Fantastic shot of Van Nuys Airport from 1932, back when it was known as Los Angeles Metropolitan Airport. The 80-acre field first opened on December 17, 1928, the 25th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk, and was initially popular with aircraft manufacturers given its open spaces and distance from the city. This also made it popular with various film productions, including Laurel and Hardy's "Flying Deuces," "This Island Earth," and, most famously, "Casablanca." In 1942, the airport was purchased (and expanded) by the United States Government to become the Van Nuys Army Airfield. It was then sold to the City of Los Angeles in 1949 for the low price of $1, under an agreement that it be used as a base for the California Air National Guard. At that time, it was renamed the San Fernando Valley Airport, and wasn't officially known as Van Nuys Airport until 1957. Today, while not used for broad commercial travel, the airport remains one of the busiest for general aviation, averaging 230,000 aircraft operations per year. It’s also home to the incredible Valley Relics Museum, which is well worth the visit if you've never been (…or even if you have). See: @valleyrelicsmuseum
The Jalopy Journal
