“According to the Village of Machesney Park”
“In June 1927 Fred Machesney came to the Rockford area and acquired rights to a 55-acre tract of land & it eventually expanded to 160-acres. It officially became the 'Rockford Airport' on 7/8/27 where it was high, a well-drained field, and was comprised of 160 acres touching North 2nd Street / Road (east), extending to the west along the Rock River, and making the airport accessible to seaplanes for a landing. On the field there were 3 hangars, 60' square with a 14' clearance, capable of housing 12 standard airplanes. Two additional smaller hangars provided space for 3 more aircraft. There was a workshop, classroom, and waiting room.”
“It was Mr. Machesney’s thoroughness & unusual precautions on the part of each & every pilot that he employed which enabled him to point with pride to a 'no accident' record during the 1928 flying season. More & more people made use of the aircraft for transportation purposes. Almost midway through the year, May 1928, Mr. Machesney took delivery of a 5-place Fairchild cabin plane, which included the pilot. Mr. Machesney bought the plane to increase his passenger carrying capacity & his income. Whether the travel was for pleasure, business or shopping trips to Milwaukee or Chicago, it was now possible by means of the Fairchild Cabin Plane used by Mr. Machesney.”
“The new aircraft was able to travel at a speed of 90 MPH under favorable conditions. At this speed, travelers, shoppers, and businessmen were able to reach the Wisconsin metropolis, Chicago, or other distant cities in a remarkably short time. During his career Fred Machesney flew more than 100,000 miles, quite a record for any pilot. This moved the Rockford area manufacturers, businessmen, and salesmen into a position to compete with those of other cities who already knew the value of the aircraft in exceeding the competition. Also the same year new equipment was arriving on Machesney’s field from the newly formed Forest City Airways, which operated out of the Blackhawk field, which they placed an Air King biplane, thus increasing Rockford’s passenger carrying air fleet to 4.”
“Notably on 8/16/28 marked a 2nd flight attempt to Sweden from the Rockford Airport, whereby the pilots were lost between August 18 & September 2, 1928 in Greenland. They were safely returned to a warm reception on 10/18/28.”
“When the air mail service was proposed for Rockford, a revolving beacon was removed from atop the Rockford National Bank building, which was donated & installed at the airport. It was used in connection with the flood lighting system installed from assistance by the aviation committee of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce. Obstruction lighting was installed to mark hazards for pilots flying at night to mark the property boundaries. Northwest Airways, Inc., who flew the mail in & out of the area put their stamp of approval on the airport in one visit (1930). Fred Machesney was instrumental in getting airmail delivered to the area, which lasted from 1930-33.”
The earliest depiction which has been obtained of Machesney Airport was on the June 1931 Milwaukee Sectional Chart. (Photograph removed.)
“Some of the individuals who worked at the airport were: Ralph Swaby, pilot, 1927. Howard Adams, mechanic, 1935, and pilot 1942. R.S. Day, chief pilot & operations officer, 1940-49. B.W. 'Sandy' Sandberg, pilot & operations manager, 1934. Chuck Kissel, chief pilot & flight examiner, 1942-52. Ray Bloomster, flight instructor & pilot, 1947-52. Robert Miller, shop superintendent, civil aeronautics authority & aircraft inspector, 1943-52.”
“Fred Machesney & Ralph Swaby, who was the first pilot Fred hired, were transport pilots. He & Fred flew 800 hours, covered 60,000 miles, carried 3,600 passengers (short hops & cross country), and they successfully took off & landed over 4,000 times. The airport had 203 visiting aircraft & it became a favorite stopping place for flyers of the Army & Navy who made hops from Chanute Field at Rantoul, and Great Lakes Naval Training Station at North Chicago.”
“In 1930 Northwest Airlines expanded its passenger services to Elgin & Rockford, routed to Machesney Field, which they had already approved as a route for airmail delivery with just one visit previously.”
“In 1934, Fred went back to operating 3 or 4 planes & was doing most of the flying again. Extra passenger work was being handled by 'Sandy' Sandberg & Pat Bailey. In 1935 famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart visited Rockford & addressed the Woman's Club.”
