Warbird Information Exchange

i'm sure this topic has been mentioned... my apologies...... but i don't think the $$$$ needed to save the wendover hangar of enola gay has been mentioned. it will take an estimated $450.000 to stabilize the hangar structure, & 5 million dollars to restore it. who wants to bet it will be bulldozed?? what a travesty of history

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Tom,

Tulsaboy started a thread a few weeks ago about the "Enola Gay" hangar. http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... ht=#290797

Just as an aside--I believe that hangar is an all-metal structure rather than the more common wooden building used during the War. It is rough looking on the outside, but should be relatively easy to get ship-shape if the money is available. Our little museum at McCook AAF has three original wooden hangars to stabilize and we're doing it on virtually no money--just the hard work of a handful of people with passion. I really hope that the Wendover folks get a grant or funding to restore the hangar!

We're spending a few days at Wendover the first week of June, so we'll send some updates on the structures then.

yes - there is another thread but. . . the main portion of the structure is all metal - trusses supports and all. But the 509th had shops added on to the North and South side of the hangar. They are entirely wood construction and are in not so hot shape. However, the good news is that we are working with a firm already to put the plans in place to preserve/restore the structure! Some work may start as early as August.

Second Air Force shoot me a PM and I will arrange the "nickel" for you!

Now all I need is a B-29. . . . .

Tom P.

tom, is the repair amount quote correct or in the ball park??

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Tom - the museum recieved a grant for $440,000 to help restore the hangar and we are actually pretty close to having that entirely matched (in kind and $). That means we will have about $880K and that will allow us to bring the entire hangar back from the "brink". To bring the entire building up to standard and be the museum "centerpiece" that we would like it to be will take about $4M. But, that would be putting in an entirely new HVAC system, electrical, plumbing, movie theater and renovating it so that it would really be a 21st century museum. Plus, heaven help us and the water does not rise, part of the building will serve as it was originally intended, a working hangar shop for a WWII bomber.

Here's to worthy dreams!!

Tom P

OK...let me play "devil's advocate" here for a moment.
Other than the fact that the Enola Gay once parked there, what purpose does the hangar serve? Is it a museum or just a big, hollow structure? Do people actually come from miles around to see this building?
Here on the East coast, there are quite a few houses, inns, etc. that have a sign out front that says, "George Washington slept here." Big deal? NO.
Without first hand knowledge of the situation, the hangar sounds like a "George Washington slept here" type attraction with no other claim to fame.
After you've been there, is the best thing you can say about it, "I saw an empty building"?

All I'm asking for is your reason/justification (politely stated) for preserving this building.
Jump down my throat about my questions and I'll jump back.

Mudge the provocateur

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Land of the free because of the brave

Actually, you're not the only one with those questions *ducks for cover*

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Magister Aviation
It's all in my book

What's next the skid marks at Tinian ??

The aircraft is the object worth saving not it's parking place

Steve

Fair questions - no need to duck and cover or be ready to jump.

There are actually about 1.5 million people who pass through Wendover each year - now obviously not nearly that many come and visit the museum, but since 2000 we have had a steady rise in visitors.

Why save the hangar? It will serve to house the museum once it has reached a certain point. The FBO building has graciously let us use a 2 large offices, reception area, hall and break room to house displays and photographs. We have more that we would like to display but space is an issue - the B-29 hangar will allow us to display a lot more and not interfere with the daily operations in the FBO.

I also feel, that from November 1944 to May 1945 this place was where history happened. The "George Washington slept here" sign is a funny one - yes, for one night he passed through - probably showed up and crashed and then woke up and rolled on down the road. Here the men of the 393rd Squadron, 603rd Engineering, 1st Ordnance as well as Los Alamos scientists worked for more than 6 months. We have records of what happened here and some photographs - there is no well, maybe he was here or there but a real "right here this happened" Standing in even an empty hangar you get a feeling of what a big project the entire Manhattan Project was and how far reaching it became. The stillness and emptyness make a big impact on the senses as to the far reaching effect the bomb has had.

Dick Jeppson said at the 11 most endangered places announcment that Wendover was where it all come together - the work done at Los Alamos, Oak Ridge and Hanford - would have been for nought if it was not for the men of the 509th who trained here and occupied this building.

Beyond the 509th, there were 19 other Heavy Bomb Groups that trained in Wendover - including the 100th, 308th, 306th, 388th and 499th - the building will serve as a great place to display the histories of these units as well.

Hope that answers your questions - if not let me know

Tom P.

Tom

I don't mean to make fun of your efforts. But $5M will get you a new hanger and then some (quite a more "then some") the number is extreme
you need to rebid the project. I know for a fact that number could build a NEW building. The site is already there only the structure over it needs improvment. After all the aircraft sat on the floor not on the walls.

Steve

Just curious... what are you guys doing in an effort to get a B-29? Are there any left that could be potentially available?

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Sure, Charles Lindbergh flew the plane... but Tom Rutledge built the engine!

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Is that why George is so often called, "the father of our country"?

There's just something about the hanger that can't be duplicated in a new hanger. All the USAF graffiti on the roof and inside the hanger is unique.

If you have been to Wendover, you'll know what I mean. The old hangers, barracks and other buildings make the place and gives the "feel" of being back in the '40s.

And if you really are interested in old stuff, be sure to drop in at the little market

Not to cast any disparaging remarks about George, but the signs don't say he slept alone and them nights could get very cold.

Mudge the suspicious

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Land of the free because of the brave

hahaha - Mudge you are awesome!

Aquiring a B-29 - sigh - the holy grail. We'd love to get one but at the moment it is a bit beyond what we can do. I know there is one available at Borrego Springs - but $1.5M not in the cards at the moment.

Tom P.