About Chuck Yeager: He joined the 363rd Fighter Squadron as a non-commissioned flight officer at the Tonopah Bombing and Gunnery Range, NV, later that month and began training in fighter tactics in the Bell P-39 Airacobra. Many of the new pilots had a tough time transitioning to the P-39. “But not Yeager,” recalled his squadron mate, “Chuck became the yardstick by which we could measure the rest as they joined us, several each month. Yeager could fly. Right from the start, he was pretty impressive.” A component of the 357th Fighter Group, the 363rd continued training at various stateside locations until November when the unit shipped out for England, leaving their P-39s behind.

Whenever I hear of Tonapah I remember my oldest late brother, who was an ironworker for many years, traveling to Tonapah to work....I never knew exactly what ironworks project he was working on but I sure miss him...

This place should have been on the National Register of Historic Places and at least preserved to some degree. What happened here during and. shortly after WW2 is the stuff of which legends are and were made. Thanks for sharing this to the world.

My father was stationed there during WWII until he was reassigned to Portland, OR.

We donated a big generator from yucca mountain to Nye County and delivered it to them at that location. They (Nye County ) said it was a huge B24 air base during WW2. They showed us that you could pick up old belts of 50 cal ammo that they would throw out before landing. The Nye County guys had a bunch of these 50 cal belts. Really interesting!

I did some contract work out of Tonapah about 25 years ago and took a walk around the old field. I was told that the city tried to operate it as a municipal airport but it failed. If you think about it, all the air space to the immediate east is restricted by the Nellis AFB Test and Training Range and the distance between Las Vegas and Reno is no real challenge for modern aircraft so its current use as an airfield in marginal at best. If its any help, the airfield and buildings looked pretty much the same in the late 90s. Thanks for the video!

The three holes in the hangar floor reminded me. Rockwell used to have a hangar at Bethany factory with aircraft scales set into the floor flush the the surface so that airplanes coild be spotted on them for weighing.

So I've got a 58 c cab Studebaker pickup truck that pretty much looked like that one 20 years ago, it's fully restored this one is still salvageable!!! Save that poor little fella!!!

In 1985 or 86, I was stationed at Fort Huachuca Arizona as an OV-1 crew chief, and we were temporary duty to that airfield for a month or so, running tests on systems on the Nellis Range. We actually kept our aircraft in one of those hangers and stayed in a RV that we had parked in front of the hangar. This video brings back memories.

Nice video, thanks. The base layout reminds me of Wendover which isn't surprising given the base cookie cutter approach during the war. Wendover's hanger, cousin to this big one, was home to the Anola Gay during the train up to dropping the Atomic bombs. It's currently undergoing extensive renovations. The other five hangers that face the flight line are also fully functional. One has recently been modernized and enlarged. Worth the stop over if you haven't done so already (and I've missed the video). Safe sojourns.

I lived at some company housing out near the airport in the mid 1980's. We went out and around. Saw one of these back then that had what looked like a ford tri engine stored in it. Another guy had a corsair that he brought out and few now and then from the airport. I remember seeing a lot of strange things in the sky thanks to the test range not far from there. Stuff you wouldn't believe even if I told you. Thanks for stirring up some old memories with your video.

Very nice being Canadian we had lots of airbases through out Canada during WW2 😊

A trip to Wendover is in order. You can get an idea of what a base like Tonopah was like during WW2 as Wendover has a bunch of history preserved.

Thank you for sharing! I appreciated you taking the time to explore the old Studebaker Pickup! Was surprised to see that out there!

As for the pickup, I believe it is a Studebaker, a model produced after the base closure.

@NorcoRules

26 күн бұрын

49 to 53 R series Studebaker truck .

I like these videos of old military bases.

Very interesting site! Would have liked to be there to have a look as well. These historic sites are fading into memory and so glad you got permission to go in and see the old hangers. Thanks for taking us along ...

In 1966 to 1968, test flight operations were conducted at Tonopah out of Edwards AFB, CA. These operations were supported by CH-53 helicopters. Operations were also conducted at Groom Lake in Nevada.

Back around 1997 I worked at the Tustin air base after it closed, I had the chance to tour both hangers and go on the very top of the west hanger. I love exploring old things.

Super interesting to see and read about. It originally had Bell P-39 Airacobras squadrons. Then it changed about 2 years later to house a B24 Liberator training program and at one point had 66, B24s at the base. There were originally 4 of those large hangers. Can you imagine looking out over that expansive area seeing 66 B24, and all of the barracks, and other building that were there and 2000 to 3000 men at the time stationed there. Amazing what 80 years can change.

That hanger is amazing. Sadly, like any other structure, once the roof isn't maintained the rest goes. I still see some shine to that floor. I think that's old time pride in the work hanging on. Lot's of stories in that old place.

