YAF Hangar memories

[AIRIC]

I could not help but post some random images of the YAF hangar that was lost to fire this weekend. A lot of us have some great memories of the building.

Eric









You can find a few more images at http://www.airic.ca/html/yaf_hangar.html
I'm interested in seeing other photos that have been taken over the years.

[Paul Draper]

Thanks Eric. To see the site where the museum once sat, vacant...it's pretty emotional. We all have a lot of memories of that building, and I can't believe it is gone. Thanks to some quick acting members the B-17, B-25, and C-47 were saved, but thousands of artifacts were lost...a lot of them I'd consider irreplaceable. And Thank God, no one was hurt.

I first saw that the museum was on fire from the air as I was flying back from an afternoon in Indiana. I was in awe and disbelief as I watched from the sky as I was transitioning through Willow Run's airspace.


Thanks for the memories.

Last edited by Paul Draper on Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[AIRIC]

Paul, It must have been hard to focus on flying with a distraction like that. I remember visiting the CWH the day after their fire and it was very emotional.

Eric

[TimAPNY]

I was only at the museum once but I like the look and feel of the "old Wooden" type hangers. They make some great backdrops, Thanks AIRIC for the shots. I Have on to share that I can think of. I'll post tonight.

[Mike Schneider]

[TimAPNY]

Here are a few pictures I have. Also included are shots of the C-60, YOV-10, F-105.

http://community.webshots.com/album/170499503CRnhCR/1

It's so uplifting to see how many people care about us! I'm sifting through my 15+ years of photos to make copies for what I'm sure will be a future display of memories of the original hangar. Eric, thanks for posting some beautiful photos of our past events!
Linda Terentiak - Yankee Air Museum

[AirJimL2]

How about a shot from the other side. Sorry there is a Sea Fury in the way.

Best wishes to the Yankee guys and gals...can't wait to see the new Museum!

Jim

[Steve T]

Jim (et al)--

"A Sea Fury in the way" is a contradiction in terms, silly...

Living in Hamilton ON and having seen the local museum bounce so impressively back from a titanic kick in the head a decade ago...I have no doubt whatsoever that YAF will do so too. It gave just as much of a lift to read of the 17, 47 and 25 being bravely rescued, as it did 11 years ago to see the Lanc sitting complete and undamaged outside the devastated Hgr#3. You just knew, looking at that image, that the museum would recover. Same is true now of YAF.

Cheers

S.

[Mike Schneider]

http://www.yankeeairmuseum.org/after1.html

[AIRIC]

I can't beleive the trees are still standing that were right next to the hangar. It is so un-real.

Eric

[mrhenniger]

I can't beleive the trees are still standing that were right next to the hangar. It is so un-real.

Next year will tell. It might we worth the YAF's efforts to consult an arborist.

Mike

[mjanovec]

What was in the large building next to the main hanger that also burned down? I was surprised to see that building destroyed as well, but I guess it's not too surprising if both buildings were made of wood.

Mark

[Paul Draper]

:cry: I can't beleive the trees are still standing that were right next to the hangar. It is so un-real.

Eric

The wind that night was out of the west north west at about 12 kts at YIP. So the wind blew the fire away from the trees.

The building to the east of the YAM hangar housed the heavy maintence equipment for Willow Run airport. I think almost every piece of equipment was lost. Some of the equipment was to be used for snow removal for the runways/taxiways/ramps, for this winter...it was the same vintage/wood construction as the YAM Hangar.

[mjanovec]

Has there been any mention of what else the YAF lost in the fire, besides some of the static restorations and the museum artifacts (major losses in themselves, of course). Am I wrong in assuming that whatever spare parts there were for the airworthy planes (engines, tires, etc.) were also consumed by the fire?

Hopefully, the loss of hanger/spares won't result in the airworthy planes being grounded in the future. And hopefully the airworthy planes will find a place to hanger over the long Michigan winter.

The YAF hanger really was a historic building. I can't imagine it not being there, as my memories of the 2003 airshow are tied to that building. During the symposium, I couldn't help but occaisonally turn my head upwards and marvel at the construction of that building. The place reeked of history.