k5083 wrote:
Here are two interesting items of old airport architecture from my trip to Michigan, one mysterious and the other sad.
At Willow Run, over near gate E39, was this fascinating structure.
Although everyone agrees that Willow Run built in 1942, this has a prewar look to it. Presumably one of the original buildings, it is in the southwest corner of the field far away from the old bomber plant and terminal, and nobody could tell me what it was built for. Anyway, it's a handsome deco airport building and it is good to see it still in use.
That building is officially known as the "Packard Hangar." Active Aero still makes use of the facility. Not sure why specifically it is referred to as the Packard Hangar, though I'd have to assume Packard had some business interest at the field either during or after the war? Interestingly, I found this bit from a 1993 edition of "The Record" (A University of Michigan newsletter):
Quote:
...The University acquired the hangar in 1961 from the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare as surplus real property.
“For many years the Packard Hangar housed the U-M Willow Run Research Labs and subsequently was used until 1984 by the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan, an offshoot of the Willow Run Labs,” Womack said. In 1985 the University leased the hangar to Ace Aircraft Services. Ace vacated the hangar last November due to economic constraints.
“Since the early 1980s, the University has negotiated with Wayne County officials to sell the Packard Hangar to the county. The hangar is situated on the Willow Run Airport and since Wayne County owns the airport, the county is the logical purchaser,” Womack noted.
After the war the University took over the "base" as a whole, though it appears some of the assets were spread out to various agencies. The airfield was sold to the airport authority in the 1980's, but some of the assets of the old base that were on the west side of Beck Rd. weren't included for whatever reason. Everything east of Beck rd. stayed with the University. Some of the other items I found while looking up information on the building indicated that this building became a point of contention between the University and the county, as its sale wasn't included in the original deal for the airport.
_________________
Phil K.
Yankee Air MuseumSystems Admin / Ramp Crew / Professional Photo Ruiner
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There never 'officially' was a T-6J. (just ask Doug MacPhail 
)
