Click on one of the buttons to explore a chapter in the history of Floyd Bennett Field.
News Flash:
Fly-In at Historic Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York! September 8-9, 2007. Many WW2 aircraft to be on display. FREE ADMISSION - OPEN TO GENERAL PUBLIC. Come see historic aircraft fly over in formation and land at New York City's 1st Municipal Airport located Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn and learn about civilian and state emergency services. Hear the roar of powerful turbine engines and learn about aviation equipment and capabilities. Join our community in support of our troops fighting overseas through special activities that recognize returning deployed personnel, and honor the Victims of September 11th on the 6th Anniversary. Enjoy a musical performance of America's Tenor, Daniel Rodriquez. The chance of a lifetime to experience displays of historic aircraft up close. [B]Schedule of Events*
8:00 AM -Arrival of US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard Helicopters along with Police aviation units from NYPD and other law enforcement agencies from as far as Albany, Suffolk and Westchester.
9:00 AM -A Chance of a Lifetime to witness the arrival of Historic Aircraft. Witness history in flight watch WWII bombers and fighter aircraft land at Floyd Bennett Field.
10:00 AM Formation Fly Over of historic aircraft. Hear the roar of the powerful engines of a B-25 and airplanes of the past.
11:30 Opening Ceremony with Armed Services Color Guard featuring the National Anthem sung by America's Tenor, Daniel Rodriquez. Share in a Moment of Silence in Support of our Troops, and participate in a Moment of Silence in remembrance of Victims of September 11th on the 6th Anniversary of terrorist attacks on America. CONTACT: NPS Operation Ryan Visitor Center
718-338-5180 office
Introduction:
Welcome to the Historic Floyd Bennett Field web site.
This is an on-line historic archive of photos, stories, and technical
information about the aircraft, famous flights, and aviators that were part of
this now abandoned airfield in Brooklyn, New York.
A postcard view of Floyd Bennett Field in the 1930's by famous aviation photographer Rudy Arnold.
Another vintage "colorized" postcard view of Floyd Bennett Field in the 1930's by Rudy Arnold.
Barren Island Airport
Most of the area occupied by the current Floyd Bennett Field is landfill. See the 1890 map below. The area above the "..CK.. in "ROCKAWAY" is Barren Island and the current site of Floyd Bennett Field.
1890 Map of Brooklyn.
Prior to the construction of Floyd Bennett Field. A small airport named "Barren
Island Airport" was operated by Paul Rizzo in the 1920's. Barren Island Airport
was a modest operation compared to Floyd Bennett Field, but nonetheless, the
first airport on the site.
An
Epps Model 1924 Monoplane at Barren Island Airport circa 1928-1929. Any
information on this aircraft would be greatly appreciated by the Epps
family!
Photo: Epps Family Collection
Do you have any
photos of Barren Island Airport? Please help us with our research and so that
other may enjoy them too!
Airport Details
The
control tower at Floyd Bennett Field was modified by the US Navy during World
War 2. Do you have any good photos or plans of the old original control tower
and/or new control tower showing the installed equipment?
Runway Details
America's Greatest Airport Nearing Completion
Mail May be Shot by Pneumatic Tube Underground to Post Office.
Brooklyn, N.Y.: New York City's new $5,000,000 municipal airport known as Floyd Bennett Field is fast near completion. It's two gargantuan cement runways, nearly a mile long, and the largest in the world, are finished and work is almost completed on the 200 foot wide apron where hangars, passenger entrees and departures will be located. There is little doubt but that some day in the near future this will be the scene of regular arrivals and departures od scheduled trans-Atlantic flights. Four bills have been introduced into congress for the construction of a pneumatic mail tube service between airports and post offices in Boston, St Paul, and New York. Congressman D.J. O'Connell, of Brooklyn, introduced the bill to provide for a mail tube service between Floyd Bennett Field and the Brooklyn post office. When installed, New York will have the fastest air mail delivery service in the world. Ten minutes after the plane has landed the mail will be in the hands of the postman at the Brooklyn post office enroute to it's final destination. Under present conditions via truck it will take an hour to get the mail to the post office instead of ten minutes by tube. Photo shows the eight inch deep runways, heaviest in the United States built to withstand the largest mail and passenger carrying ships the size of the ?OX"
(Hamilton M. Wright - Newspaper Feature News).
Postscipt: Congressman David Joseph O'Connell died in 1930, and the pneumatic mail tube was never constructed.
{ Click
here to see the Runway Plan }
Runway 15-33: One
of the original runways constructed in 1929, this 3,100 x 100 foot concrete
runway was lengthened to 3,500 feet in 1936, and was improved to become the
4,500 x 300 foot taxiway T-10 in 1942. It runs parallel to the old hangars along
Flatbush Avenue.
Runway 6-24 (Old): The second of the
original two runways constructed in 1929, this 4,000 x 100 foot concrete runway
became taxiway T-1 and T-2 in 1942. It runs perpendicular to the old hangars
along Flatbush Avenue from the Administration Building/Control Tower to Hangar
B.
Runway 6-24 (New): Constructed in 1942, this 5,000 x 300
foot runway was lengthened to 6,000 feet in 1952. It runs perpendicular to
Flatbush Avenue on the North side of the field.
Runway
1-19: Constructed in 1936, this 3,500 x 150 foot runway was lengthened
to 5,000 x 300 feet in 1942. It was lengthened to 7,000 feet at an unknown date
and is the longest runway at the airport. It runs from the vicinity of the front
gate to the North corner of the field near the Mill Basin
inlet.
Runway 12-30: Constructed in 1936, this 3,200 x 150
foot runway was lengthened to 5,000 x 300 feet in 1942. It was lengthened to
5,500 feet at an unknown date. It runs from the old Coast Guard Hangar to the
Northwest corner of the field near Flatbush Avenue. For many years, the US Coast
Guard used 2,500 feet of this runway for helicopter operations. Now the NYPD
Aviation Unit uses this same runway.
The Original Landing Light Tower
The
original landing field light tower at Floyd Bennett Field. This system was
replaced by recessed runway lighting and was removed. Do you have any good
photos or plans of these light towers?
The Hangars
The
original hangar row at Floyd Bennett Field along Flatbush Avenue. Hangars A and
B on the Jamaica Bay side were built during WW2. The "Blue Nose Hangar" was
added to "Hangar Row" and torn down in recent years. Do you have any good photos
or plans of these hangars?
The Rotating Beacon
The
existing rotating beacon at Floyd Bennett Field along Flatbush Avenue. This
beacon presented a Green-White-White flash to inbound pilots to identify this as
a military airfield.
Help Us: Can you help with our research on the history of Floyd Bennett
Field? Do you have any old photos, documents, or stories about your experiences
at the field? Please help preserve the past and contact us!
About this
web site: This is a non-profit web site created by a group of volunteers
interested in the history, preservation, and interpretation of historic Floyd
Bennett Field. We seek to support the fine efforts of the National Park Service
and the many dedicated volunteers through this on-line archive project.
Updated: September 7, 2007
Home
| News
| 1930's
| WW2 |
Cold War
| NYPD
| USCG
| Gateway |
Photos |
Links
Sign
Guestbook | View
Guestbook | - Contact Us -
