Naval Air Station Miramar?

[gunnerdd972]

I was wintness to the last air show in 1997 at Miramar when it was a Naval Air Station. I was on the USS Kitty Hawk at the time. Does any one know why Miramar was given over to the Marines? It seems that I think that the Navy would want Top Gun to stay at that base. Also why was none of the F-14 squadrons not placed at Naval Air Station North Island?

GM2(SW) Hosehead

 

[Dave Shutter]

Whenever you question dealings with BRAC (Base Re-alignment And Closure) you're dealing with an enigma shrouded in mystery and stuffed in a conundrum. Two things I do know from asking these same questions to pilots and spending time on Navy sites is that they wanted Topgun, TopDome and Strike U all rolled up into one fun package out at NAS Fallon under the NASWC banner. Secondly, as the number of Tomcats was basically cut in half throughout the 90's (man I'm gonna miss them!)it became clear that they should all go in one place, and for whatever reasons, they all went to Master Jet Base NAS Oceana and the remaining Pacific wing VF's get to ferry back and forth for everything.

Frumby: any insight as to why the Corps got FIGHTERTOWN? Don't they already have a base right down the road?

BTW, look up Miramar sites, there's a whole lot of civilian activity going on, I'm sure the Navy is making money off it.

D



Edited by - Dave Shutter on 07/30/2001 13:21:19

 

[Frumby]

Good question. The goverment still wanted to maintain a presence on the coastline and since the Marines lost Tustin and El Toro, they wanted to be close to the Grunts so they took back Miramar. Did I mention that Miramar was opened by the USMC? Unfortunately, the Navy had let Miramar go into shambles and the Corps has been dumping money ever since into her. By the way, I was there last Wednesday (flew the F-18 sim) the base is beautiful and they have even reinstated the party atmoshphere at the O'club. I think her time is limited. The base faces more and more challenges from the FAA and its only a matter of time before they shut her down and make San Diego International Airport out of Miramar. Semper Fi! Frumby

Attack Pilot
Major USMC

 

[Jeff29]

I was actually at a seminar a couple weeks ago where the head of the San Diego Port Authority (they run the port and airport) spoke about airport expansion. He said that Miramar would work well but would be very difficult. The areas of La Jolla, Del Mar, and Rancho Santa Fe would all be in the flight path. This is where the rich and powerful people of San Diego live, and they don't want an airport anywhere near them. With the size of airport that is being proposed, there would be about 10 times more traffic than the Marines put out.

 

[Dave Shutter]

quote:...they have even reinstated the party atmoshphere at the O'club

...and to think all the hard work and flamethrowing the femi-Nazis and bleeding heart liberals did to end that institution after the great Aviator roast of 91' was all done in vain! My brother told me stories about the place back in the 80's and to think it's back to it's former glory just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. Thanx Frumby, you made my week!

D