Mitchel Air Force Base, Hempstead, Long Island
Mitchel Air Force Base on Long Island has been a miltary installation since the Revolutionary War. It was used then as an enlistment camp, and subsequently in The War of 1812, The Mexican War, The Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II.
Before World War II the base was a hub of aviation advancements, particularly in speed. Multiple airplane speed records were recorded here and the base hosted speed contests regularly. The military used the base for a number of firsts: the first air mail service in 1924, the first nonstop transcontinental bomber flight, and the first long range reconnaisannce flight (with B-17s led by Curtis LeMay).
After WWII it was the first location for the Air Defense Command which was responsible for the air security of the entire United States (forerunner to NORAD). The base was closed in 1961 when the surrounding area was developed and flight activities were too intrusive. Nassau Community College and the Nassau Coliseum now occupy most of the base's original land. Some of the hangers are still there and house the Cradle of Aviation Museum.
The four photos below were part of a road trip to find scene locations from The Godfather. One of the taxiways was used for the scene where Sonny Corleone is assasinated. I didn't get a chance to explore the whole area but I know this is one of the few remaining pieces of Mitchel AFB. It's fenced in but the fence is falling down. It must be semi-public because of the traffic school course. The overgrowth around it means most people probably don't even know its history.
Read MoreBefore World War II the base was a hub of aviation advancements, particularly in speed. Multiple airplane speed records were recorded here and the base hosted speed contests regularly. The military used the base for a number of firsts: the first air mail service in 1924, the first nonstop transcontinental bomber flight, and the first long range reconnaisannce flight (with B-17s led by Curtis LeMay).
After WWII it was the first location for the Air Defense Command which was responsible for the air security of the entire United States (forerunner to NORAD). The base was closed in 1961 when the surrounding area was developed and flight activities were too intrusive. Nassau Community College and the Nassau Coliseum now occupy most of the base's original land. Some of the hangers are still there and house the Cradle of Aviation Museum.
The four photos below were part of a road trip to find scene locations from The Godfather. One of the taxiways was used for the scene where Sonny Corleone is assasinated. I didn't get a chance to explore the whole area but I know this is one of the few remaining pieces of Mitchel AFB. It's fenced in but the fence is falling down. It must be semi-public because of the traffic school course. The overgrowth around it means most people probably don't even know its history.
