KANSAS CITY DOWNTOWN AIRPORT - 2 & 5th October 2014

[acklington]

This is the former main airport for the City, and TWA's original base. I'd looked it up on a satellite image beforehand, but wasn't expecting much. You drive close by it, coming in from the new International airport, and the first surprise was to see this lot sat right by the road.


I've always had a fondness for the Aero Commander, so five parked together, albeit engineless, was something.

Did'nt have a chance to go back there for a day or two, but rapidly changed my mind when this flew low over the city centre the following day. Talk about a mad scramble for my camera!


How many times in life do you get bounced by a 1942 Lockheed C-60A Lodestar?


Former USAAC serial 42-56036, now registered N1940S.


As can be seen, the airfield is barely a mile or two from the City centre.

And this is the view of it from our hotel. The Missouri River is in the foreground, and the airfield, which is on the river's floodplain, is protected by a massive levi. Even so there were very large ponds on the airfield's grass.


Next surprise was this brand new C-27J Spartan, serial 10-27030 of the US Army. Not sure what unit it has been allocated to?

Then a closer look at the Aero Commanders





I knew that there is a TWA museum on the airfield, containing 'only' a Constellation, but unfortunately the museum's hours did not coincide with mine. But round the back of the Connie's hangar was a consolation surprise! Close to the fence.



An airworthy 1937 Lockheed 12A beautifully restored in its original TWA Research Division colours.

PART 2 of this thread will follow later .......................

[calflier]

Excellent report and photos,this airfield was of course home to DC7B N836D,before it was made airworthy again,only to now sit at Raleigh-Durham,probably never to fly again great shame,anyway look forward to part 2.

[acklington]

PART 2

As you can probably tell, I'd started to like this place! And as an aside Kansas City itself was a real surprise, and nothing like its hamburgers/baseball/and convention centre image. Instead I've never seen so much top quality 'art deco' architecture in one place. Absolutely cracking, and the more modern stuff ain't bad either. Anyway, back to aeroplanes .......


The other aviation museum is the "National Airline Museum" housed in a period hangar, and containing such gems as a Martin 404, early DC-3, etc. Shame that I wasn't there when it was open. The only aircraft outside is this Tristar N700TS, minus engines.

There were probably some 100 aircraft dotted around the airfield, but the amount of hangarage is also vast, so I reckon there must be another 200 aircraft locked away.

The former Terminal aprons are used by executive jets, and these are parked very close to the fence line. So for all you biz-jet fans, here is a selection;

















Then back round the far side - there is a quiet landside road all the way around, so it is easy to access the fence line at various points for photos. And I had been waiting for a King Air to depart, because parked behind it was this!

P-51D NL4132A, original serial 45-57445

And finally, amongst all the boring Cessna and Cherokee aircraft, was this smart Bellanca


And here's another Commander pic for good measure

Which is what drew me to the place.

Next up in this series will be Kansas City International Airport ..............

[ronturner]

Thanks. Great report, great photos and a reminder of how great is the USA in certain respects; aviation and aviation heritage, being amongst them.

[northbynorthwest]

Excellent photos of an airport I have been to several times. The Aero Commanders were operated by a company who flew them on contract for UPS, I believe. Last time I was there - probably 8-9 years ago - there were several parked in the same location. I will have to dig out my photos to see if it was the same group of aircraft. I know some had their propellors removed, but all had engines mounted. There were also 4-5 airworthy ones on the western side of the airfield in the area to the right of the TWA museum hangar.

It is a pity that you could not visit the TWA Museum. Fascinating place, it housed the Constellation, Martin 4-0-4 and DC3. Last time I was there, the L1011 had not arrived, but they were talking about it. It is housed in what was a TWA maintenance hangar. The airport was the Kansas City airport before the current airport was built, and you would have Boeing 707s taking off on the runway that is shown in the view from the hotel room. Must have been an interesting approach over the downtown area, as the area where the hotel is located is quite elevated.



Calflier's reference to the former Eastern Airlines DC7B is incorrect, it was based at the St. Paul Downtown Airport in Minnesota, where it sat for many years before being restored by Carlos Gomez, owner of Florida Air Transport. I was living in Minneapolis at that time, and was lucky enough to crawl all over it, as I knew a couple of people who assisted in the restoration. Also, it is now at Charlotte, North Carolina, not Raleigh-Durham, having blown an engine on take-off.


Fascinating stuff !!!!

[jonascon]

This place looks amazing! Great photo's thanks for sharing - Jon

[calflier]

Oct 20, 2014 15:54:03 GMT 1 northbynorthwest said:

Excellent photos of an airport I have been to several times. The Aero Commanders were operated by a company who flew them on contract for UPS, I believe. Last time I was there - probably 8-9 years ago - there were several parked in the same location. I will have to dig out my photos to see if it was the same group of aircraft. I know some had their propellors removed, but all had engines mounted. There were also 4-5 airworthy ones on the western side of the airfield in the area to the right of the TWA museum hangar.

It is a pity that you could not visit the TWA Museum. Fascinating place, it housed the Constellation, Martin 4-0-4 and DC3. Last time I was there, the L1011 had not arrived, but they were talking about it. It is housed in what was a TWA maintenance hangar. The airport was the Kansas City airport before the current airport was built, and you would have Boeing 707s taking off on the runway that is shown in the view from the hotel room. Must have been an interesting approach over the downtown area, as the area where the hotel is located is quite elevated.



Calflier's reference to the former Eastern Airlines DC7B is incorrect, it was based at the St. Paul Downtown Airport in Minnesota, where it sat for many years before being restored by Carlos Gomez, owner of Florida Air Transport. I was living in Minneapolis at that time, and was lucky enough to crawl all over it, as I knew a couple of people who assisted in the restoration. Also, it is now at Charlotte, North Carolina, not Raleigh-Durham, having blown an engine on take-off.

Ok thanks North by northwest,looks like I got that slightly wrong!


Fascinating stuff !!!!

[Deleted]

Interesting visit and photos made all the better, no doubt, by the fact that these days you can (just about) get a drink in Kansas!

[acklington]

Oct 22, 2014 14:52:44 GMT 1 @garstonboy said:

Interesting visit and photos made all the better, no doubt, by the fact that these days you can (just about) get a drink in Kansas!

Fortunately Kansas City itself is in Missouri, although the Downtown Airport is in Kansas. I think that the Kansas City International Airport is also in Missouri. Confused?