Kansas World War II army airfields facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kansas World War II army airfields
Part of World War II
Type	Army airfields
Site information
Controlled by	United States Army Air Forces
Site history
Built	1940–1944
In use	1940–present

During World War II, the state of Kansas became a very important training spot for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Pilots and aircrews learned to fly fighter and bomber planes here. Kansas was chosen because it had great flying weather all year round. Its wide-open spaces were perfect for practicing gunnery, bombing, and flight training.

The training given at these airfields helped airmen gain the skills they needed. These skills allowed them to fight bravely in all parts of the war. Their efforts helped the Allies defeat Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.

Most of these airfields were built in rural areas, close to small farming towns. Having thousands of airmen stationed there brought the reality of war to these quiet communities. The air bases also created many jobs for local people. Civilians worked in maintenance, repairs, and office roles.

Kansas Airfields: Training for War

Important Training Bases

Many airfields across Kansas played a key role in preparing airmen for combat. Each base had a special mission. They trained pilots to fly different types of aircraft.

• Coffeyville Army Airfield: This base focused on basic flying skills. Pilots learned on planes like the Vultee BT-13A Valiant. After the war, it became the Coffeyville Municipal Airport.

• Dodge City Army Airfield: This airfield trained pilots to fly larger, two-engine planes like the Martin B-26 Marauder. It also had a special role in training the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs). These brave women helped fly planes within the U.S. to free up male pilots for combat. The airfield is now abandoned.

• Fairfax Army Airfield: This wasn't just a training base. It was a major factory! Half of all B-25 Mitchell bombers built during WWII were made here. After the war, it became a car manufacturing plant.

• Garden City Army Airfield: This base also provided basic flying training. It used planes like the Vultee BT-13A. Later, it became a storage area for aircraft. Today, it is the Garden City Regional Airport.

• Great Bend Army Airfield: This was one of three Kansas bases that trained crews for the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. The B-29 was a huge, powerful bomber. This base closed in 1945 and is now the Great Bend Municipal Airport.

• Herington Army Airfield: This base was a "staging" area. Aircrews flying B-24 Liberator and B-29 bombers would stop here before flying overseas for combat. It closed after the war.

• Liberal Army Airfield: This base was a main training school for B-24 Liberator bomber crews. It closed in 1945. Today, it is the Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport.

• Pratt Army Airfield: Like Great Bend, Pratt was another key training base for the B-29 Superfortress. It helped prepare the first B-29 combat unit for war. It is now the Pratt Regional Airport.

• Smoky Hill Army Airfield: This was the third B-29 training base in Kansas. It later became a very important base during the Cold War. Today, it is the Salina Regional Airport.

• Strother Army Air Field: This base started with basic flight training. Later, it trained pilots to fly advanced fighter planes like the P-47D Thunderbolt. It is now Strother Field.

• Topeka Army Airfield: This base trained B-29 aircrews. It has been used by the military since 1941. It played a big role in the Cold War and is still active today with the Kansas Air National Guard.

• Walker Army Airfield: This base also trained B-29 bomber crews. It closed in 1945 and is now abandoned.

• Wichita Army Airfield: This was a major center for building B-29 Superfortress planes during the war. It also helped prepare new aircraft for delivery. Today, it is McConnell Air Force Base, a very important military base.

Airfields Still in Use Today

Some of the World War II airfields in Kansas are still used by the military or for civilian flights.

• Marshall Army Airfield: Located at Fort Riley, this airfield is still used by the United States Army. It is a military airfield and not open to the public.

• Sherman Army Airfield: This airfield is at Fort Leavenworth. While it's a military base, it also allows civilian planes to use it.

• Smoky Hill Army Airfield (now Schilling Air Force Base) and Topeka Army Airfield (now Forbes Air Force Base): These two bases became major United States Air Force bases during the Cold War. They were later turned over to local communities. However, parts of them are still used by the Kansas Air National Guard.

• Wichita Army Airfield (now McConnell Air Force Base): This base has a long history. It started as a manufacturing site for B-29s. After the war, it became a civilian airport for a short time. Then, the United States Air Force took it over again. Today, it is a key base for refueling planes in the air.

Postwar Life for the Airfields

After World War II ended, most of these airfields were no longer needed by the USAAF. They were either sold to private owners or given to the local towns. Today, many of them are small airports used for general aviation (private planes).

If you visit some of these old airfields, you can still see reminders of their wartime past. You might find abandoned runways and old buildings that were once part of the busy military bases. These sites are a quiet reminder of Kansas's important role in winning World War II.