Danby Airstrip

The primary closure was due to military surplus. As a World War II training facility, Danby Army Airfield became redundant once the war ended and large-scale desert training operations ceased. Its subsequent final abandonment as a civil airfield was due to its extreme remoteness, lack of economic viability, deteriorating runway conditions, and the absence of any local population or industry to support its operation.

The site is completely abandoned and is being slowly reclaimed by the Mojave Desert. The coordinates point to the center of the former airfield, where the faint but distinct outlines of the three runways are still clearly visible from satellite imagery. The asphalt surfaces are severely weathered, cracked, and partially covered by sand and desert vegetation. There are no remaining buildings or structures on the site. The land is publicly owned and managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In 2016, the area was included within the boundaries of the newly designated Mojave Trails National Monument, which protects its historical, cultural, and natural resources. The site is occasionally visited by off-road vehicle users, amateur historians, and those exploring the remote desert.

Danby Airstrip, historically known as Danby Army Airfield (AAF), was a significant component of the United States' World War II home front effort. Constructed in 1942, it served as an auxiliary field for the larger Needles Army Airfield. Its primary role was within the vast Desert Training Center (later the California-Arizona Maneuver Area), the largest military training ground in history. The airfield supported training for bomber crews, primarily flying aircraft like the B-24 Liberator and B-25 Mitchell, preparing them for combat in the desert theaters of North Africa. The field featured a classic triangular layout of three asphalt runways, each approximately 4,500 feet long, designed to handle military bombers and transport aircraft. It was used for emergency landings, dispersal of aircraft, and as a base for various training maneuvers. After the war, its military role ended, but its abandoned runways remained a landmark in the Mojave Desert.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the Danby Airstrip. Reopening is considered infeasible for several key reasons: 1) **Prohibitive Cost:** The runway infrastructure is completely derelict and would require a full reconstruction. 2) **Lack of Demand:** The location is extremely remote, miles from the nearest settlement (the ghost town of Danby) and any significant economic activity, meaning there is no practical or commercial need for an airport. 3) **Protected Status:** Its location within the Mojave Trails National Monument effectively prevents any new development, as the monument's charter is focused on conservation and preservation, not new infrastructure projects.