Military Aircraft at Tulsa Municipal 1950's
Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:03 am
As promised...
And my favorite of the bunch:
And my favorite of the bunch:
Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:56 pm
Great!
Now that you've got us hooked you gotta keep'em coming!
Now that you've got us hooked you gotta keep'em coming!
Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:01 am
Kevin,
I've been studying these great pictures and have figured out the location where most were taken. My question is: Where was the Sinclair hangar situated on the field? I'm guessing it's one of the Tulsair hangars over on Sheridan, but I'm stumped a little.
The photo of the C-133 shows a little of the Douglas-Tulsa plant, a few B-47s, and a couple of the little quonset hangars, many of which are still there. We parked some 757s on those same spots a few years ago. The quonset hangars are just large enough to fit a B-24 to just aft of the wing, and each has cut-outs in the doors to accomodate the fuselage.
Scott
I've been studying these great pictures and have figured out the location where most were taken. My question is: Where was the Sinclair hangar situated on the field? I'm guessing it's one of the Tulsair hangars over on Sheridan, but I'm stumped a little.
The photo of the C-133 shows a little of the Douglas-Tulsa plant, a few B-47s, and a couple of the little quonset hangars, many of which are still there. We parked some 757s on those same spots a few years ago. The quonset hangars are just large enough to fit a B-24 to just aft of the wing, and each has cut-outs in the doors to accomodate the fuselage.
Scott
Sat Mar 29, 2008 2:55 pm
Hey Scott,
I'm pretty sure that the "Sinclair" marked hangar is now the Williams hangar, minus the Sinclair signs. It's the one closest to the GA runway, but is not too visible from Sheridan. It is kinda almost behind the OMNI hangars, near the Bizjet hangars. I may try to take a photo from the museum looking towards it if I remember on Monday, to post here.
Cool pics, though, aren't they? Thought the ANG pics were an unexpected little bonus. Thought that the C-133 photo was pretty neat as well, showing the Douglas plant when it was painted that dark color.
kevin
I'm pretty sure that the "Sinclair" marked hangar is now the Williams hangar, minus the Sinclair signs. It's the one closest to the GA runway, but is not too visible from Sheridan. It is kinda almost behind the OMNI hangars, near the Bizjet hangars. I may try to take a photo from the museum looking towards it if I remember on Monday, to post here.
Cool pics, though, aren't they? Thought the ANG pics were an unexpected little bonus. Thought that the C-133 photo was pretty neat as well, showing the Douglas plant when it was painted that dark color.
kevin
Sat Mar 29, 2008 3:40 pm
Kevin,
I pulled the old ANG ramp up on Terraserver and you're right, that does look like the correct hangar. I'd never seen it from that angle without all the newer stuff around it.
It just dawned on me that I used to borrow stuff from the mechanics in that hangar when I took care of our little flight school's fleet. Things have certainly changed!
Scott
I pulled the old ANG ramp up on Terraserver and you're right, that does look like the correct hangar. I'd never seen it from that angle without all the newer stuff around it.
It just dawned on me that I used to borrow stuff from the mechanics in that hangar when I took care of our little flight school's fleet. Things have certainly changed!
Scott
Sat Apr 12, 2008 9:23 pm
These are two of the hangars that I described in the photo of the C-133 tulsaboy posted above. Notice the cutout in the doors that is the perfect shape for a B-24 fuselage. There are still eleven of these half-hangars standing to the west of the Douglas/AAF Plant #3.
Scott
Scott
Sun Apr 13, 2008 6:12 am
Neat stuff! more, more, please! 
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing.
Sun Apr 13, 2008 11:16 am
David,
I'll see what I can do. The Douglas plant is a stone's throw from where we shot this photo, it has never occurred to me to make a photographic record of the place. The WWII Spartan complex is slated to be torn down, I think I'll drive in and take pictures of that today as well. It's weird to have weekends with nothing to do!
Scott
I'll see what I can do. The Douglas plant is a stone's throw from where we shot this photo, it has never occurred to me to make a photographic record of the place. The WWII Spartan complex is slated to be torn down, I think I'll drive in and take pictures of that today as well. It's weird to have weekends with nothing to do!
