Despite having long ceased to be New York City’s first municipal airfield, or later Naval Air Station Rockaway, Floyd Bennett Field is far from abandoned. Maintained by the National Park Service and used as a base for the NYPD’s helicopter, the historic structures are considered important examples of early aviation architecture. But despite their protected status, a number have fallen into disuse. This abandoned hangar nowadays boasts more flora, and probably fauna, than aircraft.
Drawing urban explorers with an interest in military history, the decaying hangar, corridors and offices proved to be in derelict condition. Interestingly, it has been claimed that the adaptive reuse by businesses of other hangars on the airfield has compromised their historical integrity. That doesn’t appear to be the case here, but restoration would come with a hefty price tag.
Floyd Bennett Field opened in 1930 and was used by such esteemed aviators as Wiley Post, Amelia Earhart and Howard Hughes. Located in Brooklyn near Fort Tilden, it became Naval Air Station New York during World War Two and transferred to the National Park Service during the 1970s. Now also serving as a camp ground, Floyd Bennett Field is on the National Register of Historic Places.
