Naval Air Station Glenview | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Military: Naval Air Station | ||||||||||
Operator | United States Navy | ||||||||||
Location | Glenview, Cook County, Illinois | ||||||||||
Built | 1923 | ||||||||||
In use | Closed 1995 | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 653 ft / 199 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 42°05′26″N 87°49′21″W / 42.09056°N 87.82250°W | ||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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Naval Air Station Glenview or NAS Glenview was an operational U.S. Naval Air Station from 1923 to 1995. Located in Glenview, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, the air base primarily operated training aircraft as well as seaplanes on nearby Lake Michigan during World War II. Reconfigured as a Naval Air Reserve base following World War II, NAS Glenview supported Naval Air Reserve, Marine Air Reserve/4th Marine Aircraft Wing, and U.S. Army Reserve 244th Aviation Group as well as an active duty Coast Guard Air Station.
The base was originally built by the Curtiss Flying Service and intended to be the hub of Chicago's air service. When the field was dedicated as Curtiss Field on 20 October 1929, it was home to the largest hangar built to that time, Hangar One. Hangar One, one of the most advanced hangars at the time, included many innovations which were considered state-of-the-art in its time. A one gigacandela electric light was erected which allowed for airfield activity in the dark. A system of carefully designed sliding doors created dividers for storage and zone heating. Glassed-in galleries allowed passengers the opportunity to watch the mechanics at work on the ground floor. A passenger-friendly restaurant and lounge were opened in the upper levels. A loudspeaker system informed the passengers of the flight arrivals and departures. The final cost for the airfield and Hangar One was $3 million in 1930. By adjusting the price for inflation, the relative cost in 2013 would equate to about $41.7 million. It was widely believed to be one of the Midwest's finest airports.