WWII L.T.A. Facility

At this site, on 15 September 1942, the United States Navy established a 2,000 acre (810 hectare) lighter-than-air facility. The Navy constructed 3 huge hangers, each 17 stories (175 feet/54 meters) high, 297 feet (110.5 meters) wide, and 1,088 feet (404.8 meters) in length. Among the largest wooden structures in the world, each covered about 7 acres (2.8 hectares). This base was home to Fleet Airship Wing 2 and Airship Patrol Squadron ZP-21, consisting of 25 "K" class blimps. Airships from NAS Richmond searched for German submarines over the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. Other station activities included training homing pigeons, helium equipment operators, and night torpedo bomber crews. Exactly 3 years to the date of the commissioning of NAS Richmond, a severe hurricane and resulting fire destroyed all 3 hangers containing 368 military and civilian aircraft, 100 automobiles and 25 airships. Winds of 170 mph/272 kmh to 196 mph/309 kmh were recorded at nearby Homestead Air Base. The facility was never rebuilt. In this area of the base you can see the remaining concrete supports for the 51 wooden truss arches of hanger number 1 and the sole remaining massive main door support.

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