The Aviation History of Greater Riverside

Ever since aircraftchanged the scope of the First World War, flight became both a passion andbusiness in Riverside. Early barnstormers needed places to park, refuel andservice their aircraft, so airports started popping up. Alessandro Field becameMarch Field in 1918. By World War II, seventy-five thousand troops weredeployed at March. Today’s March Joint Air Reserve Base has been a vitalwartime training and relay installation and a sentinel of peacetime. In 1925,Roman Warren, known as the Cowboy Aviator, established Riverside Airport,which later became Flabob Airport. Take to the air with authors Marge and TonyBitetti as they trace Greater Riverside’s history of flight-from Banning,Corona and Riverside Municipal Airports to Perris Airport, Skylark Field andothers.