Thursday, June 25, 2009

Unique Historic Structure may be Lost


Yes, there are many, many historic structures endangered by neglect. But you have to admit, Hangar One at Sunnyvale's Moffett Field is pretty exceptional.

This enormous structure, which covers more than 8 acres, was built to house the USS Macon, a Navy scouting and recon dirigible. The Macon itself was pretty exceptional - it was one of the largest helium airships ever built, and actually carried five Sparrowhawk biplanes, making it the world's only flying aircraft carrier!

The Macon crashed in 1953, after less than two years of service.

The historic Hangar One may become a victim of budget battles between the US Navy and NASA. The structure needs a costly environmental clean-up, and in these days of tight budgets, nobody has been willing to commit to the costs of restoration and maintenance.

For more about the structure and the battle to preserve it, visit preservationnation.org

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