Stout Army Air Field is located in Indianapolis

Indianapolis

Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...

, Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

. It serves as the Joint Forces Headquarters of the Indiana National Guard

Indiana National Guard

The Indiana National Guard is the armed force of the state of Indiana. It consists of the Indiana Army National Guard and the Indiana Air National Guard, and is part of the larger Army National Guard and the Air National Guard...

.

History

Stout Field is located west of Holt Road, north and south of Minnesota Street in west Indianapolis. Established in 1926, the airport was a stop along a transcontinental route from New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 to Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

. The airport was officially named for Lt. Richard Harding Stout, a decorated veteran of World War I who died in an airplane crash at Fort Benjamin Harrison

Fort Benjamin Harrison

Fort Benjamin Harrison was a U.S. Army post located in suburban Lawrence, Indiana, northeast of Indianapolis. It is named for the 23rd United States President, Benjamin Harrison. Land was purchased in 1903, with the post being officially named for President Harrison in honor of Indianapolis being...

.

Curtiss Flying Service operated an air passenger service and flying school at Stout Field. Curtiss' manager was Captain Harvey Weir Cook

Harvey Weir Cook

Harvey Weir Cook was an American fighter ace in World War I and Distinguished Service Cross recipient. He was also a pioneer in civilian commercial aviation and a leading figure in the development of aviation in the United States and in state of Indiana.- Early life :He was born Harvey Weir Cook...

. By 1928, the city realized expansion possibilities were limited and began plans for the current Indianapolis International Airport

Indianapolis International Airport

Indianapolis International Airport is a public airport located seven miles southwest of the central business district of Indianapolis, a city in Marion County, Indiana, United States. It is owned and operated by the Indianapolis Airport Authority...

 two miles west.. Captain Cook was among those who pushed for a larger municipal airport, which opened in 1931 as Weir-Cook Airport. Curtiss and Transcontinental Air Transport

Transcontinental Air Transport

Transcontinental Air Transport was an airline founded in 1928 by Clement Melville Keys that merged in 1930 with Western Air Express to form what became TWA....

 moved their passenger service and school to the new airport.

The United States Army Air Corps

United States Army Air Corps

The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...

 leased Stout Field from Indiana for $1 per year 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...

, and used it as a training base, and to conduct air transport operations. The Indiana State Police used the airfield following the war and purchased more land in order to build extensions to the runways. The site proved inadequate for landing the new class of military jets, so much of the land was sold in 1953. Commercial use of Stout Field is currently banned by Indiana law.

Aircraft Hosted

• C-47 Skytrain
  C-47 Skytrain
  The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
  
  
• C-53 Skytrooper
• C-46 Commando
  C-46 Commando
  The Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps under the designation R5C...
  
  
• de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter
  De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter
  The de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter is a single-engined, high-wing, propeller-driven, STOL aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada. It was conceived to be capable of performing the same roles as the earlier and highly successful Beaver, but was overall a larger aircraft.-Design and...
  
  
• Bay Super V Bonanza
  Bay Super V Bonanza
  |-References:* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961–62. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1961.- External links :* * *...
  
  
• F-80 Shooting Star
• F-101 Voodoo
  F-101 Voodoo
  The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...