GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Tragic news, this historic building cannot be replaced! 
Blimp Hanger in Orange County catches fire!
- Thread starter GrauGeist
- Start date
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cammerjeff
Staff Sergeant
Horrible News, I always wanted to visit them.
Terrible to hear
GreenKnight121
Senior Airman
- 734
- Mar 16, 2014
The north hangar is where several friends worked in the late 1980s (each hangar housed 4 heavy-lift USMC helo squadrons - all of their CH-53s fit inside with a LOT of room to spare.
I have gone from the ground room of those door structures up the vertical leg, across through the roller-track access (more than 10' headroom and 30' wide - there were owls nesting in there) and back down the far side leg to ground level - in 1989-90.
I have gone from the ground room of those door structures up the vertical leg, across through the roller-track access (more than 10' headroom and 30' wide - there were owls nesting in there) and back down the far side leg to ground level - in 1989-90.
- Thread starter
- #5
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
When my Dad took me to the Hangars when I was a kid, we went Into hangar #1, which had it's doors closed at the time.
It was actually raining inside (more like a light mist falling) because of the humidity that built up inside if the main doors were completely closed.
It was actually raining inside (more like a light mist falling) because of the humidity that built up inside if the main doors were completely closed.
Admiral Beez
Major
Oh the humanity!
GreenKnight121
Senior Airman
- 734
- Mar 16, 2014
Hangar No. 1 (north hangar) building in 1942:
Original occupants:
1970s-90s occupants:
In 2003 looking south - No. 1 middle, no. 2 background:
And, because every subject needs a conspiracy theory... here is the 2010 Tustin City community plan - it shows hangar No. 1 (the one that burned) torn down to make way for a school:
Here is a history of the base & hangars, with lots more photos:
Original occupants:
1970s-90s occupants:
In 2003 looking south - No. 1 middle, no. 2 background:
And, because every subject needs a conspiracy theory... here is the 2010 Tustin City community plan - it shows hangar No. 1 (the one that burned) torn down to make way for a school:
Here is a history of the base & hangars, with lots more photos:
GreenKnight121
Senior Airman
- 734
- Mar 16, 2014
The hangar that burned had suffered roof damage in a 2013 windstorm.
Fortunately, the South Hangar is under the control of the City of Tustin, and they have spent approximately $680,000 on capital improvements to the South Hangar through June 30, 2019, - and around $2,000,000 since then on repairs and improvements as part of a larger plan to fully refurbish the structure for long-term preservation and (non-aviation) use (estimated final cost $10-15 million).
Fortunately, the South Hangar is under the control of the City of Tustin, and they have spent approximately $680,000 on capital improvements to the South Hangar through June 30, 2019, - and around $2,000,000 since then on repairs and improvements as part of a larger plan to fully refurbish the structure for long-term preservation and (non-aviation) use (estimated final cost $10-15 million).
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Sad deal. When I was a kid in '59, I was with a Cub Scout Pack visiting Earhart Field in Oakland as guests of the SF Sea Scout Crew. The Navy had a blimp tethered and would lower it and change out Cubs to ride in it. Very cool. Later that same year I thought the Blue Angels flew an F9 Cougar threw the airship hanger at Moffet Field. I was pretty little and far away and could be mistaken. Decades later, ('86?) I was invited by my bud, who worked for Ames at Moffet, for the debut of the Blue Angels and their new F14s. My bud was a "Tunnel Rat" who helped build the test clubs in the converted airship hanger, the largest wind tunnel on the planet. The shops bone yard had neat junk, amongst other things a Gemini capsule, and an X15 fuselage. He let my boys climb all over that stuff. They had a 100-gallon saltwater aquarium made out of 6" octagon shaped plexiglass that was for monkey's space endeavors. It had a hairline crack and had been in the scrap heap. Boss facility. PAX
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Boss A!
Admiral Beez
Major
Was this pic taken here?
- Thread starter
- #15
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
It's possible, though the USN had ten air stations that had Blimp Hangars, three being on the west coast: NAS Tillamook, NAS Moffett and NAS Santa Ana.
special ed
2nd Lieutenant
- 5,661
- May 13, 2018
Which forum member's stash is that?
GreenKnight121
Senior Airman
- 734
- Mar 16, 2014
NAS Santa Ana did not have a runway acceptable for those Corsairs and Hellcats (nearby MCAS El Toro was the fixed-wing base in the area).... it was most likely Moffett, which was also a fixed-wing field.
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
I love the detective work here.
- Thread starter
- #19
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Sure it did - the mooring circle was 2000' in diameter and had landing markers for fixed wing aircraft.
GreenKnight121
Senior Airman
- 734
- Mar 16, 2014
And that marked runway was used for light aircraft, not massed fighters. The formal runway was not added until later.
Tustin CA 1943:
Santa Ana CA 1945 AAF airfield directory - note that no runway is indicated:
The 1945 photo looks like construction on a formal runway is underway - here it is in 1960, but the base was still not used for fixed-wing aircraft:
Tustin CA 1943:
Santa Ana CA 1945 AAF airfield directory - note that no runway is indicated:
The 1945 photo looks like construction on a formal runway is underway - here it is in 1960, but the base was still not used for fixed-wing aircraft:
