Beacon Field Airport®

This nonprofit website strives to educate and offer a venue for the preservation of the history of Beacon Field, one of the nation's earliest private airports which embodied the genius of America.   Friends of Beacon Field Airport conduct activities pro bono.  We are not affiliated with any civic associations, political parties, or special interest groups.   We are eager to hear your experiences at Beacon and welcome additional photographs and documentation in support of this effort.    VISIT the links at above left,  Contact us !  and stay in touch with the latest event below and read about the past events !

Mr. Peter Q. Nyce, Jr. trained in an Aeronca out of Beacon Field in the mid 1950's on several "hot and humid days". He graduated from American University Law School and had a lengthy career in government law. He was most proud of his grassy 1900' foot runway near the Wicomico River in Maryland. (photo courtesy J. Emrico)

Beacon Field November 1959-- Burnelli CBY-3 (N17N)

Historic Beacon Field Airport -- November 8, 2012

The famous one of a kind Burnelli Loadmaster CBY-3 (N17N) that was rebuilt on Beacon Field by Mr. Paul Zimmer and Mr. Junie Marshall is being restored !!    

The New England Air Museum of Windsor Locks, CT, contacted us about their acquisition of the CBY-3 that is in “rough condition but structurally ok”.     A team of highly skilled volunteers are setting forth a multi year restoration plan for the aircraft that will become a permanent display in their fine museum.    Paste this link in your browser to visit the NEAM restoration hangar:   

http://www.neam.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35:restoration&catid=2:uncategorised&Itemid=145

The workmanship quality on the museum’s recently finished F-104C Starfighter project is amazing and can be seen on their website.   NEAM restorer, Harry Newman, said “the F-104C was a complete wreck after being caught up in a tornado and left outside for 30 years”.

 The restoration of the Burnelli CBY-3 is the second time that this very unique bird has been rebuilt.    This was the last and most sophisticated lifting air vehicle designed and built by Vincent Burnelli to carry passengers and freight.   Often Burnelli’s designs were referred to as flying wings because the fuselage is used as the lifting body.    However, flying wings do not have tails.

 After World War II,  the surplus of cheap DC-3s and C-46s made marketing the Loadmaster impossible and ownership remained in private hands.     In the mid 1950’s,  eyewitness accounts (who should have been paying attention to the teacher in the old Mount Vernon High School on Route 1) remember leaping to the windows to see the fuselage and the wing on two different trucks loudly laboring north to Beacon Field.     

The presence of the Burnelli on Beacon Field always generated much interest and publicity due to the international attention afforded from commercial activities in Northern Canada (CF-BEL-X), Venezula, and other parts of South America.   Paul Zimmer’s maintenance shop took on the arduous task of rebuilding this basket case.      Junie Marshall spent countless hours rebuilding the 85 foot wing to airworthiness in Zimmer’s hangar (see Salute). 

When Beacon Field Airport closed October 1, 1959,  the unfinished Burnelli remained until completion.   In early December,  Paul Zimmer began doing taxi test runs on the long runway,  one of which resulted in the aircraft lifting off:   “I just hauled back a little to see how she felt and it was in the air before I knew it.  I decided I was already up there so I might as well go on”.       Indeed he did and flew to Friendship Airport in Baltimore, Maryland, to the new owner Ballard Aircraft Corporation who had plans for mass production.     The dream was never fulfilled and the aircraft ended its flying days.   (see photo below)

The NEAM plans include the display of CBY-3 historic photos and memorabilia from the Beacon Flying Days !!