First CL flght and relatedm matters...
Grew up n Brooklyn, NY about the same years, John. We didn't have a dedicated flying site. Just bummed (paved) schoolyards, parking lots, city parks ad lib. We did use the parking lot from the 1939 World's Fair, if we could get there. About 20 miles from my area at the Atlantic Coast bottom of Brooklyn. As we got to driving age, some of us anyway, we piled into any available car to get there or "The Farmer's Market," or one or two other available places.
Traveled a lot on NY Public Transit. Quite a sight: 5 or six teenagers, some with several models, some with field boxes, some with cans of fuel. Places like Red Hook Stadium parking lot required several changes of elevateds, subway AND bus, occasionally trolley, etc. Coordinating us to move from last car forward (or back) one car at a time to be nearest the destination exit stairs during the brief station stops was "most enjoyable!" Public transit worked best weekend mornings - no commuters to their jobs and back.
Still usually left a hike of a few blocks. But we did it. Closed-for-weekend offices, light manufacturing shops, etc, had no one who'd be bothered while we used parking and loading dock areas.... That particular area has since been "re-developed' to where I'd never recognize it now - so I hear.
And yes, it was 10 miles, all uphill, in a raging blizzard, both ways, every time. Ain't memory grand?