Peik Auxiliary Field facts for kids
Peik Auxiliary Field, also known as Peik Field or Peik Airport, was a special airfield used during World War II. It helped train pilots for the US Army and supported larger airfields nearby.
This airport was built in 1934 by Arnold Peik and his family. They were "barnstormers," which means they were pilots who traveled around doing flying shows. The Peik family also ran a flight school at their airport. Arnold's son, Leander Peik, learned to fly when he was only 10 years old and later became the airport manager.
Why Peik Field Was Important
When World War II began, the United States needed many more trained pilots. The Army took over Peik Airport to help with this important task. Places like Peik Field were called "auxiliary fields" because they supported bigger training bases.
Training Pilots for War
Peik Auxiliary Field was a great place for pilots to practice. It was away from busy air traffic, so new pilots could focus on learning. The United States Army Air Corps used Peik Field to train fighter pilots. They practiced important skills like taking off and landing.
The Army made the runway much bigger to handle all the training. It grew from 800 feet to 2,600 feet long and 150 feet wide. The runway was made of turfgrass, which is just a fancy way of saying it was a grassy field.
Where Was Peik Field?
Peik Auxiliary Field was located in Mission Bay in San Diego, California. It was in the southeast part of Mission Bay, close to where the big highways Interstate 5 and Interstate 8 are today. The main entrance to the field was at the end of Anna Avenue, which used to stretch further into Mission Bay. When Interstate 5 was built, parts of Anna Avenue were removed.
After the War
After World War II ended, Peik Auxiliary Field was given back to the Peik family. They continued to run the airport for a few more years. However, in 1955, the Peik family closed the airport for good.
Today, you won't find any signs of the old runway. The area where it once stood is now open land in Mission Bay. A road called Sea World Drive now cuts right across where the runway used to be.
