Hillsborough Army Airfield

Infobox Military Structure
name=Hillsborough Army Airfield
partof = Army Air Force Training Command
location=Located near Tampa, Florida
coordinates=Coord|28|02|50|N|082|25|06|W|type:airport


caption=15 January 1948 photo
type=Army Airfield
code=
built=1943
builder=
materials=
height=
used= 1943-1945
demolished=
condition=
ownership=
controlledby=United States Army Air Forces
garrison= Army Air Force Training Command
commanders=
occupants=
battles=
events=

Hillsborough Army Airfield is a former World War II United States Army Air Forces airfield which was located about 7 miles west of Tampa, Florida.

History

Hillsborough was built by the United States Army Air Force about 1943 and its primary mission was to be a auxiliary airfield for both Drew and MacDill Army Airfields. It was assigned to the Third Air Force. Hillsborough Army Airfield had three runways (NE/SW, NW/SE & E/W) of about 5,200' in length and several hangars along the west side of the airfield. The base normally had about 28 airplanes at the field at one time. The base closed in early 1945.

At some point after World War II, Hillsborough was reused as a civilian airport, known as Henderson Airport, however it was closed in the late 1950s. The University of South Florida campus began construction in 1957 on a site adjacent to the north side of Henderson Airport,and the Busch Gardens theme park was opened in 1959 just south of the airport.

Today the airfield is all but unrecognizeable in the urbanized area of Tampa, however the center of the airport, with two cris-crossing runways in an X shape, is visible from satellite images. Coordinates of the airport center, at the runway crossing, are 28.04744,-82.418361.

See also

* Florida World War II Army Airfields

External links