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m10bob -> RE: Old American airfields (8/9/2007 2:10:29 PM)
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I e-mailed the owner of the website to make a correction regarding "Shank Airfield" in Indianapolis.
The field I learned to fly at was located on the north side of west 38th street between Moeller rd on the west and Georgetown road on the east.(The usual east-west landing pattern allowed buzzing of the old Lafayette rd drive-in and hitting the throttle gently during the glide-in interrupted more than one couple in the "passion pit", I'm sure!
This was however NOT the original Shank airfield, which during WWII was located on the south side of Lafayette road between Tibbs and Kessler blvd.
I believe the south perimeter went as far down as maybe 22nd street?
The old Walt's Super market/Galyan's sporting goods store was the old hanger!
During the war this field had a paved runway and a complement of AT 6's and some P 51's.
Bob Shank Jr was killed on this field when he ground-looped a Mustang here.
The field was sold to National Homes of Lafayette Indiana after the war when homes for the returning G.I.'s were at a premium and "pre-fab" housing was born!
My Uncle Ed and Aunt Janet lived in a home here and complained the ground had bits of the old concrete runway in the fill dirt.
BTW, Bob Shank Sr was a true aviation pioneer and for years until his death in the late sixties lived on a (then) farm across from the newer Shank airfield on the west side of Moeller road, next door to more of my relatives.
(The old Shank home is still in approx the 4000 block and the barn is right behind the house, now surrounded by trees and suburbia.)
There should be a historic marker there, but isn't.....
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