Go to the museum in town to understand history. Read the book "The Right Stuff" for what was like in WW2 . Lived and worked in Tonapah, Hawthorn,Goldfield then across the stste to Ely. Twenty years in Nevada.

This is a wonderful adventure. That k you for sharing it and that K's for your service.

I was there a few years ago, hangers are so awesome. The old street layout is still there, going around the base are old building slab foundations, some labeled as to what they were. One was labeled for link trainer. Some slabs still have the rocks the soldiers picked up and set in lines as boarder like you see in old war movies. Let your imagination wander, some slabs were showers desearnable by the shower drains and toilet outlets. There is an old gold mine "ghost town" in the area that has a tall brick chimney still standing from the smelter. The story is the pilots from tonapah would use it for machine gun target practice as the top ten feet is all shot up.

Wow! What cool place! Great history. Thanks for sharing!👌😎👍

My understanding is that these hastily built structures from that era were only intended to be temporary. Its remarkable that 81 years later huge numbers of these "temporary" structures are still standing. Especially in the cases of total neglect like these structures.

Thank you sir. Your calm demeanor is especially appreciated. Having that Enduro really is a huge plus on these types of adventures. Looking forward to your next video.

My dad piloted B-24’s for high altitude reconnaissance training in preparation for the Japanese campaign from Tonopah. Ironically he grew up 200 miles south in Las Vegas and enlisted in the Army Air Corpse for flight training on 11/11/41.

I've only ever heard of Tonopah from Chuck Yeagers autobiography. It was a Training facility, where pilots learned many of the lessons of air-to-ground work in the Bell P-36 Airacobra.

I seem to recall Yeagers book saying he was there briefly training on P-39's.

Marx train guy here, the pick-up is a 1949-53 Studerbaker.

Excellent coverage enjoyed

Awesome videos keep the history going man. Clay from mobile Alabama

A beautiful abandoned field...the stories it could tell

You may want to send this to the National Park Service because this could become a museum if preserved properly

watchimg your vid from England,abs fantastic interesting vid

Aircraft are housed in Hangars, clothes are hung on Hangers.

@BlackdogADV

Ай бұрын

Correct!

@smarternu

Ай бұрын

Yep.

@CAROLDDISCOVER-FINDER2525

29 күн бұрын

Yup no hang ups there

@rkelsey3341

29 күн бұрын

@@CAROLDDISCOVER-FINDER2525 Except that blackdog spelled it wrong when he posted. He made the correction after I pointed it out.

@CAROLDDISCOVER-FINDER2525

29 күн бұрын

@@rkelsey3341 I had not noticed

Thanks everyone for their service 👍🏼👍🏼pretty cool 😎

That was a cool adventure! Thanks for making a video about it. 👍😁😎

Great video!

This is identical to the abondoned WWII airfield/base close to us, delavan airbase, it was originally going to be used as a P-38 lightning training facility but ended up being a stopping point for heavy bombers making the trek across the U.S heading to war, there is still a couple hangars, parts of the runway are still being used to this day, and even the old triangle wind direction thingy thats the size of a small car is still there. Its super cool see’ing this old history.

I saw this thumbnail pop up and thought "How strange, one of the guys from ARfcom just shared some pictures from this place." Then it dawned on me.... Thanks for sharing!

@TheYTSucks

Ай бұрын

FUAROCK!

Tonopah is a fascinating place to visit. The museum in the town has a large section devoted to the base in this video. Some bomber units that stood up in Tonapah conducted practice bombing sorties with glide bombs absent explosive fillers. Several glide bombs recovered on the bombing rages are displayed at this museum.

Great place for metal detecting.

I've been here too. Was looking for the F-117s- but they were at a different Tonopah!

Just subscribed great videos ty steve

Interesting on the video of the outside electrical panels. They're more modern with PVC conduit.

Hi there - this is a very interesting location. I love old military installations thanks to my dad who served in the British Merchant Marine in WWII. I'd be very interested in knowing the post-war history of this location, as it clearly had relatively modern electrical hookups installed at some point. Great stuff!

@BlackdogADV

Ай бұрын

My team is working on that, I’ll have an answer shortly. I do know that one hanger was used as a roller skating rink at one time.

It would have been cool to have some pictures of what it once was. We had so much going on in WW2. Thanks

There was a time when they auctioned those places off that you could have bought them... That's 1 I wish I could have purchased. The history of that place.....would love to see a Ghost Hunter Investigation of that spooky old place.

What a neat hangers! Cool abandoned base! That was a post war Studebaker truck, poor thing!

Passing thought: I wonder if these hangers were ever painted? Not much rain out there and very temporary construction, maybe not!

If those walls could talk !

