Douglas Long Beach finally dead?

[bdk]

http://www.lbreport.com/news/oct12/doug717.htm

Looks like the bulk of the original WW2 vintage Douglas Aircraft plant has been sold to a developer.

A couple of more modern office buildings remain, but the last old hangar most recently used as a test lab, is being torn down now.

[The Inspector]

Know how ya feel, felt the same watching Boeings Plant 2 come down- like watching the U.S. S. Constitution being cut up for firewood-see if you can grab a tiny piece of history. I've got a bottlecap sized round piece of concrete that used to be part of the King Dome.

[bdk]

The plant used to be such a beehive of activity with 3 airframes being built simultaneously and over 25,000 employees. Probably less than 5,000 now, much of that engineering.

[Flying Pencil]

Worked there for 3.5 years.

If this is the DC-10/MD-11 hangar, that is where I trained and my first exposure to big boys.
Cooooool.

I was happy to get to C-17 line instead. I hope they make a few dozen more. C-17 we need more of, MUCH more.
Yes, biased!

On the flip side, seems to be another example of the slow death of Aviation in the USA.

[bdk]

No, these were some of the test hangars. The ones on the east side of Lakewood Blvd. are still there. For how long I'm not sure. I thought the "Fly DC Jets" sign was listed as a landmark, so maybe they will stay for a while?

[The Inspector]

No, these were some of the test hangars. The ones on the east side of Lakewood Blvd. are still there. For how long I'm not sure. I thought the "Fly DC Jets" sign was listed as a landmark, so maybe they will stay for a while?

Any luck in tracking down the big Globe?

[bdk]

There is a copy, but not the original on display in a roundabout near by.

[TD McCoy]

Spending nearly Nine years as a Co-pilot on DC6/7 products-mainly DC7 in
Airtanker Ops I have soft spot for any Douglas product..
Sad to see.