Nonstop flight route between Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Shaw Air Force Base (SSC), Sumter, South Carolina, United States and Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF), Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 285 miles (or 458 kilometers).

A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the relatively short distance between Shaw Air Force Base and Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning), the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Shaw Air Force Base (SSC):

• On 23 September 1949 the 161st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was transferred to the 20th from the 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Langley AFB Virginia.
• Over the next four decades, the squadrons under the 363d TRW changed frequently.
• The closest airport to Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Sumter Airport (SUM), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) ENE of SSC.
• Following Desert Storm, the 19th and 33d Tactical Fighter Squadrons deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch, a coalition effort to enforce the Iraqi "No Fly Zone" south of the 32nd parallel north.
• For a brief time, Shaw Field also served as a prisoner-of-war camp.
• The 20th Fighter Group was first equipped with North American P-51D, then exchanged its P-51's in February 1948 for F-84B Thunderjets, the first TAC group to receive operational F-84s.
• The 66th TRW was formed at Shaw from the RB-26 assets of the 18th TRS and RF-80s transferred from South Korea.
• The furthest airport from Shaw Air Force Base (SSC) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,545 miles (18,580 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• The 432nd's mission at Shaw AFB was to assume the reconnaissance training mission that was handled previously by the 363d TRW.
• On 1 April 1951, the 363d TRW was transferred to Shaw from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia The 363d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing would remain at Shaw, under various designations, for the next 43 years.

Facts about Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF):

• In 1922, the Army made the facility a permanent Army post renaming the camp Fort Benning.
• The furthest airport from Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,271 miles (18,139 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning)'s relatively low elevation of 232 feet, planes can take off or land at Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• The closest airport to Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning) (LSF) is Columbus Metropolitan Airport (CSG), which is located only 13 miles (21 kilometers) NNE of LSF.
• In 1967, Lawson Army Airfield was used for filming as part of the production of The Green Berets.