1929 Curtiss-Wright Hangars - We Have TWO Functioning Here In the St. Louis Area

By Carmelo Turdo

1929 Curtiss-Wright hangars were once scattered about the U.S. at most major airports where Curtiss-Wright did business.  With time and aviation industry consolidation taking their toll on nearly all of these facilities, only a few remain in any condition.  We in the St. Louis area are very fortunate to have TWO of these magnificent historic landmarks not only still standing, but functional and occupied by viable entities at St. Louis Downtown Airport: Ozark Air Services in Hangar 1 and The Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum, EAA Chapter 64 and the Gateway Area Ultralight Association in Hangar 2.  Two other Curtiss-Wright hangars exist, one in South Carolina in very poor condition and another in "storage" in Oklahoma, planned for rebuilding at Wiley Post Airport at a later date.  Restorations of the South Carolina and Oklahoma hangars will cost millions of dollars.  Curtiss-Wright Hangars 1 and 2 are pictured below:

A C-47 low pass in front of Curtiss-Wright hangars 1, 2, and 3 in 1946 (Parks College archives)

Hangar 1 Curtiss-Wright Logo

Hangar 2 Curtiss-Wright Logo

Hangars 1 and 2 at St. Louis Downtown Airport, Cahokia, IL

Hangar 1 Now Used by Ozark Air Services

Hangar 2 Houses the Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum

Hangar 2 During EAA 64 Ford Trimotor Event (Mark Nankivil photo)

The two hangars in the St. Louis area are showing their age, and also need funds for repairs and modernization.  You can help preserve these registered historic buildings and a living aviation history by giving generously to the Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum building fund at: http://airandspacemuseum.org/ - Support Us tab.