Current and historic aerial views of Moffett Field Current photo from National Register collection, historic photo courtesy of NASA Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, CA

As the United States became concerned about the security of its lengthy coastlines, dirigibles (rigid, powered blimps) became an essential component of the Navy Department starting in the 1920s. Blimps were more effective than balloons: occupants were able to observe large areas of land and sea for longer periods; the craft were more maneuverable; and ascent and descent could be more dependently controlled. More commonly known as Moffett Field, the U.S. Naval Air Station Sunnyvale, California, Historic District consists of a large number of buildings that were constructed from the 1930s on. By far the most famous and visible of these are Hangars Number One, Two and Three, which dwarf the surrounding buildings, standing as testament to the engineering skills of their builders.

Hangar One Photo by Judith Silva, courtesy of the City of Santa Clara

One of the most recognizable landmarks in the San Francisco Bay Area, Hangar Number One was constructed in 1933 to house the Navy dirigible USS Macon. During the brief period that the USS Macon was based at Moffett from October 1933 until it was lost at sea in February 1935, Hangar Number One not only accommodated the giant airship but several smaller non-rigid LTA craft simultaneously. The hangar is 1,133 feet long and 308 feet wide, constructed on an amazing network of steel girders sheathed with galvanized steel, and the floor covers eight acres and can accommodate 10 football fields. Unique and spectacular are the "orange peel" doors, weighing 500 tons each. The style of the other buildings on the base is largely Spanish Colonial Revival, mostly built in the 1930s, with some International style buildings constructed in the 1940s and later. After the Macon crashed in 1935, the base was turned over to the Army Air Corps for use as a training center.

Historic interior view of Hangar One Photo courtesy of NASA Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, CA

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Navy regained control of the station as the West Coast headquarters for coastal patrol blimps. Throughout the war, Navy blimps could be seen hovering over the Golden Gate patrolling for submarines and mines. In 1943, Hangar Number Two and Hangar Number Three were constructed to keep pace with the Navy's increasing demand for space. Once again, however, the Lighter-Than-Air program at Moffett Field would be fleeting. A shift to Heavier-Than-Air technology in 1942 marked the beginning of the end, with the blimp program completely phased out by 1946.

Decommissioned in 1994 and transferred to NASA, Moffett Field is now part of the NASA Ames Research Center. Plans are underway to integrate Moffett Field and the adjoining Ames Research Center campus into a shared-use research, development and educational resource in collaboration with government, industry and academia. Even today, Hangar One dominates the landscape, towering over an impressive array of 1930s-era Spanish Colonial Revival military buildings. The hangar was closed to the public in 2003 after the discovery of toxic contaminants. At the Moffett Field Museum, visitors can explore rooms of memorabilia, artifacts and models from its days as the hub of West Coast blimp training and operations.

Historic views of Hangar One and the USS Macon Historic photo courtesy of NASA Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, CA; historic postcard courtesy of Stanley A. Piltz, San Francisco, CA

Naval Air Station Sunnyvale is located near Mountain View and Sunnyvale, 35 miles south of San Francisco. From Hwy. 101 use the Moffett Field exit. The Moffett Field Museum has been located in Hangar One for several years, but is currently closed due to potential toxic chemicals in the hangar. For further information, visit the museum's website or call 650-603-9827.