Amarillo, TX Facility Forced To Cease Operations

The Texas Aviation Historical Society tells ANN it was unable to reach a satisfactory lease agreement with the City of Amarillo, TX... and has been forced to cease operation of The English Field Air & Space Museum.

All furnishings, tools, equipment and memorabilia will be sold to the highest bidder Saturday, September 29 at the current location on Highway 60 in Amarillo.

English Field was named after Aviation Pioneer Harold English, who opened the airport in 1929. In 1930, due to overcrowding and poor conditions, airlines shifted their operations from Municipal Field along Amarillo Blvd. to English Field.

In 1941, The City of Amarillo purchased English Field and began constructing paved runways and ramps. In 1942, The Amarillo Army Air Base was established on the eastern portion of English Field for technical and flying training during WWII.

In 1952, The airport's name changed from English Field to Amarillo Air Terminal and was the municipal airport in Amarillo until Amarillo International Airport (KAMA) was built in 1971. In 2003, Amarillo International was renamed Rick Husband International Airport, after Amarillo native and Astronaut Rick Husband who was Commander of the ill-fated STS-107 Columbia Space Shuttle.

The TAHS was organized in 1987 and was housed at Tradewind Airport (KTDW) in Amarillo until 1991 when it moved to the old English Field location.

TAHS officers General Bob Dempsey (USAF-Retired) and Lt. Commander Cecil Hawkins (USN-Retired) both expressed deep regret at the demise of the Museum.

"It’s been a long uphill struggle to build and maintain the displays with the resources we had.," said Hawkins. "When the City decided to condemn the buildings we were in and we could not reach a suitable lease agreement or find another facility, we had no choice but to shut down the operation."

The Museum once had an extensive collection of nuclear ordinance, including actual bomb drop units of The Cold War Era in addition to over 15 aircraft including Helicopters, an F-100 Super Sabre, F-84F, OV-10 Bronco as well as one of the largest collections of General Aviation and Military artifacts and memorabilia in the Southwest.

FMI: www.colglenn.net