Taylor Field (Florida) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Taylor Field
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1949 airphoto
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| Summary | |
| Serves | Ocala, Florida |
| Coordinates | 29°10′00″N 082°10′00″W / 29.16667°N 82.16667°W |
| Map | |
 Location in Florida
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Taylor Field, now an industrial park, was an airport and military airfield located near Ocala, Florida. It was closed in 1962 and replaced by Ocala International Airport-Jim Taylor Field.
History
Opened about 1933 as a municipal airport near Ocala. The airport had 2 paved runways, with the longest being the 3,900' northeast/southwest strip. A paved taxiway led to a paved ramp on the north side of the field. Named Taylor Field for the original donor of the property, James Taylor.
Taken over by the United States Army Air Forces in November 1941 as a basic (level 1) pilot training airfield. Assigned to USAAF Southeast Training Center (later Eastern Flying Training Command). Conducted contract basic flying training by Greenville Aviation School.
Flying training was performed with Fairchild PT-19s as the primary trainer. Also had several PT-17 Stearmans and a few P-40 Warhawks assigned. The flight school also operated two auxiliary airfields in the local area. Over 5,000 cadets received primary flight training at the airport during World War II.
Inactivated 8 September 1944 with the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program and was declared surplus. Returned to civil control as a public airport until being replaced and closed in 1962. Today there is little evidence of its existence.
