Michigan Wing was born in a manger

[Smithsonia]

... Well a barn actually. From the collection of Mark Hess and TeamCap, the first Wing meeting in (we think) Utica Michigan. This was spring of '42. The planes are Taylorcraft L-2s. There are a bunch of people there. More than one would expect for early '42. So I am thinking this is a tie-in College CAP Program OR a Civilian Pilot Training Program meeting also.
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2625
http://forum.teamcap.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2657

These are very rare photos.

[NIN]

That *might* be the old Utica Proving Grounds (once owned by Packard, now its a housing development).

They had a modicum of an airfield there at one point, in the 1940s I have no idea how active or developed it was.

Also, MI Wing had its own airfield during WWII at approximately 18 Mile & Mound Road (which is at the edge of Sterling Heights & Utica, depending on where it was) that had previously belonged to, I think, the Polish Flying Club out of Hamtramck, MI.  It was called "Wings Field" and thats where the Parachute Squadron used to jump.  I am unaware of the actual timing of the transfer of the airfield to CAP, but it could very well have been this field that is pictured.

[Slim]

Actually, the Packard Proving Ground is still partially there, or at least a good portion of it is.  The lodge and engineering buildings were Albert Kahn designs, a small portion of the test track and timing tower, as well as what is referred to as the Lindbergh hangar (based on a visit he made to the site in the '20s), and a water tower.  The site is on the national register of historic places.

There was an airfield within the confines of the test track, a 5000x2000 foot turf runway with a hangar.

If I had to take a guess, these pictures were probably taken at the airfield Nin mentioned, and/or possibly at Selfridge Field, which was not too far from where the airfield was located.

[SarDragon]

Awesome site. I Looked up a bunch in NJ that I had only heard of from other folks.

Here's one from the Northwestern NJ page:



A circa 1950-54 photo of hand-propping a Civil Air Patrol Cub at Budd Lake.

[Al Sayre]

Look at the expression on the guy's face in the back:

Holy smokes! They really do have to wind the rubber band!