Scott
Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:07 pm
Second Air Force wrote:These are two of the hangars that I described in the photo of the C-133 tulsaboy posted above. Notice the cutout in the doors that is the perfect shape for a B-24 fuselage. There are still eleven of these half-hangars standing to the west of the Douglas/AAF Plant #3.
Scott
Those cutouts are too big and tall for a B-24. My guess would be they were for the C-124. A B-24 would fit completely in those hangers while a 124 would have it's aft fuselage poking out.
Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:44 pm
Jack,
I drove out to the airport today and measured the little hangars in question. I couldn't get inside the security fence with the tape measure, but the rough dimensions are as follows: The hangars are approximately 120 feet wide, with about 115 or so hangar door clearance. The widest part (where the wings would be) is between 50 and 55 feet deep, and the nose portion is approximately 20 feet deep. I laid out the dimensions and was able to just squeeze a B-24 inside if it was fully to the front of the hangar, but this would put the propellers against the forward wall. There would be no room to pull a propeller or engine. By backing the airplane up far enough to work engines, the fuselage cutouts would work perfectly. The cutouts are definitely the right shape and height for a Liberator, but until I get inside the fence or tulsaboy confirms my theory, it's not absolutely confirmed.
Here is one more photo of the hangar, there were originally many of these located around the west side of the factory.
When the Wix gets back to working normally I'll post some more photos.
Scott
I drove out to the airport today and measured the little hangars in question. I couldn't get inside the security fence with the tape measure, but the rough dimensions are as follows: The hangars are approximately 120 feet wide, with about 115 or so hangar door clearance. The widest part (where the wings would be) is between 50 and 55 feet deep, and the nose portion is approximately 20 feet deep. I laid out the dimensions and was able to just squeeze a B-24 inside if it was fully to the front of the hangar, but this would put the propellers against the forward wall. There would be no room to pull a propeller or engine. By backing the airplane up far enough to work engines, the fuselage cutouts would work perfectly. The cutouts are definitely the right shape and height for a Liberator, but until I get inside the fence or tulsaboy confirms my theory, it's not absolutely confirmed.
Here is one more photo of the hangar, there were originally many of these located around the west side of the factory.
When the Wix gets back to working normally I'll post some more photos.
Scott
Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:33 am
Scott, I think I have some photos that might answer the question... lemme check and I'll get back to you...
kevin
kevin
Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:08 am
There were a LOT of these little half-hangars around the Douglas-Tulsa plant. This is a 1995 aerial.
There are twenty-one of the hangars, with only one having been modified to enlarge it. (Fourth from the bottom in this shot.) Since this was taken, ten of the hangars have been removed. The four on the bottom of the photo and the six along the west wall of the plant are no longer there.
Tulsa was a Modification Center in addition to having the Douglas plant, and the majority of the YB-40 escort B-17 variants were modified in this hangar complex:
I have worked in all four of these hangars at one time or another. Even though three of them have been greatly modified since WWII, there are still subtle hints of their origin.
I have seen some aerial shots of these four hangars with B-24s parked all around, awaiting their turn through the mod lines.
Scott
There are twenty-one of the hangars, with only one having been modified to enlarge it. (Fourth from the bottom in this shot.) Since this was taken, ten of the hangars have been removed. The four on the bottom of the photo and the six along the west wall of the plant are no longer there.
Tulsa was a Modification Center in addition to having the Douglas plant, and the majority of the YB-40 escort B-17 variants were modified in this hangar complex:
I have worked in all four of these hangars at one time or another. Even though three of them have been greatly modified since WWII, there are still subtle hints of their origin.
I have seen some aerial shots of these four hangars with B-24s parked all around, awaiting their turn through the mod lines.
Scott
Mon Apr 14, 2008 12:39 pm
OK, Scott... It's theory-killin' time. Sorry to be the one to do it, but I think I have the smoking gun. Bear with me, but the following series of aerial photos should eliminate the B-24 theory from contention.
This aerial photo is from February 17, 1950. Post-war, but before the plant was reactivated by Douglas for the B-47 and B-66 programs. As you can see, no little hangars.
The next photo is after reactivation of the plant, but still no little hangars. I'm going to guess 1952 on this aerial.
