Delaware County Airports
Aviation excitement caught on early in Delaware County. On September 27, 1912, nine years after the Wright brothers’ first successful flight, the Muncie Aero Club was established. According to a Star Press news article that day, it was thought that “Muncie, the Magic City, should occupy a prominent space in the annals American Aviation. It possesses the intellectual, mechanical and financial ability to make it an excellent aviation center.” George Kemp, a local engine manufacturer was president of the club. He offered free use of his engines to any airplane manufacturer wishing to use the local field after it was established. The club’s objectives were to locate land for an airstrip and hangar, promote and educate people about flying, and bring flyers to Muncie for demonstrations.
There have been five official airfields in Delaware County. In 1923 the first one, Wall Field, opened in Muncie off of South Hackley Street between 18th and 26th Streets. The property had been a tobacco farm and the curing barn was moved and repurposed to serve as a hangar.
Wall Field officially closed in 1929. Ernie Bashem had been responsible for operations at Wall until 1928 when he went to the newly established Werts Field (also called Silver Fox) near Yorktown. Located on Andrews Road, Werts served the Muncie area until 1936. Both Abbott Johnson and Edmund F. Ball learned to fly at Werts.
The Muncie Airport was established in 1932 by Edmund F. Ball, Frank E. Ball, and Abbott Johnson on land north of town that was owned by Johnson. He had donated the land to the city for use as an airport when John Hampton, Sr. was mayor but the following administration of George Dale decided that Muncie had no need of an airport and gave the land back. Clyde Shockley of Kokomo was hired to manage the field which he did until his retirement in 1964. In 1958 the Muncie Airport (or Delaware County Airport) dedicated Johnson Field in honor of Abbott Johnson. Then Vice-President Richard M. Nixon delivered the dedication speech.
On the east side of Muncie, Thomas and Lewis Reese established an airport in 1946 that is still in use today. Initially, there were four grass runways but later paved runways were added to accommodate heavier planes and handle more traffic. Many military and private pilots trained at Reese. Agricultural aerial application and business charters also became important aspects of the business. The airport is still family owned and operated, maintains one paved and one grass runway, and has several small hangar-type buildings.
Further east was the Selma Airport. It was located south of IN 32 near CR 700E. A small hangar building on 700 still marks the site.
The most recent addition to the flying fields in Delaware County is the Academy of Model Aeronautics International Aeromodeling Center. The site comprises over 1,000 acres and includes one grass and four paved runways, pylon and aerobatics courses, and grassy areas for various modeling events. Although serving a different “scale” of flying, the AMA site attracts visitors from around the world, some flying their own airplanes into the conveniently adjacent Reese airport.
Muncie Airport Johnson Filed dedication with Abbott Johnson (right) and Vice President Nixon.
Vice President Nixon speaking at the Muncie Airport Johnson Field dedication.
