Oldies and Oddities: Tinseltown’s Training Base
- By Preston Lerner
- Air & Space magazine, January 2010
Students, wearing parachutes, preflight an endless lineup of Stearmans.
John Swope, John Swope Trust
(Page 2 of 2)
Even before the war’s 1945 end, all four training facilities were closed. Thunderbird Field is today the site of the Thunderbird School of Global Management, which has nothing to do with aviation. Two of the original hangars still stand, along with two brick barracks and the administration building. The tower is being restored, with a pub on the ground floor. Visitors should soon be able to imagine the rumble of Continental R-670 radials and Hoagy Carmichael tinkling “Stardust” on the piano.
Comments (18)
To: Mr.Preston Lerner. To see ,in print, your review on some of our WWII history, warmed my heart. Thank you for a very rememorable experience. It' still alive in my 87 year-old body. Keep digging. Best Regards, Don
Posted by DONALD MARSEY on January 29,2010 | 06:17 PM
I was a cadet at Thunderbird Field Glendale Az. class
44-J. Chinese cadets were also in training. I graduated from primary training June 1944. When I was in High school
I saw a movie titled "Thunderbird Field" when I was in highschool. After seeing the movie it inspired me to become an aviation cadet. I remember it starred Gene Tiereny and Pat O'Brien and I don't recall the other actors, in black and white and only American cadets were featured.
I purchased a movie via the internet called "Thunder Birds".
THis was not the movie I expected. This did star Gene
Tierney and she was bathing in the watertower; however, this movie featured English cadets and not American cadets.
Was this movie made at Thunderbird 2 (Falcon Field) where, I know, English cadets were trained. THis has puzzled me
and maybe you could clarify this for me.
I thoroughly enjoyed you article in Air & Space.
Posted by James Rosenberry on January 31,2010 | 05:58 PM
I thoroughly enjoyed the article Tinseltown's Training Base
"Oldies & Oddities" March issue. Its rare to see an article
on Thunderbird Field. My dad, Paul H. Lindstrom was a
civilian flight instructor at Thunderbird from 1943 until
closing.
Also, thank you for a great magazine. I have been a
subscriber since day one and really enjoy the fine
articles.
Ralph Lindstrom
Walsenburg, Colorado
Posted by Ralph Lindstrom on March 3,2010 | 02:47 PM
My dad was an instructor at Thunderbird Field from early 1942 thru the end of the war.
We the family have seen some 8MM film he took during that time frame of some of his students and a few he pointed out as not making it back. Quite interesting.
Nice to see an article about the field.
Posted by Paul Lindstrom on March 3,2010 | 03:13 PM
Anybody remember an instructor at Thunderbird Field from Omaha, Nebraska by the name of Frank Devry? Please send me an e-mail if you can recall him. I would love a picture of him if you happen to have one. Thank you. Ed
Posted by Ed Barrett on April 6,2010 | 07:56 PM
My father Conrad Wade was also a primary flight instructor at Thunderbird field. From 1942 through the end of the war, he taught Chinese American air corpsmen to fly. I have many pictures of him, my brothers, and mother with the students. Mom and dad used to say the students were like family. Some of the students stayed in touch with him after the war, even into the 1970s. I have his Thunderbird wings and uniform patches. He went on to fly as a corporate pilot for Reed's Candy Company. I remember feeling like I was the luckiest kid in the world growing up around airplanes and having an endless supply of Reed's Candy. David Wade
Posted by David Wade on May 28,2010 | 12:46 PM
My father was a Chinese Cadet trained in the Thunderbird Airforce Base in the 1940s. in year 2000, I accomplied my father and my Mom back to Phoenix for their last reunion - or, actually it was the first reunion he attended. The Thunderbird base has converted into an international business school. But the hangars, the tower were still there. There were many war-time pictures hanging outside of the auditorium. Most are pictures of the American instructors and Chinese cadets. My father found himself in one of the picture - what a surprise after 50+ years.
After the year 2000 trip, I have tried to collect information about any information about the arrangement between the US and Chinese government to setup the airforce training camp for the Chinese Cadets. Unfortunatelly, I had few luck in getting anything. In year 2007, I went to DC and visited the National Archieve. After talking to the people there (both in their DC as well as Maryland facilities), I realized that they don't have anything stored there. I would appreciate very much if any of the readers can advice me about where I can look into to find additional information about the special chapter of the world time history. I'd like to write a booklet or somthing for my father. Now He is 87 years old, still healthy and live in Milwaukee, WI with my sister. I am a college professor live in a suburb of Chicago. My email is: tojackyao@yahoo.com and phone number (630)-222-8855. Thank you!
Posted by Jack Yao on October 30,2010 | 09:04 PM
I'm looking for information on a civilian instructor at Falcon Field by the name of Rhoads or Rhodes, first name William. If anyone has information about him, please contact me at doncr at verizon net
Thank you for your interest.
Regards,
Don
Posted by Don Ecsedy on November 4,2010 | 01:37 PM
Your April 6 2010 posting asked about Frank DeVry. He was my uncle, His sister Lillian was my mother. Born Franklin Robin DeVry in St Paul NE in 1902, I believe he died in the Phoenix area in the 1970's.
He spoke often of teaching Chinese pilots to fly with neither of them speaking each other's language.
