Marine Corps Air Station Eagle Mountain Lake
Encyclopedia
Marine Corps Air Station Eagle Mountain Lake (MCAS Eagle Mountain Lake) was a United States Marine Corps
air station that was located 23 miles (37 km) northwest of Fort Worth, Texas
during World War II
. Commissioned on December 1, 1942 the air station was originally supposed to be the home of the Marine Corps glider program. When the program was cancelled in 1943 the station became home to the newly created Marine Night Fighting Squadrons. After the war the air station went into caretaker status in December 1946 and became an Outlying Landing Field of Naval Air Station Dallas
. After the war, it was used by various branches of the military before being sold to a private owner in the 1970s. Today, the airfield is a private airport run by the Kenneth Copeland Ministry
as Kenneth Copeland Airport
.
In May 1943, the Marine Corps cancelled its glider program and on June 30, 1943 the base was redesignated a Naval Air Station. The Navy's Strategic Tasks Air Group 2 used the airfield to test newly developed remote control aircraft until 1944 when they were moved to Traverse City, Michigan
.
On April 1, 1944 the air station reverted back to Marine Corps control and on April 9, Marine Aircraft Group 33 (MAG-33) arrived from Bogue Field, North Carolina
. MAG-33 stayed until August 17, 1944 when they left for San Diego, California
. In August, Marine Aircraft Group 93
(MAG-93) arrived from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
and remained until November. In December the field became the home of Marine Aircraft Group 53 which was the Marine Corps' first night fighter group. From then on the base was used primarily for night fighter training. Two common night fighters that operated from the field were the Grumman
F6F Hellcat
and F7F Tigercat
.
February 28, 1945 saw the arrival of VMF(N)-544
to MCAS Eagle Mountain Lake and it was also during this time that the air station reached its maximum utilization with a total of 121 aircraft on board.
. By 1955 it was listed on maps as "Eagle Mountain Lake National Guard Base". In 1959, the severely deteriorated buildings were used in a science fiction film entitled "Beyond the Time Barrier," in which the protagonist, an Air Force test pilot, travels into the future on a supersonic airplane
and returns to find that the air base from which he took off is in ruins. By 1973, maps depicted Eagle Mountain Lake as an abandoned airfield. In the early 1980s, the property was transferred to televangelist Kenneth Copeland
, and a new hangar had been built on the site of the original WWII-era structure.http://members.tripod.com/airfields_freeman/TX/Airfields_TX_FtWorth_NW.htm#eaglemtn
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
air station that was located 23 miles (37 km) northwest of Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Commissioned on December 1, 1942 the air station was originally supposed to be the home of the Marine Corps glider program. When the program was cancelled in 1943 the station became home to the newly created Marine Night Fighting Squadrons. After the war the air station went into caretaker status in December 1946 and became an Outlying Landing Field of Naval Air Station Dallas
Naval Air Station Dallas
Naval Air Station Dallas was a United States Navy Naval Air Station located on Mountain Creek Lake in southwest Dallas. The installation was originally established as an Army Aviation center, and eventually became home to aviation assets from all the military services. The facility was...
. After the war, it was used by various branches of the military before being sold to a private owner in the 1970s. Today, the airfield is a private airport run by the Kenneth Copeland Ministry
Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Copeland is an American author, public speaker, and televangelist. He is the founder of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, which preaches a “prosperity gospel”: "Prosperity gospel assures followers that the more they give including in the form of tithes to the church, the more they will receive...
as Kenneth Copeland Airport
Kenneth Copeland Airport
Kenneth Copeland Airport is a private airport located eighteen miles northwest of the central business district of Fort Worth, in Tarrant County, Texas, USA....
.
World War II
In 1942, 2931 acres (11.9 km²) of former ranch land were purchased on the eastern shore of Eagle Mountain Lake so the Marine Corps could set up glider operations. Construction of the base began on July 24, 1942. Marine Glider Group 71 (MLG-71) and Marine Glider Squadron 711 (VML-711) arrived at the base in November 1942 and the station was officially commissioned on December 1, 1942.In May 1943, the Marine Corps cancelled its glider program and on June 30, 1943 the base was redesignated a Naval Air Station. The Navy's Strategic Tasks Air Group 2 used the airfield to test newly developed remote control aircraft until 1944 when they were moved to Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
.
On April 1, 1944 the air station reverted back to Marine Corps control and on April 9, Marine Aircraft Group 33 (MAG-33) arrived from Bogue Field, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. MAG-33 stayed until August 17, 1944 when they left for San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. In August, Marine Aircraft Group 93
Marine Aircraft Group 93
Marine Aircraft Group 93 was s United States Marine Corps aviation group established during World War II. MAG-93, a dive bombing training group, was commissioned on 1 April 1944 and was headquartered at Marine Corps Auxiliary Airfield Bogue, North Carolina. Their mission was to train pilots to fly...
(MAG-93) arrived from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...
and remained until November. In December the field became the home of Marine Aircraft Group 53 which was the Marine Corps' first night fighter group. From then on the base was used primarily for night fighter training. Two common night fighters that operated from the field were the Grumman
Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation
The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, later Grumman Aerospace Corporation, was a leading 20th century U.S. producer of military and civilian aircraft...
F6F Hellcat
F6F Hellcat
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a carrier-based fighter aircraft developed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat in United States Navy service. Although the F6F resembled the Wildcat, it was a completely new design powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Some tagged it as the "Wildcat's big...
and F7F Tigercat
F7F Tigercat
The Grumman F7F Tigercat was the first twin-engined fighter aircraft to enter service with the United States Navy. Designed for the new Midway-class aircraft carriers, the aircraft were too large to operate from earlier decks. Although delivered to United States Marine Corps combat units before...
.
February 28, 1945 saw the arrival of VMF(N)-544
VMF(N)-544
Marine Night Fighter Squadron 544 was a night fighter squadron of the United States Marine Corps activated during World War II. They flew the F6F-5N Hellcat and although they trained for over a year they never made it into combat...
to MCAS Eagle Mountain Lake and it was also during this time that the air station reached its maximum utilization with a total of 121 aircraft on board.
Post World War II use
After the war the air station went into caretaker status in December 1946 and became an Outlying Landing Field of Naval Air Station DallasNaval Air Station Dallas
Naval Air Station Dallas was a United States Navy Naval Air Station located on Mountain Creek Lake in southwest Dallas. The installation was originally established as an Army Aviation center, and eventually became home to aviation assets from all the military services. The facility was...
. By 1955 it was listed on maps as "Eagle Mountain Lake National Guard Base". In 1959, the severely deteriorated buildings were used in a science fiction film entitled "Beyond the Time Barrier," in which the protagonist, an Air Force test pilot, travels into the future on a supersonic airplane
Supersonic
Supersonic speed is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of sound . For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C this speed is approximately 343 m/s, 1,125 ft/s, 768 mph or 1,235 km/h. Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound are often...
and returns to find that the air base from which he took off is in ruins. By 1973, maps depicted Eagle Mountain Lake as an abandoned airfield. In the early 1980s, the property was transferred to televangelist Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Copeland is an American author, public speaker, and televangelist. He is the founder of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, which preaches a “prosperity gospel”: "Prosperity gospel assures followers that the more they give including in the form of tithes to the church, the more they will receive...
, and a new hangar had been built on the site of the original WWII-era structure.http://members.tripod.com/airfields_freeman/TX/Airfields_TX_FtWorth_NW.htm#eaglemtn
See also
- List of United States Marine Corps installations
- List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
- United States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....