Here’s the actual history / intent of the base: ### History of Hanscom Airfield, Bedford, Massachusetts
**Early Beginnings (Pre-Hanscom Era):** - In 1919, Bedford briefly hosted an aerodrome called **Lee Field**, leased by the Curtiss Airplane Company on South Road. It was used for barnstorming and promoting aircraft sales but closed in 1921 due to lack of commercial success.[] (https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2021/06/bedford-explained-hanscom/) **Establishment (1941):** - In May 1941, the Massachusetts Legislature authorized the purchase of farmland in Bedford, Concord, Lexington, and Lincoln for a **Boston Auxiliary Airport**, funded partly by a $40 million federal program to build 250 civil airports for potential national defense use. The airfield was completed in 1942.[] ( https://www.hanscom.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/379480/a-brief-history-of-hanscom-air-force-base/)[](https://www.hanscomhousing.com/history)[](https://www.afmc.af.mil/Portals/13/Heritage_Pamphlet_Hanscom.pdf ) - Named **Laurence G. Hanscom Field** in February 1943, it honored a Massachusetts-born pilot, aviation enthusiast, and Worcester Telegram-Gazette reporter who died in a 1941 plane crash in Saugus, MA, while advocating for the airport’s creation.[] ( https://www.hanscom.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/379480/a-brief-history-of-hanscom-air-force-base/)[](https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA206567.pdf)[](https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Hanscom_Air_Force_Base ) **World War II (1942–1945):** - In mid-1942, Massachusetts leased the airfield to the War Department for Army Air Forces use, renaming it **Bedford Army Air Field**. It served as a training base for fighter squadrons, including the 85th and 318th Fighter Squadrons, which trained on Curtiss P-40 Warhawks before deploying to North Africa and Europe.[] ( https://www.hanscom.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/379480/a-brief-history-of-hanscom-air-force-base/)[](https://www.hanscomhousing.com/history ) - Later in the war, the airfield was used to test radar sets developed by MIT’s Radiation Laboratory, laying the groundwork for its postwar role in electronics and radar development.[]( https://www.hanscom.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/379480/a-brief-history-of-hanscom-air-force-base/)[] (https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2021/06/bedford-explained-hanscom/) **Postwar and Cold War Era (1945–1970s):** - After World War II, Hanscom became a hub for radar and electronic systems development. In 1945, the Army Air Forces established the **Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories (AFCRL)** at Hanscom, taking over MIT’s test site. ]( https://www.hanscom.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/379480/a-brief-history-of-hanscom-air-force-base/)[](https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Hanscom_Air_Force_Base ) - By 1950, the Air Force collaborated with MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory to develop the **Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE)** air defense system, which advanced air defense and air traffic control technologies. The airfield’s runways were expanded in 1953 to support testing, including the “Cape Cod” experimental air defense system.[] ( https://www.hanscom.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/379480/a-brief-history-of-hanscom-air-force-base/)[] (https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2021/06/bedford-explained-hanscom/) - In 1952, Massachusetts ceded land to the federal government and provided a 25-year renewable lease for the airfield, enabling expansion of facilities for MIT Lincoln Laboratory and Air Force labs.[] ( https://www.hanscom.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/379480/a-brief-history-of-hanscom-air-force-base/)[](https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2021/06/bedford-explained-hanscom/ ) - In 1961, the **Electronic Systems Division (ESD)** was established at Hanscom to manage Air Force electronic systems, later becoming the **Electronic Systems Center (ESC)** in 1992. This solidified Hanscom’s role as a center for command, control, and communications systems. .[]( https://www.hanscom.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/379480/a-brief-history-of-hanscom-air-force-base/)[](https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Hanscom_Air_Force_Base ) - Military flying operations declined, ceasing entirely by September 1973. In 1974, the Air Force terminated its lease of the airfield, which reverted to state control under the **Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport)**, while retaining rights to use the field. The surrounding military area was redesignated **Laurence G. Hanscom Air Force Base** in 1974, shortened to **Hanscom Air Force Base** in 1977. ( https://www.hanscom.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/379480/a-brief-history-of-hanscom-air-force-base/)[](https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Hanscom_Air_Force_Base)[](http://www.shhair.org/Articles/AFBTransformation.htm ) **Modern Era (1980s–Present):** - Hanscom AFB became a non-flying base focused on technology development, particularly under the **Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC)** since 1992. It hosts the **66th Air Base Group** and is part of the **Air Force Life Cycle Management Center**, overseeing weapon systems from inception to retirement.[] ( https://www.hanscomhousing.com/history)[](https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Hanscom_Air_Force_Base ) - The base survived 1990s Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) threats due to its technical expertise and economic impact ($6.4 billion annually, supporting over 10,000 jobs).[]( https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2021/06/bedford-explained-hanscom/) - **Hanscom Field**, managed by Massport, operates as New England’s largest general aviation airport, handling corporate and private flights, including for teams like the Boston Celtics. It has two asphalt runways (5/23: 5,107 ft; 11/29: 7,011 ft) and supports 252 based aircraft as of 2022.[] ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanscom_Field)[](https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2025/06/something-is-in-the-air-in-bedford-pilot-tom-hirschs-46-year-connection-to-hanscom-field/ ) - Notable events include a 1962 KC-135 crash, The Beatles’ 1964 arrival, and a 2014 Gulfstream IV crash that killed seven, including Philadelphia Inquirer co-owner Lewis Katz.[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanscom_Field) - Today, Hanscom AFB focuses on command, control, communications, intelligence, and networks, hosting units like the Program Executive Offices for C3I&N, Digital, and Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications. Hanscom Field continues as a civilian airport with limited military use.[] ( https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2021/06/bedford-explained-hanscom/)[](https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Hanscom_Air_Force_Base ) **Additional Notes:** - Hanscom Field is a joint-use civil/military airport, with less than 1% of operations being military. It serves as a regional aviation facility and is the second-busiest airport in Massachusetts. []( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanscom_Field)[](https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2021/06/bedford-explained-hanscom/ ) - The base and airfield have played a significant role in the Route 128 high-technology corridor, fostering innovation in electronics and defense systems. https://www.hanscom.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/379480/a-brief-history-of-hanscom-air-force-base/)[](https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2021/06/bedford-explained-hanscom/ ) Rick On Mon, Aug 25, 2025 at 12:34 AM Susan Mohn via Lincoln < [email protected]> wrote: > In my view, I believe Hanscom field was purposefully built as a military > air field. I think many today would have little objection if it was still > used for that purpose. However, it is no longer its primary purpose and > function. Over time it shifted into small private plane aviation use. It > was and still is a facility for those wishing to learn about aviation and > learning to fly. Over the 30 years I have lived adjacent to the field, I > have seen the transition from small private plane use to use primarily by > private and commercially owned jets. We continue to experience the periodic > stench of jet fuel. It’s truly sickening. Needless to say, the noise level > from the jets taking off from the field is significant. > I support aviation, teaching it, small plane use, and use of the field for > those purposes. However, I do not support the environmental harm that jet > aviation inflicts on this area. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Aug 24, 2025, at 10:10 PM, Laura Glynn <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Needless to say I am not trying to discourage qualified commercial pilots > > I would be curious what percentage of commercial pilots trained at hanscom > and what percentage of their students are going for a commercial license > > And then there are airports in less heavily populated areas > > > I know someone who leases his private plane on an hourly short term basis > so he can get the depreciation > > What I heard was that the people learning to fly were doing so because > they were buying a private plane for personal use. > > > > On Sun, Aug 24, 2025 at 9:51 PM Jennifer Saffran < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> You understand that private pilots turn into commercial pilots, right? In >> order to apply to fly commercial planes, one has to have the hours and the >> flight ratings, and those are acquired at the pilot’s expense. Getting to >> an IFR rating can cost the same as a 4 year college degree. >> >> Those are the same people who learn to fly helicopters, too. Spend a >> night watching the sky over the Longwood Medical Center area and note how >> many emergency helicopters come in. >> >> Think of the planes that put out the raging forest fires. >> >> Not everyone chooses to learn to fly via the Air Force. >> >> Yes, some of these hobbyists will never fly “life saving missions”, but >> without the commercial aviation pipeline, this country will be short of >> pilots. And for the near and distant future, our transportation and >> security depend on pilots. >> >> Jennifer Saffran >> Glider pilot license, expired >> >> On Aug 24, 2025, at 3:25 PM, Laura Glynn <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> The flight radar 24 app (free) shows you most every plane in the air and >> where it is flying and who owns it >> >> The private flights at hanscom fall into three buckets >> >> * True privately owned planes taking the billionaires to Martha’s >> Vineyard, Nantucket, the Hamptons, Maine or (during the week) business >> centers. In the winter these planes fly instead to Florida, ski resorts >> and Mexico (yes all the way to Mexico from hanscom) >> >> * Disguised commercial flights that sell “memberships” instead of tickets >> and this gets them around the no commercial flights at hanscom rule. Net >> jets and planes sense are two of these companies and they are listed as the >> owners of the planes so easy to spot. These flights go to the same >> vacation spots as the true private planes but these poor millionaires have >> to share the plane with other millionaires and book ahead >> >> * people learning to fly private planes - because after all we really >> want more and more private planes. These flights are really irritating. >> They are horrible noise polluters and they go round and round in circles >> spewing toxic fumes. I would love to shut down the training flights at >> hanscom >> >> Enjoy the app. When a plane wakes you up open the app and see where it >> is going. Grrrrr >> >> I am also in the category of “moderated” so let’s roll the dice and see >> if it gets through the filter! >> >> Laura Glynn >> Tower road >> >> >> On Sun, Aug 24, 2025 at 4:02 PM Susan Mohn via Lincoln < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> I don’t think the majority are military aircraft. What I see, being near >>> the field, are private jets coming and going frequently. There are a few >>> loud military flights, but they are few. I believe by far it’s the private >>> jet traffic! The private jet activity really picks up on Fridays and >>> Sundays/Mondays. It’s growing increasingly worse and worse. In all >>> honesty, I’ve heard probably at least 3 jets taking off during the timespan >>> of typing this text at 4:00 on Sunday. >>> Wooops! Make that 4 jets!!! >>> >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>> > On Aug 22, 2025, at 2:12 AM, Tom Kennedy <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> > >>> > The increased military traffic is part of the Marines' 250th birthday >>> > celebration. >>> > It's been well publicized by most media, except interestingly not in >>> the >>> > Globe. There have been numerous TV videos of planes landing and taking >>> off >>> > at Boston Common. It's scheduled to continue all week. >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> >> >>> -- >>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>> Browse the archives at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>> Change your subscription settings at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> >>> >>> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> >> -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > -- Rick
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