MCAS Tustin
The two blimp hangars that established Naval Lighter-Than-Air Station Santa Ana in Tustin were built in 1942. Constructed of Oregon Douglas fir, they are among the largest freestanding wooden structures in the world at 1072 feet long by 292 feet wide by 192 feet tall. The north hangar was closed in 2013. The south hangar is occasionally used for private and city events. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and as National Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks.
Tustin, Orange County
Images by Andrew Schmidt
On November 7, 2023, the north hangar was destroyed in a fire. Due to concerns of spreading debris and toxic particles by dumping water onto the structure, fire officials decided to let the fire burn itself out. Demolition of the remains of the hangar started about November 20, but it took 24 days for the incident commander to officially report that all the hotspots were out. The Navy, owner of the structure, finalized a contract with an environmental cleanup firm on December 22, 2023.
Photographer: Andrew Schmidt