The earliest photo which has been obtained of Rockford Airport was a 7/3/39 IL State Geological Survey aerial view. It depicted Rockford as having 3 grass runways, with a few small buildings (hangars?) along the east side. (Photograph removed.)
“Fred received a boost in the winter of 1939 when his airport, in co-operation with Beloit College, instituted a Civilian Pilot Training Program with about 10 students in the first class. This was followed by several classes being formed for pilots & instructors for Army primary schools, and Army Air Corps cadet’s indoctrination training under the War Training Service in 1943. The airport was a stop over spot for United States military planes heading over to the Sovit Union during World War II. From 1939-43, 1,139 students in military service were trained at the Machesney Rockford Airport, and an estimated 2,000 civilian students completed the training during the same time period.”
“On 11/16/43, voters approved the formation of the Greater Rockford Airport Authority. The law was later found unconstitutional, but the authority was approved & created 2 years afterward.”
A 10/5/45 USGS aerial view depicted Machesney Airport as having a roughly squared-shaped grass airfield with several hangars & at least 3 single-engine aircraft along the east side. The 1949 USGS topo map depicted “Machesney Landing Field” as an irregularly-shaped area with several buildings along the east side. (Photographs removed.)
“In 1951, 237 charter passengers were carried on 143 trips for a total of 55,155 passenger miles, as told by Fred Machesney. There were 35 airplanes based at the Machesney Field, whereby Fred was operating 11 of them. Freight handling aircraft flew 12,380 miles, transporting 10,828 pounds of cargo during 1951. In January 1952, the total hours flown were 76,330, air miles estimated at 7,633,000 with more than 75,000 passengers carried by the planes that landed at the airport.”
Harold Bish recalled, “I instructed there in the 1950s.”
A 1962 aerial view looking west (courtesy of Michael Abernethy) showed that Machesney Airport had gained several more rows of hangars at some point between 1945-62. The outlines of 2 grass runways were visible on the airfield. A circa 1960s colorized aerial view looking west depicted Machesney Airport at perhaps its zenith of popularity, with 17 single-engine aircraft visible parked outside, along with 5 hangars & other buildings. (Photographs removed.)
According to Wikipedia, “A tornado in 1966 damaged hangars & aircraft at the airport.”
The 1968 Flight Guide (courtesy of Robert Levittan) depicted Machesney Airport as having 3 unpaved runways, with the longest being 3,250' Runway 5/23. A 10/7/70 USGS aerial view depicted Machesney Airport as having 3grass runways. But the airport appeared to be in a state of steep decline, as the 3 rows of T-hangars on the northeast side had been removed at some point between 1962-70, and only a sole aircraft was visible parked outside. (Photographs removed.)
According to Harold Bish, Machesney Airport “was the oldest longest operating Fixed Base Operator in the U.S.”
The 1973 USGS topo map depicted Machesney Airport as having 3 unpaved runways. A 1973 aerial view looking northeast (courtesy of Mike Denja) west depicted 7 light single-engine planes parked near the hangars on the east side of Machesney Airport. Mike Denja noted, “The barrel-shaped restaurant [adjacent to the airport, right side of picture] was the Huskies A&W Root Beer Barrel.” The last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Machesney Airport was on the November 1974 Chicago Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ron Plante). It depicted Machesney as a private airfield having a 2,900' unpaved runway. (Photographs removed.)
“In 1974 with the continued decline of the Machesney Airport operations it closed 20 years after the opening of the Greater Rockford Airport.”
However the 1977 USGS topo map continued to depict Machesney Airport as having 3 unpaved runways. “Not long after its closing the property was redeveloped as the Machesney Park Mall (1978).” Machesney Airport was no longer depicted on the October 1993 Chicago Sectional Chart (courtesy of Ron Plante). (Photographs removed.)
“Ironically as of 2013 the Machesney Park Mall was described as a “dead mall”, with most of its stores vacant, and reportedly planned for demolition. Maybe the nice little airport could've stayed there after all? A 9/9/13 aerial view of the mostly-vacant Machesney Park Mall, with no trace remaining of the Machesney Airport. (Photograph removed.)
The site of Machesney Airport is located northwest of the intersection of Route 251 & Machesney Road.
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