Anniston Air Force Base
Encyclopedia
Anniston Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force
airfield located approximately 10 miles north-northeast of Talladega, Alabama
. It was active from 1942 to 1945 and 1949 to 1952. It is currently the site of the Talladega Superspeedway
.
The airfield was initially assigned as an auxiliary to Courtland Army Airfield
, Alabama and was assigned to the Southeast Training Center of the Army Air Force Training Command. It was used as a Basic Flying school, and was equipped with Vultee BT-13 Valiant
s for the cadets assigned to the base. AAFTC also located a transition school at Anniston in early 1945 for pilot upgrade training from B-17/B-24 heavy bombers to B-29 Superfortress
very heavy bombers. The airfield was also used by the Army Airways Communication System with the 108th AACS Squadron being assigned to the airfield.
The field became inactive on 12 July 1945 and placed on standby status. It was reassigned to Craig Field
, Alabama in September 1945, then lastly to Maxwell Field
, Alabama as Auxiliary Field #3.
It was reopened by the United States Air Force
Air Training Command
on 1 July 1949 as Anniston AFB and conducted contract flying training until 1 August 1950 when it was transferred to Air Materiel Command as a support airfield to support the Anniston Army Depot
. On 30 June 1952, Anniston AFB was closed for the final time, with the land being sold to the city of Talladega.
The facility was vacant for little over a decade when Anniston insurance executive Bill Ward assisted NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation founder William H.G. (Bill) France acquire the land to develop what would become Alabama International Motor Speedway, which opened in 1969.
Today the hangar on the former AFB still exists and is in use by the speedway, along with the aircraft parking ramp. The foundations of some of the station buildings northeast of the hangar can still be seen. The area has numerous taxiways and parts of former runways in various states of deterioration or are being used as access roads, one of which connects to the adjacent Talladega Municipal Airport
.
Note: Talladega Municipal Airport was built after World War II next to the former AFB. It does not utilize any of the runways or taxiways of the former military airfield, and there is no shared history between the two facilities.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
airfield located approximately 10 miles north-northeast of Talladega, Alabama
Talladega, Alabama
Talladega is a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 15,143. The city is the county seat of Talladega County. Talladega is approximately 50 miles east of Birmingham, Alabama....
. It was active from 1942 to 1945 and 1949 to 1952. It is currently the site of the Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
.
History
Anniston was opened in 19 October 1942 as a flying school as part of Army Air Forces Training Command (AAFTC). The field was built with three hard-surfaced concrete runways, a parking ramp and one hangar, constructed of wood and metal. The ground station consisted of many uniform buildings constructed of wood, tar paper, and non-masonry siding. The use of concrete and steel was limited because of the critical need elsewhere. Most buildings were hot and dusty in the summer and very cold in the winter. Besides offices, barracks and training classrooms, there was a library, a social club for officers, and enlisted men, and a store to buy living necessities.The airfield was initially assigned as an auxiliary to Courtland Army Airfield
Lawrence County Airport
Courtland Airport is a public-use airport located two nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Courtland, a town in Lawrence County, Alabama, United States...
, Alabama and was assigned to the Southeast Training Center of the Army Air Force Training Command. It was used as a Basic Flying school, and was equipped with Vultee BT-13 Valiant
BT-13 Valiant
The Vultee BT-13 Valiant was an American World War II-era basic trainer aircraft built by Vultee Aircraft for the United States Army Air Corps, and later US Army Air Forces...
s for the cadets assigned to the base. AAFTC also located a transition school at Anniston in early 1945 for pilot upgrade training from B-17/B-24 heavy bombers to B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
very heavy bombers. The airfield was also used by the Army Airways Communication System with the 108th AACS Squadron being assigned to the airfield.
The field became inactive on 12 July 1945 and placed on standby status. It was reassigned to Craig Field
Craig Field
Craig Field is an Australian former professional rugby league player. Field played for South Sydney, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Balmain Tigers and Wests Tigers. His primary position was at halfback...
, Alabama in September 1945, then lastly to Maxwell Field
Maxwell Field
Maxwell Field was the football stadium located behind the former location of Louisville Male High School, 911 S. Brook St., Louisville, Kentucky, 40203 which was bounded by the streets of Brook, Breckinridge, Floyd, and Caldwell streets in Louisville, Kentucky. In 1984 a double murder known locally...
, Alabama as Auxiliary Field #3.
It was reopened by the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Air Training Command
Air Training Command
Air Training Command is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. ATC came into being as a redesignation of the Army Air Forces Training Command on July 1, 1946...
on 1 July 1949 as Anniston AFB and conducted contract flying training until 1 August 1950 when it was transferred to Air Materiel Command as a support airfield to support the Anniston Army Depot
Anniston Army Depot
Anniston Army Depot is a major United States Army facility fulfilling various depot operations. Primary missions are the repair of tracked vehicles and storage of chemical weapons . The depot is located in Bynum, Alabama....
. On 30 June 1952, Anniston AFB was closed for the final time, with the land being sold to the city of Talladega.
The facility was vacant for little over a decade when Anniston insurance executive Bill Ward assisted NASCAR and International Speedway Corporation founder William H.G. (Bill) France acquire the land to develop what would become Alabama International Motor Speedway, which opened in 1969.
Today the hangar on the former AFB still exists and is in use by the speedway, along with the aircraft parking ramp. The foundations of some of the station buildings northeast of the hangar can still be seen. The area has numerous taxiways and parts of former runways in various states of deterioration or are being used as access roads, one of which connects to the adjacent Talladega Municipal Airport
Talladega Municipal Airport
Talladega Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located eight nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Talladega, a city in Talladega County, Alabama, United States...
.
Note: Talladega Municipal Airport was built after World War II next to the former AFB. It does not utilize any of the runways or taxiways of the former military airfield, and there is no shared history between the two facilities.
See also
- Alabama World War II Army AirfieldsAlabama World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Force established numerous airfields in Alabama for antisubmarine defense in the Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers....