It towers above Orange County like a cathedral of wood — seventeen stories high, three hundred feet wide, and longer than three football fields. Built in 1942 from Douglas fir, when steel was scarce during World War II, the Tustin Lighter-Than-Air South Hangar remains one of America’s last great timber aviation structures.
For more than eighty years, it has watched the region evolve — from orange groves to innovation hubs — a silent witness to California’s ingenuity and ambition. But after the tragic 2023 fire that destroyed its twin, the North Hangar, this last remaining structure stands at a crossroads. We can let it decay, or we can give it a second life — as a monument to service, innovation, and the boundless spirit of flight.
A Testament to Ingenuity and Service
The story of the Tustin Hangar began in 1942, when the U.S. Navy commissioned the Santa Ana Naval Air Station as a base for blimps patrolling the Pacific coast for enemy submarines. These lighter-than-air ships safeguarded our shores, their crews embodying quiet courage and professionalism.
In the 1950s, the site became the nation’s first Marine Corps Air Facility designed exclusively for helicopter operations. Thousands of Marines trained here before deploying to Korea and Vietnam. At its height, the base supported nearly 5,000 military and civilian personnel — a city within a city devoted to the defense of freedom.
In 1975, both hangars were declared National Historic Landmarks, recognized among the largest free-span wooden structures in the world — architectural marvels symbolizing American resilience and innovation.
From Loss to Leadership
The North Hangar’s destruction could have been the end of the story. Instead, it can mark a new beginning. The surviving South Hangar can and should become the Tustin Lighter-Than-Air Museum and Innovation Center — a space where history, technology, and community meet under one awe-inspiring roof.
Imagine walking beneath its massive arches to explore exhibits on World War II airships, helicopter engineering, and the legacy of Navy and Marine Corps aviation. Picture students from UCI, Chapman University, and Cal State Fullerton studying STEM principles inspired by its wooden design. Envision veterans’ ceremonies, concerts, and film productions bringing new life to this masterpiece of American engineering.
This vision isn’t just nostalgic — it’s forward-looking. The hangar can become a catalyst for Orange County’s cultural and economic growth, a destination as meaningful as it is magnificent.
An Economic Engine for Southern California
Preserving the hangar isn’t a burden; it’s an investment. With a defined mission as a museum and civic landmark, it can attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year — standing proudly alongside the USS Midway in San Diego and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum in Hawaii as a cornerstone of heritage tourism.
Every visitor brings dollars to Tustin’s restaurants, hotels, and shops, generating millions in local tax revenue. The hangar’s restoration would spur redevelopment around the base, inviting business investment, educational partnerships, and new employment opportunities.
Preservation, in this case, is not about saving the past — it’s about fueling the future.
A Call for Partnership and Patriotism
This endeavor requires vision and teamwork. The City of Tustin, the Navy League of Orange County, and the Tustin Area Historical Society have already laid the groundwork. But they can’t do it alone.
It’s time for Southern California’s great companies — Boeing, Northrop Grumman, SpaceX, Disney, Anduril, and the Irvine Company — to join in. Their support would not only restore an icon of American ingenuity but demonstrate corporate citizenship that reflects the very values that built their success: innovation, courage, and community.
To join this effort, visit SaveTheHangars.com or contact the Tustin City Council at CityCouncil@tustinca.org. Together, we can ensure that this towering monument once again serves the nation — not through defense, but through education, inspiration, and unity.
The Choice Before Us
Every generation inherits a piece of history to protect. The South Hangar is ours.
If we act now, we can transform it into a living landmark — a place where students learn, veterans gather, and families are inspired by what vision and perseverance can achieve. If we wait, we risk losing a symbol that will never be rebuilt.
Let us honor the spirit of those who built it by ensuring it flies again — not into the sky, but into our collective future.
By Joe Greco, President, Navy League of the United States – Orange County Council, and Col. Brian E. Delahaut, USMC (Ret.)
Both authors advocate for the preservation of military heritage in Southern California.
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