WPA Photographs: Air Training Base

WPA Photographs
Air Training Base

Click on a number in the "Digital #" column for a 600 pixel image of the photograph. Original negatives were scanned by volunteer Jayme Jacob.

Series Number Project Series Title Description Date Taken Project Dates OP # Negatives Contact Prints 8x10 Prints Digital #

02.01 Air Training Base U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base WPA engineers estimate the grading of the runways at the Lake Pontchartrain base is about 90% complete. The work also will involve grading a vast area in addition to the runways. The base is being constructed partly by the WP A and partly by the Navy. 4/8/1941

10 1
1; 3; 7

02.02 Air Training Base U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base A crew of 1,000 WPA workers are rushing to complete this project by June 1 and are grading and surfacing the runways and landing areas. The two runways will be 3,000 feet long and 150 feet wide, and will be paved with a four- inch slab of asphalt. At each end will be an arch-shaped concrete turning area 100x200 feet in size. 4/11/1941

12 1
1; 8; 12

02.03 Air Training Base U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base Sand pit at the base from which sand is hauled to asphalting equipment for making blacktop surface for runways. The two runways will be 3,000 feet long and 150 feet wide, and will be paved with a four-inch slab of asphalt. 7/10/1941

2 1
1

02.04 Air Training Base U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base Asphalt equipment used for making blacktop surface at the base. The base, formally commissioned on July 15, is being constructed partly by the WPA and partly by the Navy. 7/10/1941

3 1
1; 2; 3

02.05 Air Training Base U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base This concrete turn-around, 150x200 feet in size, will enable Navy cadets to maneuver their training planes for take offs at the new base. There is a turn-around at each end of the two asphalt runways. 7/10/1941

5

1; 3

02.06 Air Training Base U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base This 203 acre tract of land on the New Orleans lakefront, once a swampy, unsanitary shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain, was graded and leveled by WPA workers to provide the U.S. Navy with a landing field for its new base. Buildi ngs of the base, still under construction, are shown in the background. 7/10/1941

5

1; 4; 5

02.07 Air Training Base U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base General view of the base at Lake Pontchartrain. In the foreground, one of four concrete turn-arounds. In the background, administration building and the unfinished hangar of the base. In the distance can be seen the nearby am usement park. 7/10/1941

1

2; 4; 8

02.08 Air Training Base U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base Spreading asphalt for one of the two runways at the base. The runways are built to grade and drainage structures built by WPA labor. Actual laying of asphalt is being performed by contract. Unfinished hangar for the base is s hown in the background. 7/10/1941

2

1; 2

02.09 Air Training Base U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base Copies of plans for base showing soil profile of one of the runways. 10/3/1941

1; 3

Series Number	Project	Series Title	Description	Date Taken	Negatives	Contact Prints	Digital #
02.01	Air Training Base	U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base	WPA engineers estimate the grading of the runways at the Lake Pontchartrain base is about 90% complete. The work also will involve grading a vast area in addition to the runways. The base is being constructed partly by the WP A and partly by the Navy.	4/8/1941	10	1	1; 3; 7
02.02	Air Training Base	U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base	A crew of 1,000 WPA workers are rushing to complete this project by June 1 and are grading and surfacing the runways and landing areas. The two runways will be 3,000 feet long and 150 feet wide, and will be paved with a four- inch slab of asphalt. At each end will be an arch-shaped concrete turning area 100x200 feet in size.	4/11/1941	12	1	1; 8; 12
02.03	Air Training Base	U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base	Sand pit at the base from which sand is hauled to asphalting equipment for making blacktop surface for runways. The two runways will be 3,000 feet long and 150 feet wide, and will be paved with a four-inch slab of asphalt.	7/10/1941	2	1	1
02.04	Air Training Base	U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base	Asphalt equipment used for making blacktop surface at the base. The base, formally commissioned on July 15, is being constructed partly by the WPA and partly by the Navy.	7/10/1941	3	1	1; 2; 3
02.05	Air Training Base	U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base	This concrete turn-around, 150x200 feet in size, will enable Navy cadets to maneuver their training planes for take offs at the new base. There is a turn-around at each end of the two asphalt runways.	7/10/1941	5		1; 3
02.06	Air Training Base	U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base	This 203 acre tract of land on the New Orleans lakefront, once a swampy, unsanitary shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain, was graded and leveled by WPA workers to provide the U.S. Navy with a landing field for its new base. Buildi ngs of the base, still under construction, are shown in the background.	7/10/1941	5		1; 4; 5
02.07	Air Training Base	U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base	General view of the base at Lake Pontchartrain. In the foreground, one of four concrete turn-arounds. In the background, administration building and the unfinished hangar of the base. In the distance can be seen the nearby am usement park.	7/10/1941	1		2; 4; 8
02.08	Air Training Base	U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base	Spreading asphalt for one of the two runways at the base. The runways are built to grade and drainage structures built by WPA labor. Actual laying of asphalt is being performed by contract. Unfinished hangar for the base is s hown in the background.	7/10/1941	2		1; 2
02.09	Air Training Base	U.S. Naval Reserve Air Training Base	Copies of plans for base showing soil profile of one of the runways.	10/3/1941			1; 3

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5/3/1999--we