Historical and Architectural Overview of Aircraft Hangars of the Reserves and National Guard Installations from World War I to the Cold War - Aviation ... Guard, Hangar Design and Construction

This is a print replica reproduction of Historical and Architectural Overview of Aircraft Hangars of the Reserves and National Guard Installations from World War I through the Cold War. The history of the U.S. armed forces in the twentieth century is inexorably linked with the development of aviation. Aircraft have had a place in military missions and force development since the Wright brothers demonstrated their invention to Army officials at Fort Myer, Virginia, in 1909. Over the next century, military aviation grew from a fledgling experiment to a multifaceted, technologically advanced program of unquestioned importance. This trend is well represented in the evolution of hangar design. Early hangars were simple, small, and impermanent, while hangars in the latter decades of the century were comparatively massive and designed to serve the complex needs of modern aircraft and military missions. Indeed, aviation has become an important component of all services of the U.S. military. Moreover, aviators serve in the Active, Guard, and Reserve components of the Army, Air Force, Marines, and Navy. Aircraft hangars are a monumental reflection of this history. The architectural history of military hangars and airfields has been thoroughly documented for the active branches of the military. This Department of Defense Legacy Program report comprises a historic context that explores the history of aviation and hangar development in the Reserves and National Guard. This historic context provides a framework and apparatus that the National Guard and Reserves can utilize in the National Register of Historic Places eligibility process. In many ways the histories of the Active, Guard, and Reserve components of the U.S. military are intertwined. Therefore, this document is intended to complement previously developed historic contexts for military aviation and hangar construction.

The National Guard’s interest in aviation can be traced to the New York National Guard’s 1st Signal Company’s experiments with balloons in 1908. In 1915, the New York National Guard, under the leadership of Raynal C. Bolling, created the 1st Aero Company, and in 1916 created a second aviation company (2nd Aero Company) in Buffalo, New York. In June 1916, the New York 1st Aero Company was mustered into federal military service for anticipated duty on the Mexican border, with Captain Bolling as commander. After weeks of training under Signal Corps officers, however, the company was mustered out of military service without having been deployed. Although the New York 1st Aero Company did not see military service on the Mexican border, the Signal Corps’ 1st Aero Squadron did. As part of General John J. Pershing’s expedition, the squadron performed observation and reconnaissance missions, proving their value to ground commanders by providing timely information regarding troop movement. The squadron’s use of experimental equipment, combined with their reconnaissance missions, paved the way for new technological advances and provided the United States with experienced aviators, which would be needed as the U.S. entered World War I.

Throughout the early 1980s, debates within the Army raged regarding the establishment of a separate Army aviation branch. The winning argument was that as aviation technology became increasingly more sophisticated, it required ever more complicated logistical support, which would be better served via a separate military branch. The Army Aviation Branch was created in 1983. The rest of the 1980s saw the development of various Army aviation training programs. At the same time, financial resources to support the armed forces was beginning to wane and the Army Aviation Modernization Plan included reducing the number of helicopters and pilots by maintaining mission effectiveness through new and/or modified aircraft.