The USCG Air Station Brooklyn at Historic Floyd Bennett Field

Updated: January 4, 2005

USCG AIRSTA Brooklyn at Floyd Bennett Field
Established in 1938, the USCG Air Station Brooklyn had a long and proud history of service at Floyd Bennett Field.

On January 22,1936, Mayor LaGuardia announced that the City of New York had executed a 50 year lease to the U. S. Coast Guard for facilities at the field. The Coast Guard was to occupy 9.7 acres (650 ft. X 650 ft.) on Jamaica Bay and construct a $250,000 base. On April 23, 1938, the Coast Guard Air Station was established.

Mayor LaGuardia and Rear Admiral R.R. Waesche, Commandant of the USCG were present at the ground breaking ceremonies. Located on the East side of the airfield, this base was equipped with its own hangar, seaplane ramp, and several flying boats for patrol and rescue operations.

On the basis of his belief that tests indicated the practicability of ship-based helicopters, the Chief of Naval Operations separated the pilot training from test and development functions in the helicopter program on Dec 18, 1943. He directed that, effective 1 January 1944, a helicopter pilot training program be conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard at Floyd Bennett Field, under the direction of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air).

Commander Erickson (left) with some crewmen from CGAS Brooklyn.

Commander Frank A. Erickson, USCG

On Dec 20, 1943, Commander Frank A. Erickson, USCG, reported that Coast Guard Air Station, Floyd Bennett Field had experimented with a helicopter used as an airborne ambulance. An HNS-1 helicopter made flights carrying, in addition to its normal crew of a pilot and a mechanic, a weight of 200 pounds in a stretcher suspended approximately 4 feet beneath the float landing gear. In further demonstrations early the following year, the stretcher was attached to the side of the fuselage and landings were made at the steps of the dispensary.

Jan 3, 1944 - Helicopter Mercy Mission--Commander Frank A. Erickson, USCG, flying an HNS-1 helicopter, made an emergency delivery of 40 units of blood plasma from lower Manhattan Island to Sandy Hook where the plasma was administered to survivors of an explosion on the destroyer Turner (DD 648). In this, the first helicopter lifesaving operation, Commander Erickson took off from Floyd Bennett Field, flew to Battery Park on Manhattan Island to pick up the plasma and then to Sandy Hook. The flight was made through snow squalls and sleet which grounded all other types of aircraft.

1940s

Six helicopters and personnel in formation at CGAS Brooklyn

1940s

Hovering in formation at CGAS Brooklyn

May 17, 1944 - The Bureau of Aeronautics authorized CGAS Floyd Bennett Field to collaborate with the Sperry Gyroscope Company in making an automatic pilot installation in a HNS-1 helicopter.

A Rescue Hoist is Demonstrated by the son of Igor Sikorsky, a crewman at CGAS Brooklyn.

Aug 11, 1944 - An electric powered rescue hoist was installed on an HNS-1 helicopter at CGAS Floyd Bennett Field. During the ensuing 4 day test period, in which flights were conducted over Jamaica Bay, the feasibility of rescuing personnel from the water and of transferring personnel and equipment to and from underway boats was demonstrated. Six weeks later, a hydraulic hoist, which overcame basic disadvantages of the electric hoist, was installed and successfully tested, leading to its adoption for service use.

Dr. M. F. Bates of the Sperry Gyroscope Company submitted a brief report of the trial installation and flight test of a helicopter automatic pilot (cyclic pitch control) in an HNS-1 at CGAS Floyd Bennett Field.

Mar 7, 1945 - The Commanding Officer, CGAS Floyd Bennett Field reported that a dunking sonar suspended from an XHOS-1 helicopter had been tested successfully.

CGAS Brooklyn played an important role in the development of the helicopter as a search and rescue (SAR) tool. Sikorsky R-4 helicopters, equipped with large floats were based at Floyd Bennett Field. The rescue winch was developed here and became standard equipment on future rescue helicopters. The pioneer missions of CGAS Brooklyn demonstrated the value of helicopters as a valuable SAR, patrol, and law enforcement aircraft.

Early Helicopter Training Simulator at CGAS Brooklyn.

Early helicopter simulator at CGAS Brooklyn

Early helicopter simulator at CGAS Brooklyn. Note float biplane in rear.

Boeing PB-1G (B-17J) at CGAS Brooklyn in 1948

Boeing PB-1Gs (B-17J models) were based at CGAS Brooklyn after WW2. These long-range patrol aircraft could search large areas and drop survival equipment and supplies.

Search and rescue and survival training in Jamaica Bay

Remains of Coast Guard Experimental Helicopter - Sikorsky XHOS-1 #447 after the main carrier bearing failed in the rotor head - Dec. 2nd, 1944 while enroute from Far-Rockaway Heliport, Long Island, N.Y. to Floyd Bennett Field, Bklyn; N.Y. Pilot: LT Gus. Kleisch - U.S.C.G. Co. Pilot: LT Bill Prindle - U.S.C.G. Passenger: LT Stew. Graham - U.S.C.G. Stew. Graham only one injured in crash - spraind [sic] back and lacerations.; 2 December 1944; Photo No. 306-2; photographer unknown. (Official USCG Photo)

August 22 1957 - A UF-2G (Tail Number 1259) assigned to USCG Air Station Brooklyn crashed during a test flight just after takeoff. The investigation revealed that the flight controls had been rigged in reverse. Killed in the crash were: Lt Cmdr C. S. Labaw, Lieut R. A. Faucher, AD3 M. R. Ross, and AL3 G. R. Fox.

HO4S-2 (USCG) STARBOARD SIDE VIEW."; 30 October 1951; Photo Number S-10280; photographer unknown (Sikorsky photo). Taken from "Photographs of Model HO4S-2, submitted under Addendum No. 428 to NAVAER SPec. SR-6J-1, Contract Number NOa(s) 51-220, 11-12-51." This was the first HO4S delivered to the USCG and was sent to Airsta Brooklyn. (USCG Data)

HO4Sa

"HO4S-3G #1323. CONTRACT NOAS 57-408. INSTRUMENT PANEL AND CONSOLE (STFD)."; 23 July 1957; Photo No. S-22863; photographer unknown (Sikorsky photo). Taken from Sikorsky A/c Addendum No. 777 to SR-6J-7 "Contract Design Data Requirements Model HO4S-3G, Contract Noa(s) 57-408" photographs, 7-23-57. (USCG Data)

Grumman HU-16E from CGAS Brooklyn in 1969. These aircraft were the last USCG fixed-wing aircraft to be based at CGAS Brooklyn and could takeoff and land from either a runway or from the water.

Sikorsky HH-62A Pelican helicopter and Aerospatiale HH-65 Dauphine at the 50th Anniversary ceremony on May 14, 1988.

The Last Lap - May 1998, and the Eagle Eye Award (Unofficial CGAS Brooklyn Insignia). The CGAS Brooklyn was deactivated in 1998 after 60 years of service at Floyd Bennett Field. The NYPD Aviation unit subsequently moved from their facility along "Hangar Row" to occupy this former Coast Guard facility.

Contact us:
Can you help us with our research on the history of Floyd Bennett Field? Do you have any old photos, documents, or stories about your experiences at the field? Please contact us!