At the outset of World War 2, the Roosevelt Administration began a study to determine ideal areas for airfields in the United States. These were, of course, necessary for training pilots and flight crews for the war effort. In addition, several states were found to be perfect for gunnery, bombing and training ranges because of their excellent weather conditions and the fact that they were sparsely-populated.
Nebraska was one of those states. It provided excellent weather conditions and it was also deemed safe from attack since it was in the Midwest, away from the coastal areas that were considered high-risk during the war.
Not only did these airfields provide training but they also brought jobs to rural areas. Civilians were employed for maintenance, repair, and secretarial work.
These, then, are the Nebraska airfields that were constructed during the war effort.
- Ainsworth Army Airfield; now Ainsworth Municipal Airport
- Alliance Army Airfield; now Alliance Municipal Airport
- Bruning Army Airfield; closed in 1969 and now abandoned.
- Fairmont Army Airfield; now Fairmont State Airfield
- Grand Island Army Airfield; now Central Nebraska Regional Airport
- Harvard Army Airfield; now Harvard State Airport
- Kearney Army Airfield; now Kearney Regional Airport
- Lincoln Army Airfield; now Lincoln Air Naional Guard Base and Lincoln Airport
- McCook Army Airfield; closed in 1945 and is now farmland
- Scottsbluff Army Airfield; now Western Nebraska Regional Airport
- Scribner Army Airfield; now Scribner State Airport
Only two of these airfields are currently not in use; the others still provide jobs and service almost 70 years after the war effort; in other words, this is an investment that keeps on giving, much like the construction projects during the Great Depression.
At Aces High we love this stuff. This is the history of World War II, just as much as the actual battles fought during that great war. We figure that the more we know about World War 2 the better our chances of improving our online flight sim game, and that means we will continue to stay at the top of competition like we have for thirteen years.
Competition comes and goes but only Aces High has been sitting on top for so many years. If what you want is the best combat flight simulator then look no further than Aces High. Strap on your helmet and fly the skies with Aces High. You won’t be disappointed!
