Selma, Ala. Daily Photo: Craig Air Force Base

Showing posts with label Craig Air Force Base. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

A Peek into Selma's Air Force History

This jet mounted in front of Memorial Stadium reminds Selmians

of our years when Craig Air Force Base was the largest flying field in the U.S.

Craig provided flight training for young Air Force pilots and was open

from the World War II years until the late 1970s when it

was closed by the Jimmy Carter Administration.

Another post on aircraft displayed at the stadium is HERE.

Linking to Our World Tuesday and City Daily Photo Blogs

Photo by guest photographer Christine Weerts

Thursday, January 17, 2008

The Craig AFB Legacy

Selma was once home to the largest flying field in the U.S. This Air Force plane greets visitors who enter the Craig Airport and Industrial Complex and is a reminder of the part the Air Force Base played in training pilots. Cadets received advanced training for the AT-6, the T-37 and the T-38. More than 30,000 students flew here between 1941 and 1977 when the base was among those closed during President Jimmy Carter's administration. Today, the runway serves as Selma's airport and has a runway that can accommodate jets.

Monday, June 4, 2007

The "Flying-est" T-33

Off we go into the wild, blue yonder

This T-33 aircraft was used for pilot training at Selma's Craig Air Force Base and gave young men the opportunity to "climb high into the sun" and learn how to navigate the skies after World War II.
It flew more than 7200 hours and 2.5 million miles. The plane was presented to the City of Selma March 4, 1964, and the display was erected at Memorial Stadium by Selma Squadron #288 AF Association.

The Air Force base was closed in the late 1970s by the Jimmy Carter Administration. Today, it is operated as an airport and industrial authority with a runway that can accommodate jets.

WELCOME!

Selma is among the oldest cities in Alabama and has the largest contiguous historic district. It is known for its Civil War and Civil Rights history. The Battle of Selma was one of the last fought in the War Between the States, and the town was a center for the Voting Rights Movement in the 1960s. Today, with a population of about 20,000, Selma is the largest town in the western Black Belt region. The Black Belt, named for the color of its soil, stretches across Central Alabama from Mississippi to Georgia.