Ruth Reinhold and Arizona’s Wartime Aviation Transformation
When Ruth Reinhold first took to the skies in 1933, Sky Harbor was just a cow pasture with big dreams.
She soon joined the ranks of Arizona’s first female pilots, built a career selling planes, and later taught B-24 bomber crews during WWII. Meanwhile, Arizona’s clear skies and dry climate drew the military in droves.
Luke Field popped up west of Phoenix in 1941, churning out 12,000 fighter pilots, while Thunderbird Field trained flyers from 30 nations.
These desert airfields, born from farmland, helped win a war and built Arizona’s aerospace future. The Pima Air & Space Museum now tells this high-flying story.
The Bird Man Landed in Arizona Just Seven Years After the Wright Brothers
Charles “the Bird Man” Hamilton flew into Tucson in 1910, bringing the thrill of powered flight to Arizona Territory. This happened only seven years after the Wright Brothers first flew at Kitty Hawk.
Tucson beat other cities by opening the nation’s first city-owned airport on November 20, 1919. The field got its name, Tucson Municipal Flying Field, in 1923.
Charles F. Walsh worked as a train engineer in Winslow starting in 1904 before becoming an early stunt pilot.
A Cow Pasture Becomes Sky Harbor Airport
J. Parker Van Zandt bought 278 acres of Phoenix farmland in November 1928 for his company Scenic Airways’ winter flying base.
He built a hangar and dirt runway through early 1929, creating Phoenix’s fourth airport. On February 23, 1929, Maddux Air Lines started the first regular passenger flights between San Francisco and El Paso.
The 1929 stock market crash hit hard, forcing Scenic Airways to sell Sky Harbor to Acme Investment Company.
Phoenix Paid $100,000 for an Airport Called “The Farm”
Phoenix bought Sky Harbor Airport from Acme Investment Company for $100,000 in 1935. Locals called it “the farm” because it sat in the middle of nowhere east of 24th Street.
The city quickly built new runways to handle more planes.
Standard Air Lines had served Phoenix at different airports since late 1927 before moving to Sky Harbor.
Ruth Learned to Fly by Running an Office at Sky Harbor
Ruth Reinhold became one of Arizona’s first female pilots, earning her license in 1933 at Sky Harbor when it was still a cow pasture. Paul Odneal of Copper Clad Airways taught her to fly in trade for running his office.
After Odneal died in 1936, she worked with Sky Harbor manager Cary Knier until 1946.
Reinhold flew charter flights, sold planes, and taught students in the Civilian Pilot Training Program before World War II.
The Army Found Perfect Flying Weather in the Desert
In October 1940, Army airport engineer Lt. Col. Arthur L Wilson came to Phoenix to talk about setting up a flying training base. The Phoenix Chamber of Commerce joined talks to bring military flying facilities to town.
On November 26, 1940, Brig. Gen. Henry W. Harms picked Phoenix as the spot for an advanced flying training base.
Arizona’s dry climate, clear skies, and year-round good weather made it perfect for training pilots.
Webb Construction Built Luke Field in 24-Hour Shifts
Phoenix leaders bought 1,440 acres west of town for $40,000 and leased it to the Federal Government for $1 per year.
Del E. Webb Construction Company started clearing land on March 24, 1941, working around the clock.
First called Litchfield Park Air Base, it was renamed Luke Field on June 6, 1941, after WWI fighter ace Frank Luke Jr. from Phoenix.
The first plane landed on June 1, 1941, when Lt. Martin D. Mulligan flew his AT-6 Texan onto the unfinished field.
Hollywood Stars Backed Thunderbird Field Construction
Movie stars including James Stewart, Cary Grant, Henry Fonda, and Hoagy Carmichael formed Southwest Airways in 1939. They built Thunderbird Field in Glendale starting January 2, 1941, finishing in just three months.
Artist Millard Sheets designed the field to look like a Thunderbird when seen from above.
The Army Air Forces signed a deal with Southwest Airways in March 1941, with the first 59 flight students starting training soon after.
Fighter Pilots Trained at Luke While Runways Were Still Being Built
The first class of 45 students arrived June 6, 1941, getting 10 weeks of flight training in AT-6 Texan planes. Students flew from Sky Harbor Airport until Luke runways were ready.
The first class graduated August 15, 1941. By December 7, 1941, builders had finished 95% of the base for 3,700 people.
Luke Field grew into the largest fighter training base in the Army Air Forces during World War II.
Female Pilots Flew Courier Missions During World War II
Ruth Reinhold taught B-24 bomber pilots how to fly by instruments during World War II. As captain in Civil Air Patrol, she flew courier trips between Phoenix, Tucson, and Blythe, California.
Female pilots took on key flying jobs while male pilots fought overseas. In 1968, Reinhold became the first woman picked for the Department of Transportation.
Pilots From 30 Nations Learned to Fly in Arizona’s Clear Skies
More than 12,000 fighter pilots graduated from Luke Field, earning it the nickname “Home of the Fighter Pilot.”
Thunderbird Field trained 10,000 pilots from 30 countries including British Royal Air Force cadets and Chinese Nationalist pilots between 1941 and 1945.
Famous graduates included Chuck Yeager (Class 43-C) and Richard Bong, America’s top ace with 40 air victories. Arizona became the top spot for Allied pilot training thanks to its great flying weather.
Senator Goldwater Hired Ruth as His Personal Pilot for 20 Years
World War II training operations transformed Arizona from territorial outpost into aviation powerhouse.
Barry Goldwater, who learned to fly in Arizona, hired Ruth Reinhold as his personal pilot for 20 years starting in 1958.
Reinhold wrote “Sky Pioneering: Arizona in Aviation History” in 1982, documenting the state’s transformation.
Luke Field closed in 1946 but reopened in 1951 as Luke Air Force Base, continuing fighter pilot training to this day.
Visiting Pima Air & Space Museum, Arizona
The Pima Air & Space Museum at 6000 E Valencia Rd in Tucson showcases Arizona’s aviation history with six indoor hangars and 80 acres of outdoor aircraft displays. General admission costs $15.
50 for adults at arrival. You can take a 45-minute narrated tram tour for an extra $6 or use audio guides to learn about the B-24 Liberator and other historic planes. The museum allows leashed pets on the grounds.
This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.
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