Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site

[Thracer]

In Tuskegee, Alabama, there's a great museum and tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, at Moton Field, 06A. This is the actual location of their training site, and you can fly into the field and walk about 100 yards to the museum. The airport has a 5000' runway and a very small FBO. Fuel is available but there is no restaurant on the field. The site is operated by the National Park Service and admission is free. I believe it is closed on Sundays. If you go be sure and see the documentary film in the theater. Here is a link to the official site:

http://www.nps.gov/tuai/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Here are some photos from our visit:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20791125/Tuskegee/image18.jpeg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20791125/Tuskegee/image9.jpeg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20791125/Tuskegee/image1.jpeg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20791125/Tuskegee/image10.jpeg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20791125/Tuskegee/image2.jpeg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20791125/Tuskegee/image13.jpeg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20791125/Tuskegee/image20.jpeg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20791125/Tuskegee/image14.jpeg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/20791125/Tuskegee/image12.jpeg

 

[mscard88]

Actually the real field is northwest of TGE (north of I85) and was called Tuskegee Army Airfield during WW2. You can see it on google maps, called Sharpe airfield now and privately owned. All the buildings from the base are gone but you can still see the street layout, big ramp area etc. Has the classic WW2 training field layout w/ multiple runways, although only one is in use today.

 

[Thracer]

Actually the real field is northwest of TGE (north of I85) and was called Tuskegee Army Airfield. You can see it on google maps, called Sharpe airfield now and privately owned. All the buildings from the base are gone but you can still see the street layout. Has the classic WW2 training field layout w/ multiple runways, although only one is in use today.

Moton Field was definitely used for primary flight training. Tuskegee Army Airfield was used for more advanced flight training. It's quite obvious when you fly in that Moton was an operational field in WWII. There were actually two parallel runways (one is now a taxiway) and from a distance they look the same.

 

[mscard88]

Yes Moton was a primary training field and Tuskegee AAF was an advanced training base where the Tuskegee Airmen were actually trained. I don't know why they built the historic site at Moton but probably because it's in city limits and a great location right off I-85.

Another interesting military airport in the area is Taylor Field, a WW I training base. Development has taken over much of if but foundations are still there. They even had a swimming pool which you can still see, I think there was something like 12-15 large hangars there when it was operational. A shame they haven't preserved it as a historic site too. Flew over it numerous times when I lived in Montgomery. Jennys were used there and another type or two. There is a road side commemorative sign marking the field.