Merriam Press Aviation History. First Edition (2013). June 25,
1925, inauguration of Rodgers Field marked the beginning of
Allegheny County Commissioners' investment into commercial
aviation. A modest acquisition of 40 acres that has with time
evolved to the presence of the 1500 acre Pittsburgh International
Airport across town. This book chronicles the dreams, successes,
failures, promises, and fatalities in the intervening events from
1923 to the opening of the commercial terminal at the Greater
Pittsburgh Airport (GRP) in 1952. Over time, Rodgers Field, the
first field, could not be enlarged, expansion of Allegheny County
Airport, the second field, proved too expensive, with GRP, the
third field, finally large enough to fill the needs of the
commercial and military needs. In the 1920s and 1930s the political
leadership of Allegheny County struggled to craft the best aviation
facility to attract military and commercial interests. Experience
with the shortcomings of Rodgers Field provided guidance in the
design of the Allegheny County Airport. During World War Two,
Pittsburgh lay in the flight path of immense numbers of thirsty
military aircraft being flown from one area of the United States to
another. The breadth of the Greater Pittsburgh Airport provided the
necessary space for runways and parking areas to accommodate the
impressive traffic landing for refueling, maintenance and repair.
In that time period, the media devoted most of their attention to
the battle arenas, in foreign lands and on distant oceans.
Conflicts won meant yet another step to victory when the United
States service men and women could return home. But the success
'over there' was totally dependent upon the war production system
'over here.' In addition to the military history of Rodgers Field,
this work details the worthy participation 'over here' of the two
Allegheny County airfields. Contents: Rodgers Field: Pittsburgh's
First Municipal/Military Airport (Doomed From The Start); One Of
The Best; Only A Presidential Intervention Could Save This Local
Airman; ACA: A Push For Prominence In The Air; The 575th Of The Air
Transport Command Begins At ACA; An Approaching Storm; Tora Tora ;
Conversion Of The Bell Farm Into A CAA National Defense Airport;
Further Sources Of Delays In Construction Of The Moon Township
Defense Air Field During 1943-1944; The 575th Begin Operations At
The Greater Pittsburgh Airport; Luftwaffe Sorties Over Pittsburgh;
Personal Recollections About The Army Air Base: Greater Pittsburgh
Airport; Donuts; Heroes Past Always Present; Looking Back: It Never
Happened; A New Mission In Response To An Iron Curtain: Soviet
Threat Always a Dubious Ally; Auxiliary Reserve Training Sites; and
six Appendices: Commanders of the 575th Base Unit, 6th Ferrying
Station (ACA) and the 444th Base Unit, Reserve Training, Air
Defense Command, Grp; Major and Minor Military Aircraft Accidents
at Rodgers Field, ACA, GRP, or Nearby; Military Personnel Stationed
at ACA and/or GRP at Some Time During the Time Span 1942-1950; Air
Traffic Controllers at ACA During World War II; Members of the
324th Observation Squadron, 99th Division, US Army 3rd Air Corps,
Rodgers Field, Aspinwall, Pa, and Allegheny County Airport;
Aviation Mechanics at Rodgers Field in 1928; and Abbreviations;
Index; 162 photos, illustrations, drawings, documents.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
