Kingman Army Airfield Historical Society & Museum
Kingman Army Air Field
1940
Kingman looks to help the government in finding a new
base for the military. The Mohave County Chamber of Commerce was making the inquiries.
B-17 on the Flightline
1941
Kingman is inspected by the Army Air Corps. Major Horton
makes a few trips to Kingman to look at the land for a future Army airfield.
After his visits are made, few more officers visit Kingman. Port Kingman is
used to train future Army Air Corps pilots through a civilian pilot program. On December 7th, Pearl Harbor is attacked and the country's enters World War II.
B-17s on the Flightline From the Control Tower
1942
January, Kingman is abuzz with aircraft activity. Most
aviation operations are moved to the interior of the country. Kingman has
volunteers to watch the skies.
February, Port Kingman is now a “
March, Port Kingman is certified basic training field by Civil Aeronautics Authority. The flight training is known as Civil Pilot Training Course.
April, More Classes are add to flight training at Port Kingman. The first raid alarms are sounded. Boards of officers make a visit to check on Kingman and gives ok for the runways for the new field.
May, Scott’s
June, Construction of the new field starts. Future base
commander Lt. Col. Huglin of
July, Bids for construction are out for the new field. Port Kingman has posted no cameras at the airport. Anyone entering Port Kingman property needs an ID to be on grounds.
August, The runways are started. On 4th, Army Air Force Flexible Gunnery School at Kingman is activated. Morrison-Knudsen and M. H. Hasler won the bids for the construction on the new field. Other parts of the new field and areas for the gunnery school are cleared.
September, Col. Huglin and his men arrived for setting up operations at the new field. Yucca and surrounding are cleared for use by the Army Air Force.
October, More orders and troops arrived at the field. Port Kingman still doing pilot training, but will be closed soon.
November, More troops and orders come to the new field.
December, Base operations is at the local Harvey House, soon will move to the field. More troops and orders come to the field.
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Kingman Army Air Field History
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Gunner in Training
1943
January, More troops and orders come into the field. Certain buildings are now open for field operations. The field is 100% B-17 gunner training. The gunner training will support 300 per class. Port Kingman will close as soon as the Kingman field is ready for operations.
February, The field receives and sets up training equipment. More men arrive and more orders are given. More facilities are now in place.
March, The field is becoming more operational. The aircraft is wide and varied. More troops are assigned to tasks.
April, Classes are set up for a six week schedule. More reorganization is taken place on the field. The runways are being worked on for lighting. Bob Hope makes a visit to the field.
May, The Army Air Force Flexible Gunnery at Kingman, AZ was renamed Kingman Army Air Field. Kay Kyser performs and does a radio show from the field.
June, Yucca Sub-base is renamed Yucca Army Air Field. The field’s runways are now lighted. The base pools are open. The Three Stooges entertained the troops.
July, The field is reorganizing and adding more training aids. The Memphis Belle and crew make a stop at the field.
August, The first of the B-17E models are flown in for training. By the end of the month, all training will be done in the newer B-17s. More training aids are added to the classes.
September, B-17s and AT-6s are use the standards at the field. More gunnery students go through training.
October, More training, more troops and more orders. Kingman become the parent base for Yuma Army Air Field.
November, Gun camera training is added for training in the classes. Still some more changes are happening at the field.
December, The 1st Anniversary is celebrated at the field. The field is fully operational.
More Training
1944
January, Four Engine Transition Group (Co-pilot) is
started. The Train Bus crash, the airfield loses 28 men. H. L. Royden wins bid
for new underpass for the airfield.
February, Permanent runway lighting system is started. The Chinese Air Force makes a visit to the airfield.
March, The “Cactus” base newspaper is year old.
Photographers from
April, General orders makes some changes, KAAF squadrons will fall under Army Air Force Base Unit 3018 and Yucca AAF will be AAFBU 3019. All squadrons will become part of this main squadron.
May, All squadrons now have to be part of AAFBU 3018 or
AAFBU 3019.
June, The night landing lighting is completed.
July, The new underpass is completed.
August, The P-63 is replacing the P-39 in training. The first WASP class begins in the TB-26 co-pilot school.
September, A KAAF B-17 crashes into the
October, The last base issue of the “Cactus” is printed. Future issues will be printed by Mohave County Miner.
November, A B-17 and P-39 have a mid air collision on training flight and all souls lost. Last WASP class completes, no more WASP will be trained at the airfield.
December, The 2nd anniversary of the KAAF, Kingman receives an excellence rating.
Gunner on the B-17
1945
January, More changes on the airfield, squadrons change
designations, troops move to different squadrons, KAAF is in flux.
February, KAAF hosts gunnery meet and takes four of six events.
March, More changes in departments. The airfield has a rodeo.
April, Classes are being reduced on B-17 and cadets sent to B-29 training. The airfield is being reorganized. TB-26 Co-Pilot training is cancelled.
May,
June, KAAF is temporary inactive. Troops are discharged on point system and others are reassigned.
July, Troops are discharged and more reorganization, all squadrons are consolidated.
August, The control tower is closed, all controls go through Needles Control. The WACs are transferred out.
September, The 3018 is changed to 4184. KAAF will become a Storage Depot.
October, KAAF is turned over to Air Technical Service. Aircraft is now arriving for storage.
November, Lt. Col. John J. Ratigan becomes KAAF’s last commander.
December, Julian Myers is in charge of the storage depot.
Gunner on the Range
1946
January, Last full month of Kingman Army Air Field, the
airfield is being shut down.
February, The 25th is the last day of Kingman Army Air Field, the next day is Storage Depot 41.
