hangar design

[mulwyk]

May I borrow your imagination for a moment? Thank you.

Close your eyes and Imagine this: it's 1946, you're on a farm in the Midwest, standing in front of a modest hangar, in the hangar is a new, red Taylorcraft.

Now, tell me, what does the hangar look like? What's it's size, shape, color, texture? What sort of hangar do you see in your imaginary trip to '46?

[mhorowit]

Re: hangar design

tin roof, just large enough for the airplane. yellow dog laying in the grass in front of the hanger. siding is weathered rough cut lumber, maybe 2x8's. grass needs mowing. may be connected to the side of the barn

[flybikefarm]

Re: hangar design

Go to Sam Lyons web site and look at some of his prints. The one I have on my wall is called "Every 25 Hours", the plane is a cub but the hanger would be 40s or 50s era. George

[Larry Lyons]

Re: hangar design

Interesting! I can go out to my airport now and still see the hanger that was there when I was a kid, over 60 years ago! It is, corrugated galvanized tin roof and sides, dirt floor, wood doors. The T-hangers were all connected so the building was rectangular with doors alternating from side to side to fit the hanger opening. At one time there were up wards of twenty hanger spaces but now only two and one is large square, corrugated tin, cement floor, steel hanging doors, and one, 1 plane T-hanger with storage in the one corner. Nice but no electricity on the airport. 2,000' sod with a hump in the middle so you can never see the other end on take off! My hanger rent is
$10/month. I also help cut the grass.
Larry

[1938BF50]

Re: hangar design

My favorite......In the last 13 years, I never seen it open or talked to anyone who knows what is inside.

[wmfife]

Re: hangar design

Try these links. I have spent many a fly-in at this airfield, near Ottumwa, IA where the first one was held in 1953. Both the artwork and the actual structures are representative of vintage aviation:

http://antiqueairfield.com/flyins/corporate-wings.html

http://antiqueairfield.com/flyins/2009/videos.html

[mulwyk]

Re: hangar design

Yes, Mike that is easily the most unusual hangar I've ever seen.

Let me see if I understand this: to open the door the owner walks around behind the hangar and operates a boat winch (?) that pulls, via cable, the top hinged door segment upward. And all the time he's operating the winch, he can't see what's happening with the door on the other side of the hangar?! Cute.

I'm also curious what is parked in there. It looks like the hangar was built around the plane. It must be a taildragger of some sort cause a nosedragger's tail would be too high for that aft section. And it must be a highwing monoplane judging by the door segmentation. And, wait a minute, the door doesn't seem to be cut out for wing struts...could it have a cantilever wing? Not many of those around even today.

It's gotta be Amelia Earhart's Vega in there.

[NY86]

Re: hangar design

... And all the time he's operating the winch, he can't see what's happening with the door on the other side of the hangar?! ....

Even worse! When lowering the door you can't see if the prop is aligned with the bump in the door...

[Ron Coleman]

Re: hangar design

Hi Bob....
I lived in the heart of Cleveland in 1946. My transportation was a New 1946 1 1/2 hp. Doodlebug scooter. On occasion, I would go to my uncle's airport in Sandusky, Ohio roughly 55 miles away (in those days). The local airport had one arched roof square block building with the planes parked in rows in a big field (no runways needed). The airport in sandusky, a rectangular field with a worn path down the center, had an administration buildilng and a row of T-hangers typical flat roof and corrigated zink plated sheeting. Most did not have doors. One was a square building and was used as a shop. The administration building (office ) was about the size of a parking lot used car sales office and was a daring streamline modern design with a faux tower and glass around 3 sides.

My trips to this magic place were well worth the 5 hour ljourney.

Pics follow.

Ronc

[Laz]

Re: hangar design

Nice pictures Ron. I currently live in Port Clinton Ohio, grew up on the West side of Cleveland. Who was your Uncle and where was that Airport? The only airport left in Sandusky is Girffing Field, Owned and operated by Tom Griffing. They fly passangers and mail to Eri Islands. One of the original hangers at Port Clinton that was used by Island Airlines for their Ford Trimoters is still in use. Three of my friends fly the EAA Trimoter and when It comes to Port Clinton or Sandusky they fill it up with people who remember flying it to the Islands.

[Len Petterson]

Re: hangar design

We have what was a hangar from before WW2 now a comunety center I will take and post some pictures for you fellows the structure esaly seen.
size 75 * 75 feet + - .
Len

[Ron Coleman]

Re: hangar design

Hi Laz...
Here are a couple more pictures of the Sandusky airports. The first picture is my uncle's first Cub. It was taken at the old airport in about 1938. You can see a line of trees in the background. That line of trees is still there and it runs along the Bay. The second photo is my grandmother and other family members in the same square field as the first photo. The third photo was taken at Harry's new airport on Columbus Road across the road from the quarry (the administration building is still there). This field was a rectangular patch of grass with a tiny creek running across the middle of the field. Every time I was there I washed mud off of the J3 cubs. The third photo is of their new T-craft. Harry eventually moved back to the old airport and it is now owned and operated by his son.
It was a sad day when they tore down the original arched span hangers and the original ready room.

There are a lot of old hangers around here like "Bandit" at Greensprings. Il'll try to get some pictures.

RonC

[Len Petterson]

Re: hangar design

I will take the picures of the old hangar for you tommorow morning.
This building was one of the original hangars at St Catharines (Ontario Canada ) airport and used during WW2. It was built in aboutt 1928 to 32.
Today it a comunety hall away from the airport.
I finaly gott hold my friend what has the keys.
Len

[crispy critter]

Re: hangar design

Hi Laz...
Here are a couple more pictures of the Sandusky airports. The first picture is my uncle's first Cub. It was taken at the old airport in about 1938. You can see a line of trees in the background. That line of trees is still there and it runs along the Bay. The second photo is my grandmother and other family members in the same square field as the first photo. The third photo was taken at Harry's new airport on Columbus Road across the road from the quarry (the administration building is still there). This field was a rectangular patch of grass with a tiny creek running across the middle of the field. Every time I was there I washed mud off of the J3 cubs. The third photo is of their new T-craft. Harry eventually moved back to the old airport and it is now owned and operated by his son.
It was a sad day when they tore down the original arched span hangers and the original ready room.

There are a lot of old hangers around here like "Bandit" at Greensprings. Il'll try to get some pictures.

RonC

What was the N# of the t-craft in the 3rd pic? I found a couple pics of Crispy taken by an unknown sorce in the early 1950's and it looks just like that.

[Len Petterson]

Re: hangar design

Here are the pictures from the old Hangar, now it is a Comunety Center, west of St Catharines.
The material used are most likly pine and 2" thick bolted together.
There are as much as 4 layers in a truss.
The Building is about 75 ' long and with a free span of 45'.
It is 10 feet between trusses.

The first picture are from 1918 factory in Toronto, this type of stucture used where common at the time.

The type of structure used here could possibly be built with 1" plywood in a smaller building. I am not a enginer so it just a uneducated gues.
Have fun building.
Len
Where did the pictures go?
I try again.