Minter Field Air Museum
401 Vultee St.
Shafter
CA
93263
United States
(661) 393-0291
minterfieldairmuseum.com
Venue Information
The Museum is housed in the original fire station, built at Minter Field in 1941. It is the last examples of this architecture left on the field. The base was a major basic training facility where nearly 12,000 pilots received basic training in BT-13s, UC-78’s, AT-6s, P-38s and B-25s. Over 7,000 personnel manned the field, both military and civilians. The field had a WASP contingent of as many as 17 female pilots who flew as test pilots.
Although officially dedicated on Saturday, February 7, 1942, operations on Minter Field actually began in June of 1941 when the post was garrisoned by only a small guard unit. The base commander, Colonel Carl Pyle, established his headquarters on the Bakersfield Junior College campus in the city while base personnel camped out in temporary quarters scattered from Bakersfield to Wasco, located some fifteen miles to the northwest of Minter Field.
By early August, 1941, multiple units began moving onto the field as construction of wooden buildings accelerated. In the beginning, the airport was known as Lerdo Field because of its close proximity to the highway of the same name. In October of 1941, the Minter Sub-Depot was established as a branch of the Sacramento Air Depot.
The field was named in honor of First Lieutenant Hugh C. Minter, a member of the locally prominent Minter family. The Lieutenant, a WWI veteran, was killed in a mid-air collision over March Field in July, 1932. Members of the Minter family are still active in the Museum today.
Hours Friday & Saturday from 10am-2pm, or By Appointment Call (661) 393-0291