Background Weeksville Dirigible Hangar
a north-facing aerial view of weeksville naval air station in 1944, showing steel lta hangar (center) , timber lta hangar (top left).
at beginning of world war ii, naval air station lakehurst, established in 1921, active lighter-than-air (lta) naval air station operated navy. in 1940, navy proposed congress development of lighter-than-air station program anti-submarine patrols of coast , harbors. program proposed, in addition expansion @ lakehurst , reestablishment of nas moffett field naval lta station, construction of new stations in boston, cape may, cape hatteras, southern florida, southern georgia, louisiana, los angeles, san francisco, , puget sound areas. original contract included steel hangar, 960 feet (290 m) long, 328 feet (100 m) wide , 190 feet (58 m) high, helium storage , service, barracks 228 men, power plant, landing mat, , mobile mooring mast. in june 1941, shortly before congress completed action on navy s proposed lta program, work began @ nas lakehurst on project included construction of 2 airship hangars.
the second deficiency appropriation bill 1941, passed july 3, 1941, authorized construction of 8 facilities accommodate total of 48 airships, requested in 1940. due steel rations, total of 17 large wooden hangars built among 10 lta bases.
as developed in 1943, lta facilities (with wooden hangars built) in addition nas lakehurst (2) , nas moffett field (2), included nas south weymouth (1), nas weeksville (1), nas glynco (2), nas richmond (3), nas houma (1), nas hitchcock (1), nas santa ana (2) , nas tillamook (2). in initial program, accommodations provided 6 airships @ each station. later increased twelve @ 7 of stations , eighteen @ nas richmond result of increase in authorized strength 200 airships.
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