aircraft flown at Minter Field was the Vultee BT-13 Valiant, which was used for f flight training. Other training aircraft included the Cessna UC-78 Bobcat, AT-6 Texan advanced trainer, North American B-25 Mitchell twin-engine medium bomber, and Lockheed P-38 Lightning, as well as other widely used fighter, bomber and observation craft. With the end of the war in 1945, the airfield was determined to be excess by the military and turned over to the local government for civil use in March 1948. The Gossamer Condor piloted by Bryan Allen won the first Kremer prize on August 23, 1977, by completing a figure 8 course specified by the Royal Aeronautical Society at Minter Field. California Historic Landmark #923 is located at the field to commemorate this event. Facilities and aircraft Shafter-Minter Field covers an area of at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has two runways: 12/30 is with an asphalt surface; 17/35 is with a concrete surface. For the 12-month period ending November 1, 2011, the airport had 45,000 general aviation aircraft operations, an average of 123 per day. At that time there were 114 aircraft based at this airport: 77% single-engine, 8% helicopter, 7% ultralight, 4% jet, and 4% multi-engine. See also California World War II Army Airfields 35th Flying Training Wing (World War II) List of airports in Kern County, California References Other sources Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites, History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC. External links Shafter Airport/Minter Field, official site Minter Field Air Museum Aerial image as of September 1994 from USGS The National Map Airports in Kern County, California San Joaquin Valley Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in California Airports established in 1941 1941 establishments in California USAAF Western Flying Training Command American Theater of World War II