California State Military
DepartmentCalifornia State Military
Department
On 3 November 1943, the Public Roads Administration (PRA) transferred 201.58 acres by Use Permit to the War Department; an additional 308.57 acres was acquired by the War Department between 1942 and 1943 by Declarations of Taking (Appendix E). Upon this combined 510.15 acre parcel the Former Winters-Davis Flight Strip was established. The first phase of construction (from July to October 1942) was the completion of a runway 8,000 feet by 300 feet of graded earth, and the surfacing of the center portion, 4,000 feet by 150 feet, and construction of the Troop Housing Area.
In 1943, the second phase of construction was the addition of 1,000 paved feet on each end of the flight strip in 1943 plus construction of the Bomb Storage Area. Initially, the Winters-Davis Flight Strip fell under the jurisdiction of the 45th Air Base Group at Hamilton Field and was established as an auxiliary landing field for dispersal of aircraft if Hamilton Field was attacked. The Former Winters-Davis Flight Strip was also used as a training sub-base for P-38 pilots of the 78th Pursuit Group and P-39 pilots of the 328th Fighter Group. On 15 July 1944, jurisdiction of the Site went to the Western Flying Training Command which continued P-38 and P-39 training, and was administered under Mather Field. The Western Flying Training Command then transferred these duties to Stockton Field in November 1944, where the Site was known as "Auxiliary No. 7 to Stockton Field." The Army Air Forces declared the Site excess on 15 December 1944, and transferred it to McClellan Field on 15 May 1945.
The Former Winters-Davis Flight Strip was
transferred to inactive status under the War Assets Administration
(WAA) on 30 December 1945. In 1946, 201.58 acres of the Site
were relinquished to the PRA and the remaining 398.57 acres transferred
to WAA. In 1948, approximately 496 acres were transferred to
the County of Yolo for use as municipal airport, and the remaining
14.15 acres (the former Housing Area) reverted to the original
owners. In 1949, Yolo County took administrative control and
named the flight strip "Yolo County International Airport,"
but the site remained vacant until the 1960s accept for minor
agricultural operations. In 1971, the County resurfaced 6,000
feet of the runway, and in August 1974, Yolo Aviation, Inc., leased
14.9 acres of the Airport and constructed office and pilot lounge,
twenty "T" hangars, a maintenance hangar, and fueling
facilities.
Posted 17 March 2008
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