Bethany Airfield – A Historic New England Airfield that Hikers and Horse Lovers Can Enjoy Today
CT – If you’re looking for a little slice of aviation history, take a trip to the former Bethany Airfield in Connecticut. It was declared a historic landmark in 2014, and the old hangar was restored between 2014 and 2016. The airfield was one of the first in the area, and it was a major stop for both airmail and commercial operations between the 1920s and the 1960s.
Bethany Field’s Grass Roots
In the 1920s, Bethany Airfield was known as Bethany Field. This was an apt name because it was a flat field near the center of Bethany. A lone pilot in 1920 had noticed the good location and landed his small single-engine airplane.
In 1922, the small field caught the attention of Harris Whittemore Jr., who quickly realized the importance of the area and started turning the grass field into an airfield with a runway and a hangar. Once those were constructed, the field quickly became a haven for pilots and aviation enthusiasts.
Airmail at Bethany Field
Bethany Airfield quickly grew into a hub for airmail and commercial operations. In fact, the airmail arrow can still be seen at the old Bethany Airport. These arrows were installed to help pilots navigate to and from airports across the country. In Bethany, the tail of the airmail arrow points toward New York, and the tip points toward Hartford. The airmail arrow in Bethany may be the only one left in Connecticut, but there are still several that have survived the last century at airports across the country. In their heyday, they were painted bright yellow, and some had towers with lights on them.
K of New Haven – The First Mid-Air Refueling Flight
In 1930, the K of New Haven took off from Bethany Field in an attempt to become the first non-stop flight between North America and South America. Now, the airplanes of the 1930s could not carry enough fuel to make the 7,700-mile flight from Connecticut to Bueno Aires without refueling, so they devised a plan to refuel the airplane in flight. The K of New Haven made it from Bethany to Georgia, which is about 1,000 miles. While flying over Georgia, the crew encountered heavy fog and low fuel conditions. This forced the crew members to parachute out of the plane for their own safety while the K of New Haven crashed.
Bethany Airfield Fire of 1942
In 1942, a fire started in an office of the airport hangar. It quickly spread across the hangar, claiming six airplanes and the hangar. At the time, the damage was estimated at $19,000. Today, that damage would cost roughly $363,815. It took several months to repair the damage and reopen the airfield.
Bethany Airfield, the Civil Air Patrol, and WWII
The airfield was purchased from Harris Whittemore Jr. by Walter Reynolds, who built a hangar for each aircraft that was housed on the field. This was to prevent any future mass aircraft loss due to fires or other disasters. During that time, the airport became a base for the Civil Air Patrol, whose mission was to protect New England from attacks during World War II.
1960s Onward – Bethany Airfield’s New Life
Due to land development projects and the construction of a television tower near the airfield, Bethany was closed in 1965, but that wasn’t the end of its story. The airfield was transitioned from airplanes to family fun. The field provided a place for horse shows, flea markets, soccer, golf ball driving, and hiking.
Around 2014, the airport was declared a historic property, and the hangar was restored and turned into a community center that opened in 2016. Today, individuals and families can still enjoy the flea market every Friday, hike the trails in the nearby wooded area, and enjoy other outdoor activities and events held in the new community center. Not only that, you can even still see the restored airmail arrow next to the former hangar.