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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Paul Wescott on November 08, 2023, 07:59:47 PM
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One of the two enormous Tustin Blimp Hangars burned down yesterday in Tustin, Calif. The center span caught on fire around 1am which was either aged wiring for the catwalk lighting or arson. Fire department showed up but when flaming chunks of the 178-foot high 296-foot wide 1078-foot long 300,000 square foot structure started collapsing, fire department backed off and just watched. Only the ends were left standing and without the center section to support them I’m sure there will be a rush to knock those down too. The hangars have been in disuse for several years while the local government tried to figure out how to get rid of them without angering too many tax payers, I mean, tried to figure out how to make use of them…
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/tustin-air-base-hangar-fire-orange-county-navy-marines-military-history/3262460/?amp=1
Side note - Unfortunately a lot of owls died in the fire. There was a colony of them living inside the hangar. The local free flight group used to go inside that blimp hangar to fly model airplanes before the roof deteriorated and was damaged by pigeon poop several years ago. So each day we would “lose” a dozen model airplanes which got stuck in the rafters. Then the next morning they’d all be on the floor (spooky!). The owls were quite territorial and would push the interlopers off the rafters LOL.
Here are a couple of my photo albums with lots of blimp hangar pics, in case anyone has insomnia…
Blimp hangar and FF model airplane event:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsjuTFo27
Just the blimp hangar:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/star-paul-star/04Ro4N5005
Here is a video of Larry Renger flying an electric 1/2A Pathfinder INSIDE the hanger (in front of a secret reconnaissance blimp project, shhh don’t tell anyone).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYn5g5OcPgE&sns=em
End of an era.
Paul
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HOW MANY SOCCER FIELDS COULD HAVE BEEN PUT INTHERE? D>K
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HOW MANY SOCCER FIELDS COULD HAVE BEEN PUT INTHERE? D>K
Hey Doc. Your question has been asked before, but not here. There’s another article out there somewhere that I haven’t located, or maybe it’s no longer out there. These hangars were allegedly built in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor, using methods that were available / common back then. The latticework (probably not the right word) of huge wooden beams forming the graceful curve of the roof is phenomenal. Although as that framework was being built, the beams were coated in something to prevent insects and rot. Whatever they used to coat the beams is what you and I would call “nasty stuff”. No one in a position of authority wants to approve of having children, typical soccer players, anywhere near the stuff, especially inside a building that’s been baking in the hot Southern California sun for so many years.
There are people who have said they either have, or could develop, a coating that would make the wooden beams safe (Klass Kote LOL?). And in a traditional hanger with flat walls or even corrugated steel it would work. But when said people see the puzzle of beams forming a 178-foot high curve, every single piece of which would need to be coated on every side, they shake their heads and decline to participate. There was a time when there were still people motivated to solve the problem. But after watching all the experts shake their heads and decline, the motivation eventually waned.
Today, I’m sure it could be done. Take an autonomous robot from Sony or Honda, tape a 3D scanner to the top of it’s head to track it’s progress, and stick a paint roller in it’s mouth. Then temporarily connect it to a “blank” AI and give it one goal: Three coats on every wooden surface please. Then close the 60-ton doors and leave it alone with the vapors until the job is done.
We locals used to be able to get inside and fly every now and then. I think someone knew a guy (the caretaker maybe?). If someone like Honda was shooting a car commercial (and paying $$$) we were postponed. And then a small section of roof fell in. We learned that there had been a pigeon coop on the roof for many years. Carrier pigeons? Homing pigeons? Why on earth would anyone want to put a pigeon coop 178 feet up, and have to navigate the stairs, ladders and catwalks to get to it? Well during the construction and installation of the coop, someone paid no attention to drainage or the possibility of having to clean up/out the pigeon poop. After years and years the excrement damaged the roof and some beams. And when a section fell in, that was the absolute end of civilians getting inside without a much better reason that toy airplanes.
Paul
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What a heck of a shame. It looked like something worth preserving for all sorts of reasons. Indoor flying must have been magic in there. Well- one wonders if it may have turned out differently if the offer by a Chinese company to build and release balloons from there had been approved. LL~ LL~
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Back in the 80's I was a member of an 'association'....not a club....that had a deal with the USMC to allow R/C flying on the ramp in front of the East doors. There was nothing but cabbage fields out there then.
Some time later after the USMC closed their operations, roads were built in that ramp area.
I flew out there for about 5 years or so until the leader of the 'association' got weird, then I started flying somewhere else.
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What would you bet that there will be a subdivision or a wad of condos built there within 5 years? With land prices being what they are near any big west coast city, a little arson for hire isn't out of the question. Cash talks and BS walks. The city council will also have their palms greased to approve any changes to the zoning regulations. R%%%% Steve
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With land prices being what they are near any big west coast city, a little arson for hire isn't out of the question. Cash talks and BS walks. The city council will also have their palms greased to approve any changes to the zoning regulations. R%%%% Steve
I don't want to go down the conspiracy avenue with this one, but I have to admit Steve's above theory was one of my first thoughts. Either way, a major historical loss and a very sad event.
https://warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/fire-consumes-marine-corps-tustin-hangar.html
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There were two similar sized hangars built in Tillamook Oregon. One remains today as the home of an aviation museum. Years ago, the other hangar was used to store....hay. Yep, lets stuff a giant, old, wooden building with hay... The fire was reported to have been epic. Today only the steel columns that once held the doors remain of that one.
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A local state of emergency has been declared due to toxins released into nearby neighborhoods: Asbestos, arsenic, lead and nickel.
Even though both hangars are on the historic registry, I am predicting they will use this as a reason (excuse) to demolish the remaining historic hangar.
In the meantime officials are recommending nearby residents should not lick any exterior surfaces. :-X
Paul
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/local-state-of-emergency-declared-after-historic-hangar-fire-in-orange-county/