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Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> Miami and Florida AVIATION Historical Photos Gallery - Airports, Airlines, Aircraft - All Years - click on image to view >> All-American Airport / Miami International Master Field / NAS Miami South Field #1 / MCAS Miami / MASTERS FIELD Gallery > 1942 - air traffic control tower at Master (AKA Master's and Masters) Field, Miami
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FEB-1942 CAA/FAA-restored by Don Boyd

1942 - air traffic control tower at Master (AKA Master's and Masters) Field, Miami

Master Field, NW 27th Avenue, Miami, Florida


From a FAA website:
"February 1942..Build (sic) by the City of Miami on what would become "Masters Field", then being constructed on a vast area bounded by the Seaboard Coastline Railway, NW 27th Avenue, NW 103rd Street and NW 119the Street. The new airport was to have five runways, some as long as six thousand feet, with the passenger terminal on the east side of the airport connecting directly with the Pan American Seaplane Base at Dinner Key via 27th Avenue. This structure was the first actually designed as a control tower, but, unfortunately, had a partial glass roof with no ventilation or air conditioning. The CAA staff occupied this facility in February 1942, and maintained it until it was turned over to the U.S. Navy as part of the Opa Locka Naval Complex in August 1942."


other sizes: small original auto
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Don Boyd14-Jun-2016 06:58
Bob Anderson, thank you for relating your story almost 6 years ago. This is the first time I've read it and only because Davis posted his comment today. I usually see comments when posted but I miss a few here and there. My apologies!

Davis, you are correct but just about everyone in town called it "Master's" or "Masters" including the FAA and that's what I'm going with. But I'll put "Master" in parenthesis or something so that both names are displayed. Mainside vs. NAS Miami or MCAS Miami? I'll go with the official names in that debate even though servicemen back then called it "Mainside." But I'll try and add "Mainside" too where appropriate.

Don
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Davis Gandees 14-Jun-2016 02:08
The correct name was Master Field not Masters, Opa Locka was Mainside.
Bob Anderson 08-Aug-2010 20:27
Thanks for these great photos of Master's and Amelia Earhart. Back in the late 50's I was a pilot in SAC stationed at Homestead. There was an airshow at Master's Field. There was an Aero Club at Homestead that had some Cessna 172's and such. The club was flying folks from Homestead to Masters and back all day long. I made only a couple runs late in the day. When I got back to the BOQ I got a call that there were still people up at Masters that needed a lift back to Homestead. I was told to come down to the flightline, get a 172 and go get them. Dumb me.. Why I didn't say tell them to take a taxi I'll never know. When you had bars on your shoulders and wings on your chest you just did. Unfortunately, when I left Homestead it was already getting dark. I remember I had to fly around MIA on 36th street, and by the time I got to Masters it was really dark and no lights, no tower, the show was over and most everyone had gone home. A couple of cars headlights seemed to illuminate the runway. I did a nice landing and to my surprise found no one waiting. After mulling this over I figured I had landed at Earhart ( had been at drag races there) and Masters was directly to the East. So I took what might have been the shortest flight since the Wright Bros, from Earhart to Masters. The folks there assumed I had crashed , but were relieved to see me reappear. I've often wondered if there were any telephone poles wires or any other obstruction between the two. I also learned never to go into an unlighted airfield at night no matter how "hot' you think you are or who told you to do so. I still wonder at it as I look back. I think the good Lord was looking out for one poor sap that night.