Bowman Field KLOU

[PhrogPhlyer]

A bit of history and present day at Bowman Field and the Louisville Kentucky area.

This one's for you Michael (aka Rupert).

 

Bowman Field was one of the busiest airfields in the US during the beginnings of the golden age of aviation and during WWII.

American Airlines began service at Bowman in 1928. Note that Kentucky was one of the 20 American Airlines Flagship DC-3s.

 

The airport invited a military reserve unit to be based there as a way to help grow the field and promote aviation to the community. In 1922 the 465th Pursuit Squadron (Reserve) began operations at Bowman Field flying flying the Curtiss JN. Later many different type aircraft were assigned to the field  from Vindicators to assault gliders

 

Approaching the field,

 

Even today, you can get a taste of the old by taking a flight in a Waco with Classic Biplane Tours, that operates from Bowman.

All that is needed are the food trucks found all around Louisville and the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory (a MUST when you visit).

 

Flying past Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, with the Cardinals stadium just beyond the racetrack.

[sfgarland]

Interesting . . . . . love the Waco

[PhrogPhlyer]

Thanks sf. I really enjoy using FS as a way to get closer to the vast world of aviation history.

[sfgarland]

This scenery available here?

[PhrogPhlyer]

1 hour ago, sfgarland said:

This scenery available here?

Yes, There are several by searching Kentucky in FSX scenery, some I have not added yet. But for this set of pics I used these two (search Bowman in FSX scenery):

https://www.flightsim.com/search/?&q=bowman&type=downloads_file&quick=1&nodes=104&search_and_or=and&sortby=relevancy

 

 

[sfgarland]

thank you.  and again, enjoy your presentations/work much

[PhrogPhlyer]

Again, so glad you enjoyed this. It motivates me to find another interesting location to explore.

[PhrogPhlyer]

10 hours ago, sfgarland said:

love the Waco

Forgot to mention that the Waco is also available here:

 

[sfgarland]

Yes, thank you.  I have both the Golden Age UBF2 and the alebeo YMF5.  As for interesting historical places . . . . Farmingdale/Republic--I think for FS2004, there was scenery creating the area as it was in the late '20's and or late '30's.

[sfgarland]

my bad!  Roosevelt field I think,  also available on FSX

 

 

[PhrogPhlyer]

 

3 hours ago, sfgarland said:

Roosevelt field

Excellent location steeped in history.

[Rupert]

GREAT!!  And it's obviously my favorite airport in the US!  When I was in high school I'd caddy at the Seneca Golf Course which is adjacent to LOU.  In fact LOU was a short enough walk from my home I'd often walk over and dream of becoming a pilot,

 

After joining the Corps that wish came true.  Between tours in Vietnam we often ferried H-46s from Baltimore to MCAF Santa Ana.  When I was ferrying H-46s across country I flew into LOU more than once. 

 

After the Corps I flew RW as a passenger in various friend's private planes out of LOU and spent a ton of time off visiting in friends hangers and occasionally still do.  Even today they do an annual airshow there which I view as many years as possible from the "Pilots Club" in fact I have a good friend who flies a WACO most years in that airshow. 

 

And yes I've visited at the Downs, the Derby Museum, and the Louisville Slugger Museum many times as well.  It's like when you own a condo on a beach, you seem to have old friends and relatives that come to visit.  But the timing of the visit visit has a lot to do with the area as well as visiting you.

 

In your shots the terminal building and such still look a lot like as shown, as does much of downtown Louisville.  Churchill Downs is shown a little off but that's about as far from being accurate as any of the scenes are. 

 

 

[PhrogPhlyer]

1 hour ago, Rupert said:

GREAT!!  And it's obviously my favorite airport in the US! 

Glad you enjoyed. I had a blast learning about the history of such a wonderful field.