Echeverria Field

Wickenburg Field
Part of Army Air Forces Training Command
Maricopa County, near Wickenburg, Arizona
USGS 1997 airphoto
Coordinates	33°57′14″N 112°59′32″W
Type	Basic flying training airfield
Site information
Owner	United States Army Air Forces
Controlled by	USAAF West Coast Training Center
Condition	Abandoned
Site history
Built	1942
In use	1942-1944
Events	World War II

Echeverria Field is an abandoned airfield, located approximately 15 miles (24 km) west of Wickenburg, Arizona.

History

Built by the United States Army Air Forces, Activated on 3 June 1942 as Wickenburg Field. Runway consisted of 4,000' NE/SW main (04/22) and 3,200' NW/SE (13/29). Main runway extended to 4,500' during 1943. Both runways were asphalt surfaced.

Initially used by 5th Glider Training detachment for unpowered gilder training. Primary use was basic flying training of flight cadets under contract to Claiborne Flight Academy. Flying training was performed with Fairchild PT-19s as the primary trainer. Also had several PT-17 Stearmans and a few P-40 Warhawks assigned. Had one satellite airfield located near Aguila, AZ.

Inactivated on 19 April 1944 with the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program. The airfield was turned over to civil control at the end of the war though the War Assets Administration (WAA). Was used by various private entities after the war, including being a prison & housing migrant workers. Wickenburg was used at some point between 1958-62 as a municipal airport for Wickenburg until a new facility was built closer to town.

Today the facility is abandoned. The main runway appears to have been extended after the war, secondary barley visible in aerial photography. Derelict hangar and a minor structure still standing, however some concrete building foundations is all that remain of the airport/airfield ground station and a street pattern in derelict condition.

See also

• Arizona World War II Army Airfields
• 37th Flying Training Wing (World War II)

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

• Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
• Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC

External links

• [1] Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields, Echeverria Field / Wickenburg Airport / Forepaugh Airport