Chanute Air Field - Rantoul IL
Posted by: 
kJfishman
N 40° 17.783 W 088° 09.067
16T E 402166 N 4461289
Chanute Air Field in Rantoul IL later renamed Chanute Air Force Base
Waymark Code: WMA0YH
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 10/28/2010
Views: 5
Chanute Air Field was opened in 1917. It was a training center from WWI and WWII continuing through to 1993.
History of Chanute Air Force Base
Chanute Air Force Base is located on the southern edge of Rantoul (Champaign County), Illinois. The main Base is comprised of 2125 acres. The primary mission of the AFB was to provide military and technical training for Air Force officers, airmen, and civilian employees, and for other Department of Defense agency personnel. Training activities focused on operation and maintenance of military aircraft and ground support equipment.
White Hall (Buckingham Palace) located at the former Chanute AFB in Rantoul IL served as a Technical School for the U.S.A.F. from around 1930 to 1993. It was the largest office type building that the US military owned until the Pentagon was built. Chanute AFB closed in 1993 and the building has been empty since then. It was sad to drive through this old base and see the deterioration. The base is now part of Rantoul and open to the public. The abandoned buildings are marked no trespassing but can be viewed from the streets and side walks
Chanute Field (640 acres) was constructed, initially serving as a pilot training facility and a storage depot for aircraft engines and paint in 1917. From 1922 through 1938, Chanute served as a training school for all Air Corps mechanics. The Air Corps Technical Training Command was initially headquartered at Chanute in 1941. Technical training operations during World War II included aircraft maintenance, weather observation, life support, and metal processing."
source Related web site listed below
Chanute Air Museum is located on this site and offers a wealth of information about Chanute Air Field and much more.
Related Website: [Web Link]
Admission Fee: 0
Opening Days/Times:
The site is no longer a base, no official hours. It would be best to visit during the day.
Supplementary Related Website: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
Posting a picture(s) of the location would be nice although not required.