Maxwell Air Force Base Gunter Annex in Montgomery County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
Gunter Annex / Gunter Basic Flying Training School
Photographed By Mark Hilton, September 18, 2013
1. Gunter Annex Marker
Inscription.
Gunter Annex, also, Gunter Basic Flying Training School. .
Gunter Annex. On 27 Aug. 1940, the AAF leased the Montgomery Municipal Airport for use as a military airfield. During world war two, the field was the home of the AAF Basic Flying Training School and was named in honor of Mayor William A. Gunter. It later housed Extension Course Institute, AU Field Printing Plant, School of Aviation Medicine, and Air Force Senior NCO Academy. Tenants included the Air Defense Sector, HQ 14th Air Force, and Standard Systems Group. The field became an Air Force base in 1948 and an Air Force station in 1973. It returned to base status in 1988 and later became an annex to Maxwell AFB in 1992.,
Gunter Basic Flying Training School. Activated on 27 Aug. 1940, the school was among the first established under world war two Air Corps expansion program. BT-13s were the principal planes used in the 10-week training course until 1944 when they were replaced by AT-6s. Once, nearly 400 airplanes were involved in the training program and the skies over the field were hailed as the "densest air traffic in the world." The school closed September 1945, with over 12,000 cadets--American, British, and French--earning their "wings" and with British cadets dominating early classes. At the war's end, 600 Chinese students received preflight training here.
Gunter Annex
On 27 Aug. 1940, the AAF leased the Montgomery Municipal Airport for use as a military airfield. During WW II, the field was the home of the AAF Basic Flying Training School and was named in honor of Mayor William A. Gunter. It later housed Extension Course Institute, AU Field Printing Plant, School of Aviation Medicine, and Air Force Senior NCO Academy. Tenants included the Air Defense Sector, HQ 14th Air Force, and Standard Systems Group. The field became an Air Force base in 1948 and an Air Force station in 1973. It returned to base status in 1988 and later became an annex to Maxwell AFB in 1992.
Gunter Basic Flying Training School
Activated on 27 Aug. 1940, the school was among the first established under WWII Air Corps expansion program. BT-13s were the principal planes used in the 10-week training course until 1944 when they were replaced by AT-6s. Once, nearly 400 airplanes were involved in the training program and the skies over the field were hailed as the "densest air traffic in the world." The school closed September 1945, with over 12,000 cadets--American, British, and French--earning their "wings" and with British cadets dominating early classes. At the war's end, 600 Chinese students received preflight training here.
Erected
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1996 by Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Historical Preservation and Promotion Foundation and the Alabama Historical Association.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Alabama Historical Association series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1940.
Location. 32° 24.632′ N, 86° 14.651′ W. Marker is in Maxwell Air Force Base Gunter Annex, Alabama, in Montgomery County. Marker is at the intersection of East North Road and Turner Boulevard, on the left when traveling north on East North Road. Located on Gunter Annex and requires base access. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Montgomery AL 36114, United States of America. Touch for directions.
3. Marker looking towards north gate of Gunter AFB.
Public domain - USAF
4. Vultee BT-13 Valiant / North American Aviation T-6 Texan aircraft.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 18, 2013, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 945 times since then and 126 times this year. Last updated on August 26, 2013, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. Photos:1, 2. submitted on August 18, 2013, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. 3. submitted on August 20, 2013, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. 4. submitted on December 23, 2016, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
