In 1927 Captain G. Allan Hancock founded the Hancock Air Field. It was dedicated as the community's airport on Oct. 21, 1928. For years it was a very calm airport training students through the Hancock Foundation College of Aeronautics. Ten week classes were offered that ended with a student pilot becoming an expert in training planes. With the breakout of World War II, the Army Corps of Engineers came and used the airport to train badly needed pilots.
The Army Corps of Engineers brought approximately 240 new young men to Santa Maria Valley, which unmarried women found as a gift. The men weren't only a blessing for young women but to the merchants and landlords too. Not so happy were the teachers of Miller School who had to put up with the ear splitting noises of the Stearman PT-17 bi-plane.
PT-17's were also called "the yellow peril", referring to its color. The uneasy takeoffs of beginner pilots flew right over Miller School. All day long the teachers would shout above the plane engines in a losing battle for their student's attention. Rarely a week would pass without a beginner pilot crashing extremely close to the school. Forced landings were common in the Santa Maria Valley with pilots often needing to make emergency landings in the dry Santa Maria riverbed.
PT-17
In early 1942 the Army Corps of Engineers started buying land near the Santa Maria oilfield to use as a B-25 base. By May 1st of that year, the Corp had built 20 buildings and 3 runways. On September 16, 1943, Santa Maria Airport became a P-38 training base for pilots. The mission of the base was changed from training P-38 pilots to training P-38 replacement pilots.
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P-38 Lightning
After the war Hancock Flight School was leased to USC for use as a four-year Aeronautics Degree program. During the Korean War the school was used to train aviation mechanics. Then in 1954 Santa Maria Junior College purchased the 40 acre airport site and began construction of what is now Allan G. Hancock Community College.
Photo courtesy of SM Historical Museum