TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT




An early postcard depicting the ramp area of the new Tampa terminal in the early 1950s.

Tampa's Drew Field opened its new 'modern' air terminal in 1952, renaming itself "Tampa International Airport" in the process. Like many airports during the early 1950s, Drew Field was a converted military base, and passengers had been accommodated in a hastily converted barracks/hangar since the end of the war. The new terminal, located at Columbus Avenue and West Shore Drive, was a permanent solution designed to meet all of TPA's aviation needs.


Two early views of the new TPA terminal landside shortly after the facility's opening.

The building was a simple two-story affair topped by a control tower, facing west. Ticket counters for TPA's passenger carriers (Eastern, National, Delta and Trans-Canada) were located at the north end of the building. A central lobby area with bay windows housed a gift shop, restaurant and newsstand, and a hallway to the main departure lounge.

Aircraft parked along a fence on the west side of the building - passengers walked outdoors and boarded the aircraft via airstairs.


Looking northwest at the old TPA in the mid-1950s. Note the main entrance with bay windows overlooking the parking area.


Two views of the old TPA taken in the mid-1950s. At this point the airport was not particularly busy and handled mostly prop flights to Miami, Orlando and other points in Florida, with connecting service to Atlanta and beyond.

The late 1950s were HUGE years for TPA - seemingly endless route awards almost tripled the number of daily flights using the airport. The new arrivals were TWA (flights to Kansas City and St. Louis), Northeast (flights to Boston and New York), Northwest (flights to Atlanta, Chicago and Milwaukee), and Capital (service to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Atlanta and Philadelphia.) Delta and Eastern were also granted new routes during this period.

National Airlines began DC8 jet flights in 1960, followed by Eastern and Delta. The apron was lengthened to accommodate the larger aircraft.


A two-panel postcard circa 1960, with a view of TPA on top. Note the Delta DC8 on the terminal apron - this postcard must be from the 1959-1960 period, as Delta's DC8s converted to the familiar 'widget' logo in 1961.


An early view of passengers on the observation deck of the old TPA.
Courtesy of Juan Garcia

To keep pace with the growth, the terminal was expanded in 1959-1960. The ticket lobby was extended to the east and connected to a new baggage claim area exclusively for Eastern and National. West Shore Drive (the road fronting the terminal) was closed west of the terminal to make way for a 2000-foot extension of the main north-south runway. The new roadway looped south of the terminal to create a much larger infield parking lot. Two eight-gate passenger concourses were also added, replacing the single gate at the front of the terminal - a pier along the original terminal frontage for National and Eastern, and another one set perpendicular to the original terminal (along the new runway extension) for the other airlines.


An aerial view of TPA in 1962, showing the new expansion. The 1952 building is at left center, flanked by the ticket lobby extension and new boarding concourses. Photo courtesy of Juan Garcia


A view of the old TPA in the early 1960s. Note the new terminal extensions in the background.

By the early 1960s airport officials were planning for a huge new complex to replace their barely-a-decade-old terminal. A parallel jet runway was opened in 1963, almost a mile to the west of the 1952 terminal. The new terminal would be placed between the runways, minimizing taxi times for the airlines.

The terminal was bursting at the seams in the late 1960s as construction of the new terminal got underway to the northwest. The cinderblock 1952 terminal was beginning to show its age, and lack of air conditioning made crowded times unbearable.


An aerial view of TPA in 1968 shows the 1952 terminal (center right) and the present-day terminal under construction in between the two parallel runways. Note how far runway 18R-36L was from the 1952 terminal - this was no doubt a factor in the decision to replace the facility. From the 1968 TPA annual report courtesy of Ozell Stephens


An aerial view of the TPA terminal in 1968, as it neared the end of its useful life. Visible are two Delta DC8s, a Northeast DC9, and National and Eastern 727s. The aircraft are parked at assigned gates (refer to the map below). From the 1968 TPA annual report courtesy of Ozell Stephens


These photos from the 1952 terminal (in the late 1960s) illustrate the pressing need for a replacement facility. Courtesy of Juan Garcia

In its final configuration, the terminal consisted of the main building, which had 5 or 6 aircraft parking positions, and the perpendicular 1960 extension, which had an additional 6 or 7 parking bays. Airlines serving the old TPA included Delta, Eastern, National, Pan American, United (which absorbed Captial in 1961), Northwest Orient, Braniff (which began flights in 1969), TWA, Northeast and Air Canada.


A rare map of the old TPA showing the terminal layout in February 1971 - a month before it was permanently closed. From a United Air Lines services guide

The new terminal was opened in mid-1971 and all operations were transferred there. The old terminal was demolished in 1975, and the site was redeveloped into Hangar One, a very successful corporate aviation center and fixed-base operator. Today there is no trace of the old facility.


A satellite view of the old TPA site taken in 2000. Hangar One is visible at center. Construction is underway on a new shopping mall (International Plaza) that occupies a portion of the old terminal parking lot.

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