United Airport, Los Angeles...Burbank, Ca

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OK, first off....in the early days they used "Los Angeles" when they really should have said "Burbank". You'll find it in the advertising, in books and photos and in the lists of records set from here or to here...Burbank, that is.

The land on which United Airport was built in northwest Burbank was originally purchased by United Aircraft and Transport Corp., a subsidiary of the Boeing Company. They began construction on 240 acres in 1929. The runways of this "first million dollar airport in the United States" were hardened by disking the sandy soil and working in heavy oil several times. The 3" thick surface was dust free and still forgiving enough for the early aircraft which had no shock absorbers. Tail draggers landed in the wheat planted between the runways as they needed that 'drag' to slow them down and to prevent ground looping. First tenants at the airport included Hamilton Aero Mfg. (moved from Grand Central Airport in Glendale) and the Northrop Aircraft Corporation, which owned the southwest corner of the area.. Pacific Air Transport was the first commercial airline to use the field. Katherine Smith was Tom Hamiltons secretary and the first to run the 'station' at Burbank airport. She later worked for Paul Mantz, who taught her how to fly.

The original terminal building was designed and built by the Austin Company. Hangar #1 was to the south side of the terminal (the Bendix racers were sometimes staged in this hangar) and hangar # 2 was to the east (this is where Paul Mantz had his collection of aircraft). These hangars still exist at the airport but they have been moved and have lost their original masonry parts. The BGP Airport Authority is currently preparing to demolish them also. There was also the 'Hamilton Aero' hangar located at the northeast corner of the field on Winona St. and Hollywood Way. This hangar, which was built as part of the original airport in 1930, existed until 1994 completely untouched and in it's original location. It was named a California 'Point of Historical Interest' in February of 1994, after being slightly damaged in the Jan 17th 1994 earthquake. Within weeks it was declared 'not historical' and torn down without any historical review or a chance to try to develop public interest; what a waste of our cultural heritage and historical equity.

Note: Hamilton Aero building, the last intact building from the original Burbank airport and from the Golden Age of Aviation (except perhaps Grand Central Airport Terminal). Demolished in 1995) Hamilton Standard Company today   Note: Northrop Aircraft Company; home of the first 'flying wing' concept studys and the first all metal aircraft; the Northrop 'Gamma'. These buildings lasted until the early 70's.

The field was purchased by United Airports Company in 1934 and the name was changed to Union Air Terminal.

It was sold to the Lockheed Company in 1940 as they geared up to build over 40,000 aircraft during WWII.

The Lockheed Company began phasing out of it's buildings in the early 1990's, consolidating in Palmdale and Georgia.

The last project worked on in the Burbank/Lockheed facility was a prototype of the F-22 Lightning (now Raptor) that was located in the A-1 plant area.

The last vestige of the great Lockheed California Company (Building # 360) was demolished by Nov. 2000.

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