LaGuardia Airport

Joshua Stoff

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2008
• Print ISBN: 9780738557991
• eBook ISBN: 9781439620533
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: Technology & Engineering

LaGuardia Airport, named for the mayor of New York in the mid 1930s is one of America's busiest airports and has undergone great change throughout the years. Constructed closer to Manhattan than the commercially unsuccessful Floyd Bennett Field, LaGuardia Airport was conceived in the mid-1930s as New York City mayor Fiorello LaGuardia realized the need for a great airport for one of the world's great cities. Originally known as New York Municipal Airport, the popular airport soon had its name changed to recognize LaGuardia's enormous contribution to the project. At the time of its opening in 1939, it was the largest and most advanced commercial airport in the world with terminals considered art deco masterpieces. Although a very large airport for the era in which it was built, by the late 1940s it was the world's busiest airport and clearly too small for the increasing amount of air traffic. Through the years its runways were lengthened and facilities were improved to handle larger and faster aircraft. Still one of America's busiest airports, LaGuardia has witnessed the steady progress of American commercial aviation, from flying boats to jetliners.

Two

THE BEGINNING 1939–1940

UNITED AIR LINES ADVERTISING POSTER, 1939. When construction of the new airport began, it was hoped its opening would coincide with the opening of the 1939 New York World’s Fair. In spite of nearly round-the-clock work, it missed this goal by several months. In 1939, San Francisco also had a smaller and less noteworthy world’s fair. (CAM.)

AERIAL VIEW OF NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR, 1939. The 1939 New York World’s Fair is still hailed as being the most architecturally spectacular and visionary world’s fair ever held. Filled with noteworthy art deco structures and visions of the world to come, it was located two miles from New York Municipal Airport. (CAM.)

THE FIRST AIRLINER TO LAND, 1939. On April 2, 1939, a TWA DC-2 landed at the new airport while most of it was still under construction. The flight was basically a test of the new runways and taxiways, but nonetheless, it still attracted a crowd. (CAM.)

PROGRAM COVER, NEW YORK MUNICIPAL AIRPORT DEDICATION. Fortunately for all parties concerned, October 15, 1939, turned out to be a perfect day. Opening festivities featured several short speeches and a simple ceremony. Wisely the action centered on a spectacular display of the latest military and civilian aircraft. (CAM.)

OPENING DAY CROWD, NEW YORK MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. On opening day, October 15, 1939, the airport was mobbed by a crowd of 325,000. This was by far the largest crowd to ever visit an airport in one day. Although christened as New York Municipal Airport, while the ceremonies were going on, a skywriting plane wrote overhead, “Name it LaGuardia.” (CAM.)

VIEW OF THE AIRLINERS AND SKYWALK, OCTOBER 15, 1939. The first aircraft to arrive were gleaming DC-3s from American Airlines, TWA, United Air Lines, and Canadian Colonial Airways bringing various dignitaries. A Pan American Airways Boeing B-314 made a low pass overhead and landed in adjacent Bowery Bay. (CAM.)

VIEW FROM THE FIELD, OPENING DAY, 1939. Although a glorious day for New York Municipal Airport, the arrival of these new airliners spelled doom for Newark Airport. With the airlines’ abandonment, it closed within weeks. Opening day was also the first and last time such a crowd was allowed onto the flight line at LaGuardia. (CAM.)

DOUGLAS B-18 AT NEW YORK MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, OPENING DAY. For the festivities, a squadron of B-18 bombers was flown in from nearby Mitchel Field on Long Island. Altogether 150 planes took part in the day’s events. This was the only air show to ever take place at LaGuardia Airport. (CAM.)

MAYOR FIORELLO LAGUARDIA IN THE COCKPIT OF A TWA DC-3, 1939. In his short speech on opening day, Fiorello LaGuardia said, “We are dedicating a giant airport to peace, to bring tidings of happiness to commerce, and friendly relations with all countries whose planes will land at this airport.” The public campaign to change the name of the airport began immediately, and on November 2, 1939, the New York City Council passed a resolution adopting the name, New York Municipal Airport—LaGuardia Field. (PANYNJ.)

NEW YORK MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, LOOKING WEST, 1939. The close proximity of t...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• One - BEFORE LAGUARDIA 1928–1939
• Two - THE BEGINNING 1939–1940
• Three - TAKING OFF 1941–1950
• Four - ENTERING THE JET AGE 1951–1965
• Five - LAGUARDIA IN THE MODERN ERA 1966–