Trans-Eastern had 12 departures and Mackey had two DC-3s, none nonstop beyond Florida. National Airlines had 26 departures, including seven nonstops beyond Florida to Houston Hobby, Havana, Washington National, New York/Idlewild and three to New Orleans. The April 1957 Official Airline Guide shows 30 departures a day on Eastern Air Lines: nonstops to Chicago-Midway, Detroit (Willow Run), Cleveland, New York Idlewild (now JFK), Boston, seven nonstops to Atlanta and 18 within Florida. The airport's second terminal opened in 1952 near the intersection of Columbus Drive and West Shore Blvd. Trans Canada Airlines international flights began in 1950 and Drew Field was renamed Tampa International Airport. Tampa Airport Marriott and air traffic control tower During this period, the airlines were housed in the former Drew AAF Base Operations building. Knight Airport on Davis Island, which was too small to handle the Douglas DC-4, DC-6 and Lockheed Constellation prop-liners then coming on line in the mid-1940s. Airlines (Eastern Air Lines and National Airlines) moved to Drew Field from Peter O. Knight Airport and Drew Field reversed roles as the main Tampa airport because Drew Field was greatly expanded by the United States Army Air Forces during the war years. Īfter World War II, the Army Air Forces vacated the facility and Drew Field was returned to the City of Tampa. The aircraft operated included the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Douglas C-47 Skytrain, North American AT-6, North American B-25 Mitchell, and others. Despite this, Drew Field set a safety record for the Third Air Force in 1945 after 100,000 flying hours had been completed over a period of 10 months without a fatal incident. There was one mishap in 1943 that killed five fliers. The Third Air Force used it as a training center by 120,000 combat air crews, primarily in bomber aircraft for the European and Pacific theaters, and also flew locally based antisubmarine patrols from the airfield until that mission was fully taken over by Naval Aviation assets of the U.S. The airfield was used by the Third Air Force and renamed it Drew Army Airfield. Government for 25 years, or until the end of the "national emergency." During the war, the United States Army Air Forces expanded and modernized the airport. In 1940, the City of Tampa leased Drew Field to the U.S.
The United States Army Air Corps began negotiating for the use of Drew Field in 1939 during the buildup of military forces prior to World War II. Knight Airport was opened on Davis Islands near Downtown Tampa in 1935, where both Eastern and National Airlines operated until 1946. Drew, who formerly owned the land on which the airport stood. In 1928, the city completed the 160-acre (65 ha) Drew Field six miles (9.7 km) west of Downtown Tampa. World War II postcard from Drew Army Airfield
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