nm5k Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 This would have been in 1947 or so...WAAAAYYYY before my time. LOLThis wasn't some reference to the Confederate Airforce...alledgedly back in '47 there were some planes of some kind (ww2 models) parked over off S Main somewhere...DisastroI believe you. I'm well aware of the CAF..They didn't exist in 1947... I've also read of them storing many oldplanes over by Ellington field back about that time. Back then, they probably had them sitting all over the placeuntil they got around to selling them, or scrapping them out. The country churned out a lot of aircraft during ww2.Lots of boats, etc also. Many of the old planes were sold to other countries, individuals, etc. Some were keptin service through the Korean war period.. IE: They flew P-51 Mustangs up through the Korean war, and many other countries bought our old planes to use in their air forces. Usually fairly meager compared to ours..I think they flew some B-29's etc up through the 50's. The ww2 era planes I've seen in old pix of Sam Houstonwere likely bought by individuals, ex ww2 pilots, etc.MK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yak23flora Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 IE: They flew P-51 Mustangs up through the Korean war, and many other countries bought our old planes to use in their air forces. Usually fairly meager compared to ours..I think they flew some B-29's etc up through the 50's.B-29s were converted to B-50s and flown more commonly as KB-50 takers. They flew well into the 1950s IIRC. There are very few B-29s that are preserved, most being scrapped or converted to the KB-50 role. The B-29 that the CAF has ("Fifi") is the only one flying today. It didn't get flightworth until 1974 and wasn't anywhere near Houston then, but flew from China Lake NAS to Harlingen TX.Not saying it wasn't a B-29 you saw but getting one of those down in Houston would be a pretty hard feat unless it was a major airfield. PB4Y-2 Naval Bombers (Naval version of the B-24) had a glass nose and these were used for firebombers for decades, they tend to get laid up in hangars and warehouses in odd places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disastro Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 I believe you. I'm well aware of the CAF..They didn't exist in 1947... I've also read of them storing many oldplanes over by Ellington field back about that time. Back then, they probably had them sitting all over the placeuntil they got around to selling them, or scrapping them out. The country churned out a lot of aircraft during ww2.Lots of boats, etc also. Many of the old planes were sold to other countries, individuals, etc. Some were keptin service through the Korean war period.. IE: They flew P-51 Mustangs up through the Korean war, and many other countries bought our old planes to use in their air forces. Usually fairly meager compared to ours..I think they flew some B-29's etc up through the 50's. The ww2 era planes I've seen in old pix of Sam Houstonwere likely bought by individuals, ex ww2 pilots, etc.MKExactly, that's what I suspect these planes were...just waiting to be handed off to collectors, sold for scrap, etc.B-29s were converted to B-50s and flown more commonly as KB-50 takers. They flew well into the 1950s IIRC. There are very few B-29s that are preserved, most being scrapped or converted to the KB-50 role. The B-29 that the CAF has ("Fifi") is the only one flying today. It didn't get flightworth until 1974 and wasn't anywhere near Houston then, but flew from China Lake NAS to Harlingen TX.Not saying it wasn't a B-29 you saw but getting one of those down in Houston would be a pretty hard feat unless it was a major airfield. PB4Y-2 Naval Bombers (Naval version of the B-24) had a glass nose and these were used for firebombers for decades, they tend to get laid up in hangars and warehouses in odd places.I didn't see these firsthand...I think my Dad did though. He may have the class of planes confused...not sure...but, I'll forward the info on to him about the planes being at Sam Houston Airfield... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4PROP Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Exactly, that's what I suspect these planes were...just waiting to be handed off to collectors, sold for scrap, etc.I didn't see these firsthand...I think my Dad did though. He may have the class of planes confused...not sure...but, I'll forward the info on to him about the planes being at Sam Houston Airfield...There were some PBY Catalinas kept out at Clover (now Pearland Regional) during the fifties. They were in really rough shape, but managed to fly in and out of there. I shot some 8mm of them from our C182 as we taxied out one time. We T-hangared just down from them. I saw no bullet holes in them but they were otherwise really battered and bruised! I couldn't imagine they were still airworthy.During one flight within 100 miles or so of Houston I observed a number of decommissioned B-36 "Flying Cigars" parked in storage at an airfield somewhere. Although I'm thinking it was towards Louisiana, it must have been Kelly AFB in San Antonio. Any additional information out there on where that may have been?Houston Municiple (now Hobby), aside from Ellington was the closest thing to South Main that had concrete load bearing runways back then. I would think the stored WWII aircraft must have been rolled in on rail cars since Sam Houston was right along side the tracks. (My dad's first flight lesson was in a J-3 at Sam Houston in 1946.)I sure hope additional feedback comes in on this story. Being a native Houstonian (from Bellaire) I am certainly fascinated by the thought of "bombers in our backyard". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwrm4 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 I think he is talking about Sam Houston airport, which was bordered by South Main. Note in the picture on this link the B-24 in the upper right corner.http://houstonfreeways.com/images/sam_hous...ew_complete.jpgThis airport was discusses previously on HAIF:http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...?showtopic=7454 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 I think he is talking about Sam Houston airport, which was bordered by South Main. Note in the picture on this link the B-24 in the upper right corner.http://houstonfreeways.com/images/sam_hous...ew_complete.jpg This airport was discusses previously on HAIF: http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...?showtopic=7454 Now that was a trip! Most long time Houstonians Didn't even know there used to be an airport where you all indicated. We just thought the old Drive-In Theater was in that area (Mclendon Triple). I too was wondering if anyone had yet placed a story of Ellington Field and provided any historical photos? Last I heard about 3 years ago now was that an epic WWII film was being made at whats left of Ellington Field but the story seemed to fade away? So question has there been an Ellington Field topic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4PROP Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 I think he is talking about Sam Houston airport, which was bordered by South Main. Note in the picture on this link the B-24 in the upper right corner.http://houstonfreeways.com/images/sam_hous...ew_complete.jpgThis airport was discusses previously on HAIF:http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...?showtopic=7454Well, seeing is believing! We indeed had "bombers in our backyard". Thanks for linking to the picture. I recall seeing it before, but didn't notice the B-24 to which I have no excuse! I guess with those big fat tires, the Liberator didn't always need concrete below it. Any idea what publication this picture was taken from? Great topic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disastro Posted July 13, 2007 Share Posted July 13, 2007 Well, seeing is believing! We indeed had "bombers in our backyard". Thanks for linking to the picture. I recall seeing it before, but didn't notice the B-24 to which I have no excuse! I guess with those big fat tires, the Liberator didn't always need concrete below it. Any idea what publication this picture was taken from? Great topic!Very interesting posts, guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highrise Tower Posted October 22, 2022 Share Posted October 22, 2022 From a Rice Thresher newspaper dated November 24, 1948. Learn To Fly! Check with us at the Sam Houston Airport on South Main Cliff Hyde Flying Service - Phone: MO-4551 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highrise Tower Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 Is there an address to this airport? Any of the surrounding airport buildings have addresses? I believe it was located on South Main Street, across from HISD's Butler Stadium. Hillcroft and South Main. So, in the area of 13755 South Main Street. I found a newspaper article about the closing of the airport dated July 6, 1957. Sam Houston Airport Will Close July 15. Sam Houston airport will be no more than a memory after July 15. Already the 70 planes based at the field have been moved to other locations. Cliff Hyde, operator of Sam Houston, has shifted to the La Porte airport when he has a 30-year lease on a 5/12 acres. He has built new facilities where he will hangar and maintain 25 aircraft from Sam Houston... The deactivated airport, opened in 1940, whs one of the better smaller fields in the Houston Area... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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