FLYING Magazine
Repairs at Oregon’s Hangar B, the home of the Tillamook Air Museum, are slated to begin this summer.
According to Christian Gurling, the museum’s curator, the work to remove the damaged section of the roof will begin in early August, pending final coordination with outside partners. The work is expected to take approximately 30 days to complete.
The hangar was damaged by a December windstorm. There is a 200-foot hole at the crown of the roof and a large section of roofing referred to as the flap is still tethered to the building.
The museum has been closed to the public since the storm as museum officials and officials from the Port of Tillamook had concerns about the structural integrity of the building. The wooden hangar is 192 feet high and 296 feet wide and spans 1,072 feet long.
“Safety remains the Port’s highest priority, and this project reflects the Port’s continued commitment to responsibly caring for Tillamook County’s most recognizable historic landmarks,” Gurling said in a social media post. “While this is only the first phase of work, it represents meaningful progress in improving safety and addressing the damage to the hangar. We appreciate the community’s patience and continued support as this work progresses. Additional updates will be shared as they become available.”
The size of the structure and its age make repairs costly and technically challenging. The hangar was built in 1942 to house Navy K-ships used in anti-submarine patrol along the coast during World War II. Repairs, which include site stabilization and asbestos abatement, must respect the historic integrity of the building.
Since the storm the Port of Tillamook and the non-profit Friends of Tillamook Air Museum (FOTAM) have been working together to find a way to pay for the repairs to the historic building. The cost of the repairs to Hangar B have been estimated between $2.5 million and $6.5 million.