Hatbox Field
 | This article includes a list of general AMSL 627 ft / 191 m | | |||||||||
| Coordinates | 35°44′45″N 95°24′46″W / 35.74583°N 95.41278°W | ||||||||||
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  KHAX Location of Hatbox Field (Closed) | |||||||||||
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Hatbox Field (IATA: HAX, ICAO: KHAX, FAA LID: HAX) is a closed airfield located within city limits, two nautical miles (3.7 km) west of central Muskogee, a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States.[1] It was opened sometime in the early 1920s and was closed in 2000. It is the location of the Love-Hatbox Sports Complex, a large recreation center and waterpark.
The former airfield site includes 10 lighted baseball fields‚ eight lighted softball diamonds‚ two full-size football fields and a 30 acre‚ 19-field soccer area called the Georgia Pacific Soccer Complex.
In addition‚ a 3.1-mile (5 km) asphalt Centennial Trail walking/biking exercise pathway loops around the 120 acres‚ and a former airplane hangar houses three indoor batting cages. Three Rivers Area Model Plane Society (T.R.A.M.P.S.), a local model airplane club, hosts two annual events at Love-Hatbox that attract flying enthusiasts from around the country.
History
Hatbox Field was depicted on the 1929
In 1929, the airfield was described as a municipal airport, operated by the Army Air Corps, and having a beacon light. Charles Lindbergh was on hand for the dedication.
The Spartan Aviation School opened at the field in 1940. They used the two large arch-roofed hangars at Hatbox. Renamed Muskogee Army Airfield during
Following the end of its military use, Hatbox was reused as a purely civil airfield. The operator was listed as the City of Muskogee.
The city of Muskogee decided to close the field to the public following a two-fatality crash in 1998. Limited aviation use was allowed until 2000, however, by a private firm that refurbished military-surplus Beechcraft U-21 Utes. Hatbox was closed completely in 2000, and the refurbishing company moved to nearby Muskogee Davis Field.
Facilities
Hatbox Field covered an area of 434 acres (176 ha) at an elevation of 627 feet (191 m) above
See also
- Oklahoma World War II Army Airfields
- List of United States Army airfields
- 31st Flying Training Wing (World War II)
References
- ^ PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 29 July 2010.
Other sources
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency- Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
- Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites, History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC. OCLC 57007862, 1050653629
- [1] Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Eastern Oklahoma
External links
- Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Hatbox Field Archived 2010-10-18 at the Wayback Machine
- Three Rivers Area Model Plane Society
- Resources for this airport:
- FAA airport information for HAX
- AirNav airport information for HAX
- ASN accident history for HAX
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for HAX
- "Abandoned and Little-Known Airfields: Eastern Oklahoma" by Paul Freeman.
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