http://www.dfwmaps.com/index.asp?ExtentLef...gional_Features

 

I'm confused. What am I looking at?

 

That is another airfield west of Mineral Wells... yet another helicopter facility that was part of the training that went on out there in the 60's... Fort Wolters is just north of 180 and where we race which was Downing Heliport and Dempsey Heliport is the one in the Gregg's link.

Our beloved MW airpark is located here.

Here's what's left of the Fort Wolters Heliport.

 

it is pretty cool that you can see the tracks of the cars that raced there before the sat photos were taken...

 

Here's 1995 USGS aerial photo before the fence. Paddock was along the south side of the hanger.

http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T=1&...eral+wells%7ctx

And Dempsey (Palo Pinto) in 1995. The boxes are FEMA temporary shelters stored there.

http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T=1&...7cpalo+pinto%7c

 

Yeah, I am real jealous of everyone who got to race at MW back then (and earlier) before the trailer mfr. and now DRS took over that big chunk of the SW corner. The surface looked to be much larger in that 1995 photo.

The Mineral Ring is VERY visible in that picture!

So... any word on if MW or whomever owns some of the other sites are interested in renting those out? Anyone know if the surface is any better than our site?

 

I have thought about going to look at Palo Pinto.

Remember it is further away. Surface is unlikely to be better unless it is concrete. An Abandoned Airfield web site reported that in 2003 FEMA still had signage at the entrance. Apparently the temp buildings were off at a hurricane or something when NTCOG flew over.

Regarding the fence, the main loss was being able to paddock along the hanger. Notice the waves in the SW corner of the 1995 shot. That was sand and gravel stored there, so much of the currently fenced pad area wasn't usable anyway. Fence took about 15%.

 

One other point. If you want a little more course area, it is ok to paddock in the separate lot next to the entrance road, since the business that was there is no longer. Would still have to leave a safety buffer to the fire lane/entrance path to the fence gate and outhouses of course.

 

If I remember correctly there are 4 other sites in addition to the one that we run on. I have toured the other sites and they are not in good shape. The use it or loose it phrase comes to mind... Much of the pavement is cracked and broken up. I'll see if I can dig up some pictures.

 

[QUOTE=Clovis,Jun 14 2005, 10:04 AM]If I remember correctly there are 4 other sites in addition to the one that we run on.