From Wikipedia.
On July 23rd, I wrote about the SB2C Curtiss Helldiver being found off Jupiter, Florida, a couple years ago. The article mentioned that it may have taken off from Witham Field, a place I'd never heard of before. There is the possibility that the plane in question may have been flying from this field when it crashed into the sea.
At the onset of World War II, landowners offered their land to Martin County to build an airport. It was named for Paul "Homer" Witham, the first Naval Aviator from the city of Stuart to die in the war.
It was leased to the U.S. government as a military training field. The U.S. Navy paid $800,000 for it then spent another $10 million to build it. Witham Field operated as an auxiliary to NAS Vero Beach as training and proficiency facility for carrier and land-based Naval and Marine aviators.In 1947, NAAS Witham Field was decommissioned and returned to the county.
During the 1950s and 1960s, Grumman Aircraft Corporation conducted tests on various military aircraft. In 1994, they returned much of the field to Martin County.
Today, Witham Field is a public airport located 1 mile southeast of downtown Stuart, Florida, in Martin County.
Another Training Facility. --GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
Showing posts with label Witham Field Florida. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Witham Field Florida. Show all posts
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Fish Lead Florida Diver to Rare WWII Aircraft
From the Dec. 27, 2011, ABC News.
Last week, Randy Jordan was diving off the coast of Jupiter, Florida and discovered what may be a Curtiss Helldiver SB2C, an extremely rare WWII plane, at a depth of 200 feet.
He followed a group of frightened fish to the wreck and went back two days later to film it.
The plane is so rare that there is just one still flying today.
They were first used in combat November 11, 1943 and carried two men. In 1942, the Navy operated a pilot training facility at Witham Field in Martin County, Florida and this may have been one of their planes.
GreGen
Last week, Randy Jordan was diving off the coast of Jupiter, Florida and discovered what may be a Curtiss Helldiver SB2C, an extremely rare WWII plane, at a depth of 200 feet.
He followed a group of frightened fish to the wreck and went back two days later to film it.
The plane is so rare that there is just one still flying today.
They were first used in combat November 11, 1943 and carried two men. In 1942, the Navy operated a pilot training facility at Witham Field in Martin County, Florida and this may have been one of their planes.
GreGen
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