Great Bend Army Air Field
| Great Bend Army Air Field | |
|---|---|
| Part of Second Air Force | |
| Located Near: Great Bend, Kansas | |
1943 oblique airphoto | |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 38°20′47″N 98°51′55″W / 38.34639°N 98.86528°W |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1942 |
| In use | 1942–1946 |
.png){kind=link}
Great Bend Army Air Field is a closed United States Air Force base. It is located 5.6 miles (9.0 km) west-southwest of Great Bend, Kansas, and was closed in 1946. Today it is used as Great Bend Municipal Airport.
Great Bend Army Air Field (AAF) is significantly historic as it was in the first group United States Army Air Forces B-29 Superfortress bases for initial training on the aircraft in the summer of 1943. Along with Walker Army Air Field near Victoria, Pratt Army Air Field near Pratt and Smoky Hill Army Air Field near Salina the initial cadre of the 58th Bombardment Wing was formed. The 58th Bomb Wing was the first B-29 combat wing of World War II and engaged in the first long-range strategic bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands beginning in June 1944 from bases in India.