Scott's USAF Installations Page

Trip Report: Maxwell Smart

First published in 2012. Reformatted 2025.

I hadn't visited Maxwell Air Force Base in several years, so I jumped at the chance to attend a work-related class there. I opted to drive, of course, so I could do some sightseeing along the way. Just a reminder PIN means Permanent Installation Number and ILC means Installation Location Code; I include these for Air Force properties when I know them.

Thursday, 11 October 2012

The first day was a push from Denver to the far side of Kansas. A stop at Forbes AFB KS was cut short by a thunderstorm--I photographed one hangar before the rain poured down.

Forbes AFB KS, PIN 1091, ILC GUQE, 38-56-50, 95-40-00. This is now Forbes Field Airport (FOE). This was Topeka Army Air Field during WWII, a 2AF base also known as Pauline Aifield. During WWII the Topeka airport was improved under the Development of Landing Areas for National Defense (DLAND) program. After the war the field transitioned to Air Transport Command, and on 1 January 1948 it was redesignated Topeka Air Force Base. The base transferred to Strategic Air Command in that same year, and was redesignated Forbes Air Force Base on 10 June 1949. The base transferred from SAC to TAC on 1 July 1965. Forbes AFB closed in the late 1970s, with much of the installation becoming Forbes Field ANG Base, which is still active today.
World War II hangar

I stopped in Olathe, Kansas, for the night. This was the long day of the trip, at 625 miles.

Friday, 12 October 2012

From Olathe, I motored east for a full day of exploring in Missouri.

Whiteman AF Missile Site M-01 MO, PIN 9745, ILC YWPZ. This Minuteman II launch control facility was designated and assigned 7 June 1963, transferred from SAC to Air Combat Command (ACC) on 1 June 1992, declared excess on 16 June 1999, and disposed of on 26 July 2002.
General view
General view

Whiteman AF Missile Site L-01 MO, PIN 9744, ILC YWPM. This Minuteman II launch control facility was designated and assigned 23 August 1963, transferred from SAC to ACC on 1 June 1992, declared excess on 16 June 1999, and disposed of on 14 March 2002.
General view
General view
General view

Whiteman AF Missile Site G-01 MO, PIN 9279, ILC YWLU. This Minuteman II launch control facility was designated and assigned 13 February 1963, transferred from SAC to ACC on 1 June 1992, declared excess on 16 June 1999, and disposed of on 20 May 2002.
General view
General view
Launch control building
Launch control building
Launch control building
Launch control building
Launch control building
Launch control building
Launch control building
Concrete feature
Air intake/exhaust shafts
Hard HF receive antenna
Hard UHF antenna
Hard HF transmit antenna

Whiteman AF Missile Site J-01 MO, PIN 9299, ILC YWND. This Minuteman II launch control facility was designated and assigned 14 November 1963, transferred from SAC to ACC on 1 June 1992, and declared excess on 16 June 1999.
General view
General view

Whiteman AF Missile Site H-01 MO, PIN 9285, ILC YWMF. This Minuteman II launch control facility was designated and assigned 23 January 1963, transferred from SAC to ACC on 1 June 1992, declared excess on 16 June 1999, and disposed of on 29 April 2002.
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
General view
Hard UHF antenna
Air intake or exhaust shaft

Whiteman AF Missile Site F-01 MO, PIN 8204, ILC YWLH. This Minuteman II launch control facility was designated and assigned 28 March 1962, transferred from SAC to ACC on 1 June 1992, declared excess on 16 June 1999, and disposed of on 20 May 2002.
General view
General view
General view

Whiteman AF Missile Site E-01 MO, PIN 9261, ILC YWKW. This Minuteman II launch control facility was designated and assigned 23 January 1963, transferred from SAC to ACC on 1 June 1992, declared excess on 16 June 1999, and disposed of on 23 May 2002.
General view
General view
General view

Whiteman AF Missile Site G-10 MO, PIN 9283, ILC YWMD. This Minuteman II Launch Facility (LF) was designated and assigned 30 January 1963, transferred from SAC to ACC on 1 June 1992, declared excess on 16 June 1999, and disposed of on 28 October 2002.
General view
General view

Whiteman AF Missile Site J-07 MO, PIN 9301, ILC YWNK. This Minuteman II LF was designated and assigned 19 March 1963, transferred from SAC to ACC on 1 June 1992, and declared excess on 16 June 1999.
General view
General view
Gate with sign

I stopped in Jefferson City, Missouri for the night. This day covered 428 miles.

Saturday, 13 October 2012

Getting an early start in Jefferson City, I drove through Missouri toward Tennessee.

