America's First Lighted Airfield
by Sylvia Thornton
Title
America's First Lighted Airfield
Artist
Sylvia Thornton
Medium
Photograph - Photograph Digital
Description
This digital photo is made from a metal sculpture on the front of the North Platte Regional Airport building.
From http://www.westnebraska.com/2012/North-Platte-Regional-Airport/
Built in 1921 to serve the needs of the U.S. Air Mail Service, North Platte Field was America's first lighted airfield. It was lit by lighting fuel barrels along the runway to guide Jack Knight when he flew the first night time airmail flight on February 22, 1921. It was a segment of the first transcontinental airmail flight, which ended in success despite terrible weather.
The City of North Platte bought the airfield in 1929 and leased it to the Boeing Transport Company. To aid in the WWII war effort, they added runways in 1941 and made the field a B-17 training ground.
In 1992, the city renamed the airfield to the North Platte Regional Airport Lee Bird Field. Lee Bird was the son of a North Platte pioneer family who died in a military pilot training accident in 1918.
Today the airport is served by Great Lakes Airlines who runs trips to Denver where travelers can connect to flights farther afield. Services are also available for private pilots and planes.
Uploaded
February 18th, 2014
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