McCook Field

Entering World War I, the United States urgently needed to advance the new field of aeronautics, and because of the area's industrial strength, the military chose Dayton as the site of a new aeronautical center. McCook Field, located north of downtown Dayton between Keowee Street and the Great Miami River, was charged with researching, developing, manufacturing, and testing all military airplanes and accessories. Nearly all significant aviation developments in the decade after 1917 were achieved there. In addition to new airplanes, the field produced aircraft weapons systems, bullet-proof gas tanks, free-fall parachutes, and night observation cameras. As larger, more powerful aircraft outgrew McCook Field, the Air Force needed a more permanent site, and Dayton responded by raising $425,000 in a 48-hour effort to purchase 4,520 acres northeast of the city, laying the groundwork for the next generation of aeronautical innovation in the Miami Valley.

Dayton, Ohio · United States