Harvey Parks Airport MO, 36-53-40, 89-33-40. This is now Sikeston Memorial Municipal Airport (SIK). During WWII this was an Army Air Forces (AAF) contract pilot school operated by Missouri Institute of Aeronautics, Inc. The school at Harvey Parks Airport opened 14 September 1940, and operated until late 1944. During the war, the property was purchased from the contractor (who continued to operate the school for the AAF) by the Defense Plant Corporation (DPC).
Hangar
Hangar
Hangar
Hangar
Hangar interior
Hangar detail

Dyersburg Army Air Field TN, 35-54-00, 89-24-10. This is now Arnold Field Airport (M31). During WWII the Dyersburg airport was improved under the DLAND program. It was used by 2AF during the war, then briefly by 3AF before inactivation on 15 October 1945. It was briefly held by SAC, then TAC, in 1946, before it was excessed in 1947.
Hangar
Hangar
Hangar
Newer building on old hangar foundation
Norden bombsight storage and maintenance building, minus outer wooden structure
Norden bombsight storage and maintenance building, minus outer wooden structure
Norden bombsight storage and maintenance building, minus outer wooden structure
Building
Building
Vault
Vault
Vault
Chimney
Foundation

Eaker Air Force Base AR, PIN 2147, ILC BWKR, 35-57-30, 89-56-40. This is now Arkansas International Airport (BYH). Construction of Blytheville Army Air Field began 10 May 1942, and a pilot school opened 7 August of that year. The base was inactivated on 30 November 1945, and was briefly held by SAC and then TAC before being disposed of on 15 August 1946. It was returned to USAF service in an inactive status, and redesignated Blytheville AFB, on 10 June 1953. It was activated 18 August 1955, under TAC, and transferred to SAC on 1 April 1958. It transferred to ACC on 1 June 1992, just prior to inactivation on 15 December 1992.
SAC alert area general view
SAC alert area entrance
SAC alert area entrance
SAC alert area entrance
SAC alert area entrance
SAC 70-man "molehole" readiness crew building
SAC 70-man "molehole" readiness crew building
SAC alert area sentry tower
SAC alert area sentry tower
SAC alert area building
SAC alert area facility 1249 power plant
SAC alert area facility 1249 power plant
Facility 222
Hangar
Control tower
Hound Dog/Quail missile service shop
Hound Dog/Quail missile service shop
Hound Dog missile engine test cell
Hound Dog missile engine test cell
Hound Dog missile run-up shop
Hound Dog missile run-up shop
Jet engine test cell
Jet engine test cell
Jet engine test cell
Fuel systems maintenance hangar
Fuel systems maintenance hangar
Fuel systems maintenance hangar
Maintenance dock
Maintenance dock
World War II hangar
Dormitory, three-story
Dormitory, two-story
Facility 130
Building
Building

I settled into a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, after 524 miles of driving.

Sunday, 14 October 2012

From Memphis I had a 343-mile drive to Montgomery, Alabama, and Maxwell AFB. I would attend school on Maxwell for the next 2-1/2 weeks. This leg of the journey was 1,920 miles. While I was at Maxwell, my weekday evenings were spent at the Air University Library. Although most of the library is closed for renovation, the Authority Collection was still available. This allowed me to tap into War Department general orders from the 1920s through World War II.

Saturday, 20 October 2012

A weekend road trip seemed in order, so I packed up and explored Alabama and Georgia.

Eufaula Air Force Station AL, PIN 3305, ILC GFKD, 31-52-52, 85-15-14. This Air Defense Command radar site was also known as site TM-199 and Z-199. It was activated 31 July 1958, inactivated 1 July 1968, and disposed of 9 April 1971.
General view
General view
General view
Operations building, power plant, and AN/FPS-24 radar building (left to right)
Operations building
Operations building
Power plant
Building
Gate

Souther Field GA, 32-06-45, 84-11-20. This is now Jimmy Carter Regional Airport (ACJ). Souther Field had its aviation start as a training field in World War I. It served as a civilian airport between wars, then for World War II it was an AAF contract flying school (first elementary, later primary) operated by the Graham Aviation Company. During the war, the airport was improved under the DLAND program. Also during World War II, the property was purchased by the DPC and known to that agency as Plancor 607 (the 607 designation also applied to the three auxiliary fields).
Hangar
Hangar
Hangar
Hangar, heavily modified
Hangar, heavily modified
Elevated water storage tank
Elevated water storage tank

Bridgeboro Gap Filler Annex GA, PIN 5868, ILC CJCY, 31-25-31, 83-57-07. This ADC gap filler radar site was also known as site TM-199B and Z-199B when supporting Eufaula AFS AL, from October 1959 until 1968. Then, from 1968 until July 1970, it was known as Z-200B while supporting Cross City AFS FL. My thanks to Tom Page of radomes.org for sorting out the redesignation.
General view
Building
Top of tower

Moultrie Army Air Field GA, 31-05-00, 83-48-20. This is now Moultrie Municipal Airport (MGR). During WWII the Moultrie airport was improved under the DLAND program. A training command base, it served from 1941 to 1945 as an auxiliary of nearby Spence Field.
Ceilometer
Very High Frequency Omnirange (VOR)
Wind Tetrahedron

My overnight stop was Thomasville, Georgia. Miles on this day were 326.

