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Putnam Patriot
May 9, 1929
Windham County Observer
November 5, 1930
Windham County Observer
September 14, 1932
Putnam Patriot
August 23, 1934
Putnam, Connecticut, Air Meet – 1929
February 19, 2024
Israel Putnam Airport, Pomfret, Connecticut
February 19, 2024
Israel Putnam Airport
Putnam Patriot
June 2, 1932
On June 26, 1930, it was announced in the Putnam Patriot that Whitman Danielson, and Subbo Nikoloff, both of Putnam, and Mrs. F. W. Goodridge of Pomfret, had formed an association to establish the Putnam Airport Inc. The airport would be located on the farm of John Larned, and would be known as the Israel Putnam Airport. The area was ideal for an airport due to its high location. This airport would exist separate and apart from an existing airfield known as Mantup Field, located in the Gary Section of Putnam.
The incorporation for the Putnam Airport began with a capital of $50,000, with $5,000 paid in.
In October of 1930, a Colonial Airlines plane had made an emergency landing at the field due to heavy fog conditions. Not long afterwards, workers began clearing more of the land to expand the field to include a total of 85 to 90 acres.
By May of 1932 improvements had been made, but the field still lacked a hangar. It was also in 1932 that the U. S. Postal Service took an interest in the airport as part of its developing air mail service.
In 1933 it was announced that the U. S. Government would take over the airport as part of a ten year lease, and make improvements that would turn it into a “first class airport”. Construction began in late August/early September of that year. Improvements included the erection of a large beacon tower.
By February of 1935 a radio station for aircraft communications had been established at the airport.
It is unknown when the Putnam Airport closed, but newspaper reports indicate that it remained in operation at least until the end of World War II.
Putnam Patriot
July 13, 1933
Windham County Observer
September 25, 1935
Sources:
Putnam Patriot, “Putnam Airport Will Have 85 to 90 Acres”, October 23, 1930.
Putnam Patriot, “Government May Take Over Local Airport”, May 9, 1932.
Putnam Patriot, “Government To Supervise Airport”, September 21, 1933.
Windham County Observer, “Start Erection Of Beacon For Air-Line At Putnam”, November 1, 1933.
Windham County Observer, “Putnam Airport Radios Reports To Airplanes”, February 2, 1935.
Putnam, CT. – April 18, 1936
February 19, 2024
Putnam, Connecticut – April 18, 1936
On April 18, 1936, two men, both employees of the Standard Oil Company, were flying from New York to Putnam Airport so one of the men could visit his son who attended Pomfret School. Upon reaching the airport they saw that red flags had been posted indicating that the airport was closed except for emergency landings due to water saturated fields. The pilot radioed the airport, and the radio operator advised that the airport was in fact closed and that the field was unsafe for landing. Despite the warnings, the pilot attempted to land anyway and damaged the plane upon touchdown when it nosed over in the soft earth. Neither man was injured, but mechanics had to replace the propeller and make other repairs before the plane was airworthy enough to return to New York.
Sources:
Windham County Observer, “New York Plane Damaged Landing At Airport Here”, April 22, 1936.
Putnam Patriot, “Airplane Is damaged In Mishap Here”, April 23, 1936
Putnam, CT. – August 26, 1943
February 19, 2024
Putnam, Connecticut – August 26, 1943
In the early morning hours of August 26, 1943, a 23-year-old Civil Air Patrol lieutenant was piloting a two-seat Taylorcraft airplane when he was forced to land at the Israel Putnam Airport because his main fuel tank was low, and the pump to feed fuel from the reserve tank to the main tank had stopped working. After siphoning gas from the reserve tank to the main tank, he prepared to take off again bound for Hartford.
It was still dark when he attempted to take off, with nothing but boundary lights to guide him. As he reached an altitude of 200 feet the motor suddenly sputtered and stopped. He crash landed with the left wing striking and nose slamming into the ground.
The aircraft suffered severe damage but the pilot only received a broken finger and lacerations. He was transported to Day Kimball Hospital.
The lieutenant was attached to Battery C, Anti-Aircraft Coast Artillery.
Source:
Windham County Observer, “Civilian Air Patrol Plane Crashes Here”, September 1, 1943.
