Richards Field was the first airport serving Kansas City, which it did until 1927. In that year, a new airport was built and dedicated as New Richards Field by Charles Lindbergh, undoubtedly during his U.S. tour in September that year. Please direct your browser to Lindbergh's link to learn about his visit to Tucson and his dedication of that airfield. At his link you can view a vintage moving picture film of his visit.

Below, courtesy of friend of dmairfield Tim Kalina, is a military photo, taken by the 5th photo Section, of Richards Field. The same hangars are visible in this image as in the photograph next below. Mr. Kalina states, "The main silver hangar though does not have Richards Field lettered on it's top so this most likely is an earlier photo....
All the planes appear to be military, they look like a mix of JN-4s and DH-4s. There is one plane though that must be civilian and that one is in the center of the photo, on the right. I can't determine just what make this aircraft is but it has swept back wings and a rudder which looks much like a Swallow aircraft." If anyone can identify that airplane, please let me KNOW. Although the date is unknown, it is probably sometime in 1922.

Richards Field, Date Unknown (Source: Kalina)

Below, a warm, sunny day at Richards Field, Kansas City, MO with calm wind. "Richards Field" is clearly painted in white on the tops of the two hangar buildings. This image, shared with us by Tim Kalina, is dated 1922, the year the airfield was established. Some period automobiles huddle at right center, and what appears to be four early military aircraft can be seen in rank at right center with their white vertical stabilizer stripes clearly visible. These aircraft, which look like Curtiss biplanes, are deployed in front of a row of tents (note the tents, too, at top center in the photo above). Another vertical stripe is visible on the empennage of the aircraft just inside the door of the hangar with "Field" painted on the roof. Does anyone KNOW anything about these military aircraft, or their organization, or the reason they were posted at Richards?

Richards Field, Kansas City, MO, ca. 1922

The old, original Richards Field closed in 1949, and was redeveloped as the Gregory Heights subdivision. Below, according to information from Wikipedia, is the present day approximate location of Richards Field (viewed from about 4,000'). A plaque commemorating the location of the field is on the corner of 9063 E. Gregory Blvd., Kansas City (see the address on the image). The lat/long coordinates given by Wiki, however, center at the far left center of this Google Earth image, about a block away. Note "Richards Dr." at the lower left. No trace of the airfield remains today.

Location of Richards Field in October, 2008 (Source: Google Earth)

The New Richards Field was quickly named Kansas City Municipal Airport. Below, an image of that airport from 1933 (source citation left sidebar).

Kansas City Minicipal Airport, Circa 1933

The Kansas City Municipal Airport was marked with "Kansas City" embedded in the field (not visible on this image). It was sometimes called the peninsula airfield, because it was located on land at a sharp bend in the Missouri River. It had four runways, as pictured, which were built up of cinders and treated with oil. It had a rotating beacon, boundary, flood and obstruction lights.

There was a telephone available at the field, as was a Department of Commerce two radio station, KRC, which operated at 344kcs. Weather reports were available at the field, as was a restaurant. Other restaurants and hotels were in town, with a taxi ride of 40 cents, or a bus ride every ten minutes. The airport offered fuel, oil, airplane storage and repair facilities, with licensed mechanics available day and night.

Kansas City rapidly became a major midwest crossroads. As of 1933 air cargo and passenger operators on the field included American Airways, Braniff Air Lines, Rapid Air Transport, Transcontinental & Western Air, United Air Lines and United States Airways. There was at least one aircraft manufacturer (Longren), U.S. Army Reserve training arm, Waco sales, service and training, and one taxi company (Walter Taber).

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Another airfield in the Kansas City area, Fairfax Field, was cited by one Register pilot, Don Mathers. Below, an aerial photo of Fairfax Field from 1933 (source citation left sidebar).

Fairfax Field, Kansas City, KS, Ca. 1933 (Source: Webmaster)

Additional information about Fairfax Airport is at Abandoned and Little-Known Airfields. At the link you will discover that the Fairfax Airport had a long and illustrious history, finally closing for good on April 1, 1985.

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THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 10/15/08 REVISED: 01/31/11, 09/11/15