Sunday, 21 October 2012

From Thomasville, I worked my way into Florida then back to Alabama.

Moultrie National Guard Armory GA, 31-11-16, 83-44-59. A classic design, probably built in the 1950s, this armory had been disposed of recently.
Building
Building

Graham Air Base FL, 30-50-05, 85-11-00. This is now Marianna Municipal Airport (MAI). The AAF pilot school at Marianna Army Air Field opened in August 1942. In the last year of WWII, the field changed hands several times, from Eastern Flying Training Command to 3AF, to 1AF; then briefly, SAC, and ADC. It was reactivated under Air Training Command as Graham Air Base, a contract primary pilot school, from approximately 1954 to 1960.
Main gate
Main gate
Airfield ramp
Airfield ramp
Water storage tank
Operations building and control tower
Operations building and control tower
Operations building and control tower
OIperations building and control tower
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building

Napier Field AL, 31-19-20, 85-27-15. This is now Dothan Regional Airport (DHN). The AAF pilot school at Napier Field opened 20 December 1941, and operated until 1945. The large hangar is interesting; it appears to be a mashup of multiple 184-foot demountable hangars.
General view
Hangar
Hangar
Hangar
Elevated water storage tank
Elevated water storage tank
Water systems buildings
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building

I returned to Maxwell AFB after driving 324 miles, making the weekend total 650 miles.

Saturday, 27 October 2012

By this time, I had caught quite an annoying cold, so I didn't do much on this weekend.

Moton Field KS, 32-27-35, 85-40-45. This is now Moton Field Municipal Airport (06A). Operated by Tuskegee Institute, Moton Field provided contract pilot training (elementary, later primary) during WWII. It was paired with nearby Tuskegee Army Air Field to provide the full course of training for black pilots. I enjoyed touring the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, and I hope to return after they have completed construction (one hangar was open with displays, the second hangar is still being prepared with displays).
General view
General view
General view
Main gate
Main gate
Hangar 1 interior
Hangar 1 interior
Hangar 1 interior
Hangar 1 interior
Hangar 1
Hangar 1
Hangar 1
Hangar 1
Hangar 1
Hangar 1
Hangar 1
Hangar 1
Hangar 1
Hangar 1
Hangar 2
Hangar 2
Hangar 2
Hangar 2
Hangar 2
Hangar 2
Hangar 2
Hangar 2
Fire protection shed
Warehouse/vehicle storage
Dope storage shed
Bath and locker house
Oil storage shed
Building

Dannelly Field AL, PIN 7580, ILC FAKZ, 32-18-05, 86-23-30. This is now Montgomery Regional Airport (Dannelly Field) (MGM). During WWII this airport was known as Montgomery Municipal Airport No. 2 and also as Dannelly Field. It served as auxiliary field No. 6 to Gunter Field, and it was improved under the DLAND program. AAF use ended in 1945, and the lease was cancelled in 1946. In 1954, Dannelly Field started serving as an ANG airfield, and this use continues to the present on a portion of the airport.
184-foot demountable hangar type DH-1
184-foot demountable hangar type DH-1
184-foot demountable hangar type DH-1
184-foot demountable hangar type DH-1

I drove a mere 131 miles on this day.

Wednesday-Thursday, 31 October-1 November 2012

My thanks to the staff at the Air Force Historical Research Agency. I greatly appreciated their friendly and fast service, allowing me to research multiple documents on short notice.

Friday, 2 November 2012

My sweetie Debbie flew down from Denver so that we could enjoy the drive home together. This first day, we made it 525 miles to Chester, Illinois.

Saturday, 3 November 2012

We made an early start from Chester and drove into Missouri.

Whiteman AF Missile Site C-01 MO, PIN 9246, ILC YWJY. This Minuteman II launch control facility was designated and assigned 13 September 1963, transferred from SAC to ACC on 1 June 1992, and declared excess on 16 June 1999.
General view
General view
Gate and sign

We settled into a motel in Salina, Kansas, after 571 miles of driving.

Sunday, 4 November 2012

We pointed the car toward home and drove 449 miles to Denver. This made the return trip 1,545 miles. The entire adventure covered 4,374 miles--the longest road trip I've ever made.

Updated May 10, 2025

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