If you will email me of your interest, I will try to figure how to scan and return photos of Uncle Franklin.
Posted by Bill Rhodes on November 12,2010 | 07:02 PM
I was a cadet at Thunderbird 2 in late 1942. We had no Chinese training there at that time. I remember one day Jimmy Stewart came wandering in. He was a Ist LT. at that and a pilot: also a co-owner of T-bird 2. I went on to Basic at Marana AZ where we had the Chinese Cadets.
Posted by Myrl K. Bailey on June 11,2011 | 07:14 PM
My mother was an instructor at the Thunderbird fields during WWII - one of a small group of women I think. She taught primary flight in Link trainers and PT-19's. I was wondering if any of you remember a tall (6') dark haired 20 year old instructor named Carol Jane Tindell? I am trying to create a family history.
Posted by Mike Burz on September 9,2011 | 11:48 AM
Small world. My Dad was a flight instuctor at Marana during 1942-1944. He trained a lot of aviation cadets, including several classes of Chinese students. I have a list of one of the classes with about 30 Chinese student names listed. I also have a group photo of one class of Chinese students. We've also found letters written by some of the students to my Dad, after they had gone into advanced flight training, and also after they returned to India and China. Is anyone interested in sharing stories? I love the conversation...zany4god@msn.com
Posted by Mike Bennett on October 6,2011 | 02:55 PM
I was born in glendale in july of 1937 we lived at 138 n.6th ave in glendale and i recall some memorie's of thunderbird field and the stearman pt13 and pt 17 trainer's assinged to train the pilot's.my uncle's dairy farm was located just south of the canal on 59th ave one long block south of thunderbird road, the aircraft flew out of the airfield to the southwest as i recall and i as a very young boy watched as the blue and yellow stearman's rose in the air and i recall the thrill of seeing the pilot's in their cloth helmet's and goggle's as they flew over our heads.later in the war a stearman force landed in my uncle's field about 300 feet north west of the house flipping over on it's top wing the two pilot's hung in their harness for a minute or so before they released and landed on the ground,no one hurt as i recall,one pilot gave us his flight helmet and we played with it for several year's.
Posted by VERNON A.MCDANNALD on November 27,2011 | 12:27 PM
My father was an RAF pilot and trained at Falcon Field where most of the movie Thuderbirds was filmed. The studio built the cadets a swimming pool as a present for their participation; unfortunately it was filled in a few years ago.
I worked for a gentlemen and fellow Soldier in DC who's father was a Chinese pilot trained at Thunderbird 1. It was strange how both of us came to be raised in the United States and had fathers from such different countries train in the Phoenix area.
The RAF cadet from Falcon Field met for many years but unfotunately too many have passed. There is even a British War cemetary section in Mesa, Arizona where over 23 RAF fliers and an American are buried. Every year the Sunday after Veterans Day a Memorial Ceremony is held there which last year was turned over to the Commerative Air Force. The RAF is always present and this year the Royal Army also sent a contingent.
Just south of Scottsdale Airport outside the perimeter the Hangers from Thunderbird 2 still exist as do the hangers at Falcon Field. I haven't been to Thunderbird 1 in years though I've been told the hanger was torn down this year.
Posted by John Barber on February 15,2012 | 10:45 PM
My grandfather's name was Samuel D. McKinney. Most called him 'mac'. He instructed at Thunderbird I from base opening until early 1943 when he took a job with Consolidated ferrying PBY Catalina's to the south pacific. Does anyone recognize his name? I have a few pictures of cadets he trained and his old wallet that has the thunderbird insignia on it. I also have a few pictures of him in his Southwest Airways Uniform. I would like to meet anyone with any information about Thunderbird I and swap stories and information.
Posted by Jesse Allen Wagner on March 18,2012 | 01:27 AM
I would love to exchange information with those who have posted their personal or family memories of Thunderbird Field and the movie THUNDER BIRDS. I am conducting additional research for my next novel that has characters going through USAAF pilot training at Thunderbird Field. Please contact me at
alan [at] alansimonbooks [dot] com
- Thanks.
Posted by Alan Simon on December 15,2012 | 01:10 AM
I wish to respond to Mr David Wade's post of May 28, 2010. My late father was a Chinese cadet trained at the Thunderbird field, Glendale, between October-December 1944. It would appear that you have photos of your father, who taught at the Thunderbird field, with these Chinese cadets. I have some flight training evaluation forms filled out by my father's instructors after each flight, spanning the whole period. His instructors included: C F Moores (flight commander), H E Haught, Y C Hwang, M D Moeller, and H J Noas.
I am trying to research into my father's (and his fellow Chinese cadets') adventures in the US as a Chinese cadet -- the airfields that he had been to, the facilities he stayed at, his interaction with US cadets if any, his instructors, etc. To this end, if you would be so kind as to make copies (e.g. pdf files) of these photos of your father with the Chinese cadets available to me, I would be extremely grateful to you. My email:
bxt54 [at] yahoo [dot] com. Thanks.
Mr Biu TSUI, from Hong Kong
Posted by Biu TSUI on January 2,2013 | 09:18 AM
Does anyone know about Walter inman, might have trained there. Was iin the raf even thou he was an American. Laterflewfor USA in ww2.
Posted by Elizabeth peters on March 13,2013 | 02:37 AM