KNZJ, Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California, was commissioned on 4 November 1942, and served as the home of USMC fighter/attack, all weather attack, reconnaissance, and transport/tanker operations for the west coast. As home of the 3rd Marine Air Wing and Marine Air Group- 11, it was a Master Jet Base. In its heyday of the late 1970s/80s, MAG-11 hosted at El Toro: VMFA-314, VMFA-323, VMFA-531, VMFA-134, VMA-211, VMA-214, VMA-311, VMA(AW)-242, VMFP-3, and VMGR-352. Selected for closure in the 1993 Base Realignment And Closure round, MCAS El Toro closed on 2 July 1999.
Originally planned to be a civil airport for airline and GA operations, replacing and closing John Wayne/Orange County Airport, two separate proposals for that conversion were defeated. Today, not much remains of the former MCAS. Runways 7 L/R - 25 L/R are almost gone, and only a small portion of the approach end to midfield of Runway 16 L/R remains. Some hangars and small ramp space sections on the NE, SE, and SW sections remain as well as the ATC tower and attached base operations building, all in a dilapidated state, but that is about it. And what is left is slowly disappearing. The 3rd MAW, MAG-11, and subordinate units, moved from El Toro to MCAS Miramar, after Miramar was transferred from the USN to the USMC, and the famed Naval Air Station Miramar became an MCAS, and took over from El Toro as the west coast Marine Master Jet Base.
In my pictures, you’ll see the former ATC tower and base operations. The hangar labeled as HMM-163 is the former VMFA-314 hangar. The one labeled HMM-164 is the former VMFA-323 hangar, and the one labeled HMM-268 is the former VMFP-3 hangar. The former VMFA-531 hangar has been demolished. These hangars were temporarily the home of the three HMM CH-46 squadrons, after those units had moved to El Toro in the short time following the closure of nearby MCAS Tustin, and before MCAS El Toro’s ultimate closure.
The only general-aviation related operation still ongoing on the field is the El Toro VOR/DME, still located on the field.
Photo credits: MikeD
Originally planned to be a civil airport for airline and GA operations, replacing and closing John Wayne/Orange County Airport, two separate proposals for that conversion were defeated. Today, not much remains of the former MCAS. Runways 7 L/R - 25 L/R are almost gone, and only a small portion of the approach end to midfield of Runway 16 L/R remains. Some hangars and small ramp space sections on the NE, SE, and SW sections remain as well as the ATC tower and attached base operations building, all in a dilapidated state, but that is about it. And what is left is slowly disappearing. The 3rd MAW, MAG-11, and subordinate units, moved from El Toro to MCAS Miramar, after Miramar was transferred from the USN to the USMC, and the famed Naval Air Station Miramar became an MCAS, and took over from El Toro as the west coast Marine Master Jet Base.
In my pictures, you’ll see the former ATC tower and base operations. The hangar labeled as HMM-163 is the former VMFA-314 hangar. The one labeled HMM-164 is the former VMFA-323 hangar, and the one labeled HMM-268 is the former VMFP-3 hangar. The former VMFA-531 hangar has been demolished. These hangars were temporarily the home of the three HMM CH-46 squadrons, after those units had moved to El Toro in the short time following the closure of nearby MCAS Tustin, and before MCAS El Toro’s ultimate closure.
The only general-aviation related operation still ongoing on the field is the El Toro VOR/DME, still located on the field.
Photo credits: MikeD
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