This aerial photo was taken after the new terminal was constructed, but before the old art deco one was torn down. By necessity, that makes it between 1961 and 1969. I'm guessing 1962 or so, by the look of the aircraft in the photo? And voila! Little hangars. So they had to come sometime between 1952 and 1962 or so. I am guessing they were part of the B-47 program (at least, that's what I've been told). Would that cutout work well for the B-47?
Just for grins, here's an aerial from the 1970's or 1980's of the whole plant, when it was being shared by Boeing and Rockwell. Little hangars in all their glory.
And now, just to show off...
Since Second Air Force is always mouthing off about what a cool old place he works in, I figured why not show everybody where he's working... but to do it in those nice, high-quality, Jack Cook- type photos that everyone here knows and loves...
This is the Douglas Mod Facility, the next three shots taken in 1946- after being closed post-war, but before American Airlines took over part of the facility.
And these are a couple of "just for fun" shots of American's base.
The "big hangar" under construction- gotta love those AstroJets!
And why not one taken from the east, looking west (from Mingo, for those of you who know Tulsa.) And Scott, check out that signature. Woo-hoo!
This aerial photo is from February 17, 1950. Post-war, but before the plant was reactivated by Douglas for the B-47 and B-66 programs. As you can see, no little hangars.
The next photo is after reactivation of the plant, but still no little hangars. I'm going to guess 1952 on this aerial.
This aerial photo was taken after the new terminal was constructed, but before the old art deco one was torn down. By necessity, that makes it between 1961 and 1969. I'm guessing 1962 or so, by the look of the aircraft in the photo? And voila! Little hangars. So they had to come sometime between 1952 and 1962 or so. I am guessing they were part of the B-47 program (at least, that's what I've been told). Would that cutout work well for the B-47?
Just for grins, here's an aerial from the 1970's or 1980's of the whole plant, when it was being shared by Boeing and Rockwell. Little hangars in all their glory.
And now, just to show off...
Since Second Air Force is always mouthing off about what a cool old place he works in, I figured why not show everybody where he's working... but to do it in those nice, high-quality, Jack Cook- type photos that everyone here knows and loves...
This is the Douglas Mod Facility, the next three shots taken in 1946- after being closed post-war, but before American Airlines took over part of the facility.
And these are a couple of "just for fun" shots of American's base.
The "big hangar" under construction- gotta love those AstroJets!
And why not one taken from the east, looking west (from Mingo, for those of you who know Tulsa.) And Scott, check out that signature. Woo-hoo!
Mon Apr 14, 2008 1:06 pm
tulsaboy,
Thanks for confirming the birth-date of those little fellows. Since the fuselage openings are oval, I assumed they had been designed for the B-24. They may be oval in order to accomodate jacking or repositioning of the B-47 while inside. Douglas-Tulsa not only built a number of B-47s, but was also heavily involved in the "milk bottle pin" modification and many other programs. A fellow that used to work with me told of the extreme urgency of this mod, and how many hours everyone put in to get it done. I wonder if these hangars were built at the onset of that program?
Those are indeed cool photos of the Hangar 1 thru 4 complex. Things have certainly changed around there! The photo of Hangar 5 under construction is interesting. In the winter, that is one of the worlds largest iceboxes. Those Electras are probably in short-term storage awaiting disposal, given the timeframe.
Oh, as far as my "love" for that place, it only extends to the WWII history of those four hangars.
Thanks for the info, Kevin!
Scott
Thanks for confirming the birth-date of those little fellows. Since the fuselage openings are oval, I assumed they had been designed for the B-24. They may be oval in order to accomodate jacking or repositioning of the B-47 while inside. Douglas-Tulsa not only built a number of B-47s, but was also heavily involved in the "milk bottle pin" modification and many other programs. A fellow that used to work with me told of the extreme urgency of this mod, and how many hours everyone put in to get it done. I wonder if these hangars were built at the onset of that program?
Those are indeed cool photos of the Hangar 1 thru 4 complex. Things have certainly changed around there! The photo of Hangar 5 under construction is interesting. In the winter, that is one of the worlds largest iceboxes. Those Electras are probably in short-term storage awaiting disposal, given the timeframe.
Oh, as far as my "love" for that place, it only extends to the WWII history of those four hangars.
Thanks for the info, Kevin!
Scott
Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:29 pm
Very similar half hangars, now modified somewhat, still remain at Boeing Wichita from the B-47 program.
Tom-
Tom-