Hey Blackdog. Unfortunately we don’t have wide open spaces or many accessible abandoned sites the UK (Dixeie Chicks fan) but I just wondered what sort of camera you use? As far as the bike, I’m a VFR rider… Good video, TQ. Doh 😂 if I’d waited ‘till I commented I’d have known what camera you used !!!! 🎉

There is another one of these just north and west of Dodge city ks Starting to fall in a little now. I think it was for B24 training. The runway goes thru a feedyard! Many chimneys still standing from the old barracks.

Is this the hanger up near the current airport office? I looked around here along with the old base housing area around three years ago simply facinating.

Interesting tour. Looks like the last one might get some ongoing protection via fencing and personnel maybe?

@BlackdogADV

Ай бұрын

A little protection maybe. All this is an industrial park now. The original airstrip is still functional and that makes it pretty attractive. I think the hangers will eventually be demolished because of their condition.

I bet. If someone had the place The time and the money that could probably haul that truck body out of there and actually rebuild it.

Looks like a place some one should turn in to a museum 🎉

Heyyy!!! Somebody left a nice BMW there!!

Did you know Chuck Yeager was stationed there as a Flight Officer.

I surveyed on that airfield for a week around 1980. The old site maps showed where everything was. As luck would have it, a race plane P51 (Strega?) & Rare Bear chase made some speed attempts so we had to stay off the runway... Not sure of plane names...

My father trained at TPH on B24s in 1943.

One of the Army Air Corps cadets who trained here was none other than... Chuck Yeager. The 'hot spot' in Tonopah back then was the Mizpah Hotel in beautiful, downtown Tonopah. This is an airfield that - over time - simply refuses to die. The FAA had a Flight Service Station here until the late 70s. A controller buddy worked there and I visited him in... oh... 74 or 75. His comment, "It's a great place to live, but I wasn't ready for retirement." There's a lot of mystique and mystery involving this area. I landed here once in a Cessna 402, to deliver some mining equipment. A Merlin Metroliner with the cabin windows painted out landed, discharged passengers and took off. (Ever heard of "Janet Airlines?" Back in the 70's, the operated two DC6's, and a bunch of Cessna 402s and Metroliners). I, too, have walked through both those old hangars... thanks for the memories.................

@barrygrant2907

Ай бұрын

The Army "Air Corp" ceased to exist in May 1941, prior to the Pearl Harbor attack. Everything after that date was AAF until 1947 when it became USAF.

@carlmclelland7624

Ай бұрын

WELL, excuse me! "Bad cop... no donuts!" Not a soul in the world would know what I was talking about. IF you really want to get technical, the "Army Air Corps" DID NOT cease to exist in May, 1941. Try 20 June 1941. That's all right, though. I'm sure you clicked the 'May' instead of 'June' button by accident.

Remind me of some World War II movies that I have seen

Pretty cool BMW GS Motorcycle...

Most of the building and infrastructure built for World War Two was of temporary construction, meant to last for the duration of the war, not cost much, use cheap materials and be abandoned as soon as possible. The barracks we used for boot camp, (DPPO basic training), at Gulfport Miss., in 1969, was of that construction and becoming very rare. It was also a real firetrap, with 1940 electrical fittings and I don't remember there being any heat, except for the Company Commander's office. Most of the infrastructure at Quonset Point was either newer or built to last forever, but all the WW2 stuff was long gone, except for ammo bunkers. Most WW2 Navy stuff was made of wood while most Vietnam stuff was made of sheet metal and lasted about as long. Considering the way our military flexes, small standing armies and huge wartime armies, I think those planners were right on. Still, there are stories in those places, now lost and stories by the people who served at them, also mostly lost. Time is always in motion, we have no idea where the Spartans did their boot camp, or the great armies of Egypt, we have stones left from the Romans but little of the Western Frontier Armies of the United States. Wars and armies are a necessary evil, not things that make the world a better place, maybe these places are better off being forgotten stories.

@captaincrunch8523

28 күн бұрын

Cheap construction ,however the wood quality was better than what's available today. Lived in some of the old barracks and worked in some of the old hangers back in the 50's and 60's . Had a two week encampment with the 65th troop carrier squadron at Gulfport . I think Jan of 61 . almost froze to death in those barracks . Were nothing more than sleeping porches . Haa !

@fredwood1490

28 күн бұрын

@@captaincrunch8523 I was in some of those barracks at Gulfport, winter of 68-69, part of the Sea Bees. We did have some heaters suspended from the ceiling and they were sort of new, but the wiring was pure 1941. Fire watch was taken VERY seriously! Barracks #50 I think.

@captaincrunch8523

28 күн бұрын

@@fredwood1490 When we were there ;there were 4 small natural gas space heaters " NON VENTED " in each bay . Some the guys broke open parachutes and set up tents inside . I'm from Northern NY and I was frozen .

@fredwood1490

28 күн бұрын

@@captaincrunch8523 Ah, yes! The good old days of youth!

