Warbird Information Exchange

Hi Everyone, I'm brand new here and am hoping someone can direct me to a place I can find photos of what Ryan Airfield outside of Tucson, Arizona looked like circa 1942-44. I am a fine artist who was recently commissioned by a World War 2 vet that trained there in the PT17 Stearman, and he would like me to do an oil painting of one landing there. Problem is, I am having a hard time finding any photos of what it looked like. Is there anyone who can help me to get connected with either a website, or a person who would have such photos? I sure would appreciate any help you could give me. This gentleman has his heart set on this memory, and I want to do the best job I possibly can for him. Just so you know that I'm real, I'm including a link to my painting website.

Thank you in advance for your help, Steve Atkinson, OPA
www.SteveAtkinsonStudio.com

Steve,

I think I can help you. I'm the curator of the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson. I know we have some photos of Ryan Field during World War II at the museum. Send me an email at my work address next week with exactly what you need and I'll look to see if we have anything that will help.

James Stemm
Curator of Collections
Pima Air & Space Museum
jstemm@pimaair.org

James, I'll follow up with you next week. I can't thank you enough for replying, you've made my day, and I've been meaning to get down to the Pima Air and Space Museum, so now I can make that happen. Talk with you next week...
~~Steve

Steve,
Looks like you've done some great paintings.

As for Ryan Field, you might want to ask the WWII vet a few more questions. For instance, what was his graduating class and where did he graduate from? You might be able to find somebody who has his Ryan Field class book and that would verify aircraft flown out of Ryan Field.

...because, I never heard of PT-17s being used as primary training aircraft at Ryan Field. Ryan Field in Tucson was an extension of San Diego based Ryan School of Aeronautics. They flew Ryan aircraft, such as the PT-22. The Pima Air and Space Museum even has one hanging up in their main hangar.

Good luck with your project!

Thanks .Mac,
per your suggestion, I will follow up on the questions you suggested. I had no idea there were class books that were produced, so thanks for that. Also, I will follow up with him on the PT-22 question, since they are very different from the 17's. Just have to make sure to do my homework and get it right the first time! Appreciate the thoughtful post, and thanks for the compliment about my work. I know the history of the American West, but marrying the West with aviation is a new venture for me, so I know enough to know I need to ask folks like you all here on WIX.

A little bit is on the abandoned and little known fields site, a great site by the way! The airstrips looked pretty basic.

http://www.airfields-freeman.com/AZ/Air ... con_SW.htm

On Google Earth, there is a picture taken from the end of one of the runways.
Since the surrounding mountains were (are still) used for visual navigation, getting the alignment of the various peaks correct will go a long way towards setting your work in time and space.

_________________
Lest Hero-worship raise it's head and cloud our vision, remember that World War II was fought and won by the same sort of twenty-something punks we wouldn't let our daughters date.

Thank you for including this site. I'm guessing the markings on these airstrips are pretty typical of the era for the training bases (very basic)? Steve

Thanks Shrike, I will be sure to take a look from Google Earth right now. It was in my head to do it, but the reminder is great. I've called my vet to confirm the airplane he trained in, but he didn't answer. I'll follow up with him. From what I've been reading, and told here, he probably would have trained in the Ryan Recruit PT-22.

MAC-

Indeed its important to know the dates. My Stearman, a PT-17 was built on 8 May 42, served six months in Americus, GA and then went to Hemet Field, CA to fly in the Ryan school there for almost 9 months. It did the last two years of the war at Curtis Field Brady, TX. There was a consolidation sometime in'43 where the PT-19/22/26 served west of the Rockies and the PT-17 served east of the Rockies (with some exceptions, particularly in Texas). It is quite possible that this fellow flew PT-17s in Tuscon.

my two cents,
gunny

_________________
Scott 'Gunny' Perdue
http://www.eagleflyingmuseum.org

Not expert on Ryan Field but I think all the AAF civil contract schools using the Ryan PT series saw them replaced with PT-27 and PT-17, circa mid 1944 and again with PT-13B/Ds by 1945.

Someone else mentioned PT-19s being used West of the Rockies. I am not aware of the Fairchild PT-19 series serving in any of the Western Flying Training Center flying schools - but happy to be corrected.
M-62A