Firefighters were called to the former Tustin Air Base at around 12:55 a.m. PST on November 7. [Credit: OCFA]
Key Takeaways:
A historic North Hangar at the former Tustin Air Base, a Southern California landmark and one of the world's largest free-standing wooden structures, was destroyed by a fire early Tuesday.
Built during World War II to house blimps, the massive structure was on the National Register of Historic Places.
Over 70 firefighters responded, facing a full engulfment and eventual roof collapse, though no injuries were reported.
Arson investigators are on scene to determine the cause, with the investigation eventually transferring to the U.S. Navy, which still owns the property.
A piece of aviation history and a Southern California landmark has gone up in smoke.
According to the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), crews were called to the former Tustin Air Base around 12:55 a.m. PST on Tuesday. When crews arrived, they found the north hangar, one of two megastructures built to house blimps during World War II, was fully engulfed.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
