Throughout its 80-year lifespan, significant efforts were undertaken to repair and strengthen Hangar 3’s timber trusses. Unfortunately, it was not possible to keep up with the damage progression advancing throughout the structure. Although a temporary internal shoring and hydraulic jacking system was put in place, the building remained unsafe for occupancy and vulnerable to further damage and collapse, especially from seismic or high wind load events. The purpose of the Hangar 3 Hazard Remediation Project was to resolve this dangerous condition and eliminate an unacceptable structural hazard, thereby protecting life and property.
The NASA Ames Research Center and Planetary Ventures, in consultation with the National Park Service, California State Historic Preservation Office, and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation have prepared this website and film to document the history and built features of Hangar 3, provide valuable information for future researchers, and celebrate its local and global impact.
As part of this project, Hangar 3 has been documented according to the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER). This includes a narrative summary of the history and significance of Hangar 3, a complete set of architectural drawings prepared by the National Park Service, and large-format photographs of the interior and exterior taken by Stephen D. Schafer of Schaf Photo. The architectural drawings and a selection of those engaging images are featured on this website; the full HAER package is housed at the Library of Congress.
Please click the numbers on the images below to explore exterior and interior views of Hangar 3.
The National Park Service completed a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) scan of Hangar 3 in order to produce the immersive 3D models included below, which provide virtual views of the immense structure and its parabolic-arched truss.
This Moffett Field Hangar 3: Built to Serve Those Who Soared website was developed by the NASA Ames Research Center and Planetary Ventures, in partnership with Historic Resources Group, CJA Creative Collaborations, and Happening Studio, to provide a dynamic and accessible presentation of the airfield’s evolution and its historic hangars.
The short film, Moffett Field: The Legacy of Hangar 3, which is included on the homepage of this website, was created by the NASA Ames Research Center and Planetary Ventures, in partnership with Historic Resources Group, CJA Creative Collaborations, and FILMBYSTEVO, in order to highlight personal reflections about Hangar 3’s profound influence and unique features.