Hangar One

Hangar One is a landmark aircraft hangar located at Moffett Federal Airfield in Mountain View, California. Originally built in 1933 to house the USS Macon (ZRS-5) rigid airship, it has served roles for United States Navy, NASA, Google, and other organizations. The structure is notable for its immense size, distinctive corrugated metal cladding, and long-running involvement in aviation, environmental, and preservation controversies.

History

Hangar One was commissioned during the interwar period to support the United States Navy's ambitious airship program, including the USS Macon and its sister ship USS Akron (ZRS-4). The site at Moffett Field—originally Naval Air Station Sunnyvale—was selected near San Francisco Bay and adjacent to Lockheed Martin facilities and Stanford University research. Following the loss of the USS Macon in 1935, the hangar continued to host lighter-than-air experimentation and later adapted to fixed-wing operations during World War II, supporting units such as Patrol Squadron 1 (VP-1) and Fleet Air Wing 4. Postwar activity included use by Naval Air Rework Facility and transition to civilian oversight with transfer to NASA Ames Research Center in the 1990s. Ownership and stewardship disputes involved United States Department of Defense, U.S. Navy, NASA, and municipal entities including Santa Clara County and the City of Mountain View.

Design and Construction

Designed by engineers affiliated with Curtiss-Wright Corporation and constructed with materials from firms like Bethlehem Steel and Skinner Manufacturing Company, the hangar employed large-span truss systems and innovative corrugated metal cladding. The rectangular-plan building features a semi-elliptical roof, internal clear span approximately 1,000 feet long, and massive hangar doors, enabling storage of the 785-foot USS Macon airship. Construction techniques reflected contemporaneous advances seen in projects like Palace of Aviation and other interwar aviation facilities. The structural system incorporated riveted steel girders, longitudinal stringers, and a concrete foundation tied to regional seismic design practices influenced by studies at Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley. Architectural detailing drew on industrial precedents such as Hangar No. 1 (Lakehurst Naval Air Station) and influenced later large-span works by firms including Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

Usage and Operations

Throughout its operational life, the hangar accommodated a range of aviation, research, and storage functions. During the 1930s it served as the home base for USS Macon operations and helium handling infrastructure connected to federal suppliers. In World War II the facility supported anti-submarine patrols linked to the Pacific Fleet and hosted squadrons engaged in Pacific theater logistics. Cold War-era uses included maintenance by Naval Air Rework Facility personnel, housing of experimental aircraft linked to contractors such as Lockheed, Northrop, and Douglas Aircraft Company, and research partnerships with NASA Ames Research Center. In the 21st century, adaptive reuse proposals involved technology firms like Google and regional agencies such as Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority exploring conversion to museum, office, and mixed-use space. Operational challenges included climate control for preservation, access for oversized aircraft and structures, and coordination among federal agencies including General Services Administration.

Environmental Issues and Restoration

Environmental concerns emerged when investigations found polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and lead-based paint in the hangar's cladding. Remediation debates implicated Environmental Protection Agency, California Environmental Protection Agency, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and local stewardship groups like Save Hangar One and Puente de la Costa Sur. Cleanup options weighed full abatement, partial removal, and encapsulation, with cost estimates discussed by NASA and Office of the Secretary of Defense. Restoration projects sought to balance historic preservation standards promoted by the National Park Service and the hangar's listing on the National Register of Historic Places with environmental law requirements such as those enforced under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act interpretations and California regulations. Phased remediation included removal of contaminated panels, stabilization of the steel superstructure by contractors experienced with large-span restoration, and selective recladding to meet both preservation criteria and modern hazardous-material controls.

Cultural and Historical Significance

The hangar holds cultural resonance as an icon of interwar airship ambition, a surviving artifact from the era of rigid airships like LZ 129 Hindenburg and R101 (airship), and a symbol within the San Francisco Bay Area's aerospace legacy alongside NASA Ames Research Center and Moffett Field Museum. It appears in documentary histories produced by institutions such as Smithsonian Institution affiliates and regional archives at California Academy of Sciences, and it features in oral histories from Naval Historical Center collections. Preservation advocacy tied the hangar to broader heritage conversations involving adaptive reuse exemplified by projects at TWA Flight Center and JFK Airport. Listed status on the National Register of Historic Places and attention from organizations like the National Trust for Historic Preservation reflect its significance to aviation historians, engineers, and community planners in Santa Clara County.

Category:Buildings and structures in Mountain View, California Category:Historic hangars Category:Buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in California