Trip Report: Arkansas Adventure
First published in 1999. Reformatted 2025. I lived near Arkansas, but was pretty sure I'd be moving away soon. I decided to explore the Air Force installations in The Natural State while it was still convenient. Just a reminder PIN means Permanent Installation Number and ILC means Installation Location Code; I include these for Air Force properties when I know them.Sunday, 3 November 1996
Grider Field AR, 34-11-15, 91-56-00. Wheels in the well at a leisurely 0700. From Haughton, Louisiana, I headed through Texarkana and Malvern, Arkansas on my way to Pine Bluff. Grider was a contract flying school during WWII, and is still an active airport. I was pleased to find that one WWII barracks was marked as a historical tribute. Hangars include the 184-foot demountable type.Hangar
Barracks
Barracks
Barracks
184-foot demountable hangar
184-foot demountable hangar
184-foot demountable hangar
184-foot demountable hangar
184-foot demountable hangar Prairieville Aux Fld AR, 34-24-30, 91-27-30. Pressing on, I followed the signs to Almyra and the Almyra Airport (M73).
General view Roe Aux Fld AR, 34-39-00, 91-23-30. From there I went to Clarendon Airport (4M8), now used by Custom Air, Inc.
Runway Stuttgart AAFld AR, 34-36, 91-34. This is now the Stuttgart Municipal Airport (SGT). Some WWII-era structures still stand, others are mere remnants. A truck driving school uses part of the airfield ramp.
Hangar
Loading dock
Vault on building foundation
Airfield parking ramp Hazen Aux Fld AR, 34-45-30, 91-38-15. Motoring on through Hazen, I found skydiving in progress at Hazen Airport (6M0).
General view From there I headed to Little Rock, Arkansas. I secured billeting on Little Rock AFB. Today's drive covered 420.7 miles in 10 hours.
Monday, 4 November 1996
I started the day with visits to Wing History Office and Civil Engineering. I was looking for a map of Little Rock's 18 Titan II sites, but was unable to find one. Departing base at 1015, I looked for three of the missile sites based on some very sketchy location information, but had to call No Joy. Newport AAFld AR, 35-38-30, 91-11-30. I headed to Newport and visited what is now Newport Municipal Airport (M19). All that remains from the WWII era is the airfield pavement and a crumbling wall. A truck driving school was a major tenant on site. I was told the hangar was civilian-built, after WWII.Loading platform
General view
Non-historic hangar Walnut Ridge AAFld AR, 36-07-30, 90-55-30. After Newport, I headed north to Walnut Ridge and found Walnut Ridge Regional Airport (ARG). A variety of businesses occupy the former base. Water storage tanks and a pumphouse still stand.
184-foot demountable hangar
General view
General view Walnut Ridge AFS AR, 36-07-43, 90-55-52. On the airport grounds, I found a 1950's era cinder block building that the occupants confirmed was part of the former rarar station. Some metal buildings were nearby, as was a family housing area. I was told the radar antennas had been across the flightline, on the northeast part of the airport. There, I found V&B Manufacturing, occupying what looked like new industrial metal buildings. Some nearby metal buildings looked military, and fire hydrants were dated 1958. After gaining permission to look around, I was quite pleased to find the distinctive foundation remains from a radar tower. It was about 75 yards south of my car, parked at 36-07-48, 90-55-09. Building
Building
Building
General view
General view
Building
General view
Building
Radar tower foundation Pocahontas Aux Fld #1 AR, 36-14, 90-57. Nick Wilson Field (M70) was an auxiliary to Walnut Ridge AAFld in WWII.
General view I headed back to Little Rock AFB for the night, after driving a mere 316 miles in slightly more than 8 hours.
Tuesday, 5 November 1996
Eaker AFB AR, ILC BWKR, 35-57-30, 89-57-00. This base was recently closed, although still carried on Barksdale AFB's property books as it worked through the disposal process. The new name is Blytheville International Airport (BYH). Many of the base's facilities sat empty and unused, but some buildings were occupied by commercial enterprises. The weapon storage area's entry control point was secure, but some side gates to the area were wide open, so I had a windshield tour of the bunkers--no line badge required! The alert area "Christmas tree" was in use by a truck driving school. The alert facility entry control point looked a little unkempt by SAC standards, and the readiness crew building showed a large addition. The base theater looked lonely with no movie posters displayed, and the base chapel was still in fine condition.Gate and sign
Hangar
Dormitory
Parachute and dinghy building
Weapon storage area
Weapon storage area entry control point
Weapon storage area entry control point
Weapon storage area
Weapon storage area
Weapon storage area
Weapon storage area
SAC alert aircraft parking area
SAC alert area entry control point
SAC alert area readiness crew building
SAC alert area readiness crew building
Theater
Chapel
Control tower and beacon light Dyersburg AAFld TN, 35-54-00, 89-24-30. A small part of the airfield is still an active airport, Arnold Field (M31), but most of the former airfield is in disrepair. I drove on a former runway, and in spots the pavement was buckled and rough. A Norden bombsite storage building remains and is marked with a sign.
Hangar
Airfield
Norden bombsite storage and maintenance building remains
Norden bombsite storage and maintenance building remains Malden AB MO, at 36-36-20, 89-59-20. I found Malden Municipal Airport (MAW) and noted hangars, elevated water storage tank, and a parachute loft on the grounds. The remaining buildings are a mix of WWII and 1950s vintage.
Hangar and building
Elevated water storage tank
Parachute and dinghy building
Flagpole
General view
Building
Building From Malden, I headed south and spent the night in West Memphis, after an 11-hour drive of 524 miles.
Wednesday, 6 November 1996
Thompson-Robbins Field AR, 34-35, 90-40. On the road bright and early. First stop, West Helena, Arkansas. Still known by its WWII name, I noticed different types of hangars, some building foundations, and the site of the flagpole on this former base. I had several views of my favorite type of hangar, the 184-foot demountable, a common type at WWII contract flying schools. The flightline had a mix of hangars and a beacon. Saddles for an aboveground fuel oil tank sat next to a building.Hangar
184-foot demountable hangar
General view
Flagpole site
184-foot demountable hangar
184-foot demountable hangar
184-foot demountable hangar
184-foot demountable hangar
Building and hangar
Hangar
Hangar
Hangar
Fuel tank saddles Adams Field AR, 34-44, 92-14. Backtracking to Little Rock, I noted a nice hangar, possibly WWII vintage.
Hangar Texarkana AFS AR, 33-27-20, 93-59-53. This radar site, adjacent to Texarkana Regional-Webb Field (TXK), is fairly intact. A radome is still in place on the search radar tower, although it appeared disused and the fenced area around the tower was filled with junk. Most of the buildings on the site are in decent condition and used by various businesses and organizations.
General view
General view
Radar tower with radome
Radar tower with radome
Radar tower with radome
General view
General view
Building
Building Yikes, it's Wednesday and I have class tonight--gotta get home! I made it back to Haughton at 1540; covering 447 miles in 10 hours. Total trip was 1,708 miles in four days. Updated January 26, 2025
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