Buffalo's Marine Airport , 1932

In 1932, as part of the creation of the new parkland along the waterfront, the city of Buffalo also set aside an area
for a marine aiport. It was inaugurated during the city's centennial celebration in July.

 

Buffalo Courier Express
Sunday July 3, 1932

Rear Admiral Lackey Dedicates City Marine Airport

Lauds Buffalo for Promoting Air Facilities

Navy planes roar overhead, guns boom salute at ceremonies on waterfront.

Another Step Forward

Naval Officer says Queen City holding position as airplane terminus

Buffalo's marine aiport was dedicated yesterday to the boom of guns and the roar of fighting planes. During the ceremonies at the foot of Georgia Street a broad-winged trimotor ship moved steadily through the high wind. It was the plane carrying Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Democratic convention in Chicago to be acclaimed as the nominee of the party.

The martial display at the newly completed marine airport was given special point when the prinicipal speaker of the occasion, Rear Admiral F. R. Lackey of New York, recalled that the U.S. Navy spends about $14,000,000 a year in Buffalo for aircraft.

Lauds Buffalo Initiative
"Your geographical position here makes Buffalo a natural terminus for all seaplane traffic on the Great Lakes, he said. "The building of this airport is evidence that Buffalo does not intend to relinquish her position with respect to aviation. In dedicating this port, I hope that Buffalo in the near future will become an air terminal as much as it is now a rail and marine terminal."

Mayor Charles E. Roesch characterized the dedication as "another step forward in Buffalo's history."

Lawrence C. Bell, president of the Buffalo Aero Club and executive of the Consolidated Aircraft Company, said that many authorities believe the flying boat and the amphibian are destined to become the greatest development in aviation.

Samuel B Botsford, executive vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce, traced the history of Buffalo as a transportation center and the effects of this on Buffalo and the frontier. The development of the Buffalo harbor and the Erie Canal profoundly affected the industry and commerce of this section of the the state, and changed the industrial and commercial map of the nation, he said. The coming of the railroads, converging here, made this city the second great railhead of the United States and a great commercial center.

"Later came the highways and automobile," said Mr. Botsford. "The bus and truck have made great contributions to Buffalo's history, but now we see the latest and perhaps the greatest means of transportation - the air. Buffalo has already established herself as an important manufacturing center for airplanes and aeronautical equipment and was the first of the metropolitan centers to build an adequate land port. Now we have followed up that development in very proper fashion with the erection of this very adequate seabase."

 


Shaded area is the location of the former marine aiport. Image source: Google maps 2007

Although the city owned the new marine aiport, it was firms like Consolidated Aircraft that hoped to make use of it. Founded
in 1924 by Major Reuben H. Fleet, his company occupied the former Curtiss airplane factory on Elmwood Avenue; they
specialized in developing the flying boat. Unfortunately, its XPY-1 prototype was unable to be tested in Buffalo in 1928 because
both the Niagara River and Lake Erie were frozen. It had to be driven to the Potamac River on trucks where it was
successfully tested. The marine airport was out of service four months of each year because of the winter weather.


Marine Airport ramp, 2007.

This was a portent for the future of Buffalo's marine airport. Consolidated's chief test pilot William Wheatley recalled that, in
December, 1929, he was testing a Commodore: "The temperature in Buffalo was below freezing, and I remember that the
spray, incident to the take-off, froze on the windshield. I considered using the hand fire extinguisher to break the glass to
see out. However, I was able to see through a small corner of the glass, and finally melted off part of the windshield
immediately in front of me by holding my bare hand against the inside of the glass."

Consolidated Aircraft moved its operations to San Diego, California in 1935, sold its Catalina PBY-5 seaplanes to the U.S. Navy
and allies and played a significant role in World War II. Lawrence Bell remained in Buffalo and formed his own company, Bell Aircraft
Corporation. It did not build seaplanes.



Marine airport ramp, 2007.

Buffalo's marine airport had limited use thereafter. As recently as 1948, the Parks Department leased the airport to
Bernard Bellario at $400 per year plus 1% of the gross receipts; his purpose was to service seaplanes.

In 2007, the marine aiport is a distant memory, incorporated into LaSalle Park, the only reminder its gently eroding ramp.

For more information on the creation of LaSalle Park, look here.


 

 

 

 

 

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