Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field is a
United States Air Force auxiliary airfield used as an emergency landing facility by
Luke Air Force Base and
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base aircraft and units from other nearby bases using the
Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range
The Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range or Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR), formerly known as Luke Air Force Range, is a bombing range in the U.S. state of Arizona, between the Mexico–United States border and Interstate 8 straddling the Cabeza Pr ...
complex. The airfield is located south of
Interstate 8
Interstate 8 (I-8) is an Interstate Highway in the southwestern United States. It runs from the southern edge of Mission Bay at Sunset Cliffs Boulevard in San Diego, California, almost at the Pacific Ocean, to the junction with I-10, ...
and the
central business district
A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...
of
Gila Bend
Gila Bend (; O'odham: Hila Wi:n), founded in 1872, is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The town is named for an approximately 90-degree bend in the Gila River, which is near the community's current location. As of the 2020 cen ...
, in
Maricopa County,
Arizona,
United States.
[. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 3 June 2010.]
Although many U.S. airports use the same three-letter
location identifier for the
FAA and
IATA
The International Air Transport Association (IATA ) is a trade association of the world's airlines founded in 1945. IATA has been described as a cartel since, in addition to setting technical standards for airlines, IATA also organized tariff ...
, this facility is assigned GXF by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.
History
The facility was opened in July 1942 when it was part of the Gila Bend Gunnery Range. During
World War II it was under the command of the 492d (Reduced) Army Air Force Base Unit, AAF West Coast Training Center. It served as the range headquarters for a massive bombing and gunnery range, now known as the
Barry M. Goldwater Range
The Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range or Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR), formerly known as Luke Air Force Range, is a bombing range in the U.S. state of Arizona, between the Mexico–United States border and Interstate 8 straddling the Cabeza P ...
, and for maintenance of the range and range targets. It remained an active Air Force facility manned by USAF personnel until approximately 1995. It was also used as an auxiliary landing field. As of 2011, this role is handled by private contractors utilizing portions of the facility.
[Thole, Lou (1999), ''Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now'' – Vol. 2. Publisher: Pictorial Histories Pub, ]
Auxiliary fields to Gila Bend AFAF:
* Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #4:
* Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #5:
* Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #6:
Facilities
Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field has one
runway designated Rwy 17/35 with an asphalt surface measuring .
See also
*
Arizona World War II Army Airfields
*
List of United States Air Force installations
References
;Other sources
*
* Manning, Thomas A. (2005), ''History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002''. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas
* Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), ''Locating Air Force Base Sites, History’s Legacy'', Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC.
External links
56th Range Management Office– operates Gila Bend AFAF
{{USAAF Training Bases World War II
Installations of the United States Air Force in Arizona
Airports in Maricopa County, Arizona
Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Arizona
Airports established in 1942
1942 establishments in Arizona