Taylor Field (Florida) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Taylor Field
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1949 airphoto
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| Serves | Ocala, Florida |
| Coordinates | 29°10′N 082°10′W / 29.167°N 82.167°W |
| Map | |
 Location in Florida
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Taylor Field was once an important airport and military airfield. It was located near Ocala, Florida. Today, this area is an industrial park. The airport closed in 1962. It was replaced by the Ocala International Airport-Jim Taylor Field.
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Early Days as an Airport
Taylor Field opened around 1933. It was a local airport for the city of Ocala. The airport had two paved runways. The longest runway was about 3,900 feet long. It ran from the northeast to the southwest. A paved path led to a paved area where planes parked. This area was on the north side of the field. The airport was named Taylor Field after James Taylor. He was the person who first gave the land for the airport.
A Role in World War II
In November 1941, Taylor Field became a military airfield. It was used by the United States Army Air Forces. This was during World War II. The airfield was part of the Southeast Training Center. Later, it became part of the Eastern Flying Training Command. A company called Greenville Aviation School helped train pilots there.
Training Pilots for War
Young pilots learned to fly at Taylor Field. They mainly used Fairchild PT-19 planes. These were the main training aircraft. The airfield also had some PT-17 Stearman planes. A few P-40 Warhawk planes were also used. The flight school also used two other smaller airfields nearby. Over 5,000 cadets learned to fly here during World War II.
From Airport to Industrial Park
On September 8, 1944, Taylor Field stopped its military training. This happened as the pilot training program was reduced. The airfield was no longer needed by the military. It was given back to civilian control. It continued as a public airport for a while. However, it was replaced and closed in 1962. Today, it is hard to find any signs that an airport was once there.
