilbur Wright Field, or Wright Field as it is commonly known, was an air field of the United States Air Force. It is the location of the United States Air Force Museum.

[edit] History

In 1917 Wilbur Wright Field was opened to train pilots and gunners during World War I, followed shortly by the creation of the adjacent Fairfield Air Depot, in what is today Fairborn, Ohio. In 1924, with the closing of the McCook Field test facility, the Dayton community purchased 4,500 acres (1,821 ha) including the leased area on which Wilbur Wright Field was located and named the combined facility for the Wright Brothers.

With the combining of nearby Patterson Field, the facility became known as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Aircraft operations ceased at the field in 1963.

The triangular airfield is now the location of the National Museum of the United States Air Force and its adjoining installation remained known as Wright Field, and became the center of Air Corps research and development and flight testing. In 1948, the two fields were merged under the name Wright-Patterson AFB. The former Wright Field became Area B of the combined installation, and the former Patterson Field became Area C.

[edit] External links