I wonder if that second one may have been a chow hall/kitchen?

I went there in 2001 and the guy who was there said he was trying to get money to preserve them but he couldn't I think it actually has fallen down since then

We're they there waiting to be fareied to Europe ? A staging area ? Seems that would be right , weren't really needed in that amount here 🤔

It would have been nice if you had included a few pictures of when the base was active to include the bomber pictures ad well.

@BlackdogADV

28 күн бұрын

I can only have one pinned comment but I’ll add this to the description. www.centralnevadamuseum.com/tonopah-army-airfield/

nice work. new subscriber

Where’s the runways?

The hanger nearest to the highway is fenced off

How did you get permission to see this place.?..I would like to see it since I live in NV

The truck is an old Studebaker.

Ft Stockton has one on east side of town to

Wonder if there are any aircraft parts buried around there…time to get the GPR out

As a young person us to go to Tonopah and then went over to the old military base and took pictures the better half and my two kids spent an afternoon there taking pictures nobody ever said anything

Nice v-strom👍

@BlackdogADV

25 күн бұрын

V-Strom??? :)

There have been a lot of UFO Sightings on that old Airbase

What was the purpose of electric meter on the building like who's going to pay the bill you going to send it to the Air Force

You think it's haunted.👻. I think these old bases should be national landmarks and preserved. Such historical places.

As an electrician I can tell you now, I don't know what that Hangar was used for but it was used through the 90's and or beyond. @2:50, that's a square D main panel and to the left is a coax box possible with phone block inside. The main coming in is modern. I know there's an airport there or near, do they use the original strips? Or is the base just simply located on air port property?

@BlackdogADV

Ай бұрын

I’m sure it has been used for a variety of things since 1948.

@bad74maverick1

Ай бұрын

@@BlackdogADV I kind of figured. Does the airport still use the original strips for anything? Or is it just located on airport property?

@BlackdogADV

Ай бұрын

As far as I know the airstrip is still in use.

@bad74maverick1

Ай бұрын

@@BlackdogADV Hey history lives on!

My Dad was therein 1942 then to the Alution Islands

That’s a Studebaker!

Should have tried to find a runway to look down if they still exist

@BlackdogADV

29 күн бұрын

Runway is still used by the Tonopah airport.

This should be renovated into a city of tiny homes for homeless veterans, using solar and wind power.

Truck is a Studebaker.

@kevinhothan7328

Ай бұрын

My first thought was that its an International truck ??

@jeffryheintz5738

Ай бұрын

@@kevinhothan7328, Nope I make body panels for Studebakers, as well as owning one.

@kevinhothan7328

Ай бұрын

@@jeffryheintz5738 Cool

Shame they let it ruin. Think of what it would take to build now.

An obvious pair of hangars to fix up

there wasor is a old abandones airbase in northern nevada. found iut while rabbit chasing in a old pipercub backin the early 70s/ 6 huge hangers old houses. i found all sorts of neat stuffin th eold hangers. p 51 props in boxes and 2 neew p 51 canopys. i wen home my buddy and i rented a uhaul box van came back and grabbed allof it old tools old manuals. filled the vanup and the flat bed trailer.not sure what the bases name was when we got there the main gates looked like they hadnt been open since ww2 were old houses barracks. i could never find out what the name of the base was . in fact the electricity was still on. did not belong to anyone i checked witht e military the army the airforce no one could find any information on it. i told them well the electricity is still on. i went back a month later and the electricity was off. so someone knew something. i flew ovver it a few years ago and it is all gone.punks had i guess set it on fire. everything was burnt to the ground,glad i got what i did. i think it mightof been a emergency base. not sure but the spiders and snakes were in control lol shot a few rattlers and killed a whole bunch of tarantulas

R series studebaker truck there

Gunnery and bombing range.

There are crashed b24's all over that desert

Studebaker pickup

It would not say Air force, It would say US Army. The Army Air corps was the fly boy group in the 1940's.

@barrygrant2907

Ай бұрын

The Air Corp ceased to exist in May 1941, becoming the Army Air Force.

@smarternu

Ай бұрын

@@barrygrant2907 Yep and the US Air Force was begun in late 1947. (I had remembered it as 51, but it was 47.)

7:14

Old tax dollars lays at waste. Government at work throwing our money into the wind and never using the facility’s again. Why is this allowed time and time again.

With the price of wood these days, someone needs to grab all that before some jerk burns it down.

@stischer47

Ай бұрын

Everyone just needs to leave everything alone. We are losing our heritage with all the vandalism.

@ChickenNugget-dk9hp

Ай бұрын

The roof and structural elements are fine its just panelling that needs repairing.

@arneminderman3770

Ай бұрын

Thanks!

@barrygrant2907

Ай бұрын

@@ChickenNugget-dk9hp With today's material costs, it would not be worth rebuilding.