The Sunday Picture Show (April 26, 2026)

Thanks for another Sunday Picture Show Roger and thanks to all who post photos and comment.
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I'm enjoying this thread! My father was a Naval Aviator (Airship), i.e., a lighter than air pilot. He was stationed at Moffett, Glynco and Lakehurst.
He once told me about how some of his training involved free ballooning -- piloting an untethered helium balloon -- and said that the pilot was equipped with two instruments: a compass and a roll of toilet paper. After I stopped laughing he explained the function of the toilet paper. The pilot would tear off a sheet and throw it out of the basket. If the toilet paper went UP, that meant the balloon was descending. If it went DOWN then the balloon was ascending.
Probably the least expensive aircraft instrument ever devised!
 
I far prefer the thin steel Buck 121 Fisherman to the Lakemate series, having both I stick to using the two-line 121.

The information below taken from Wikipedia reference the blimp hangers south of Elizabeth City NC. The wooden hanger burned 30 years ago, but the steel hanger survives. I rode out years ago to see them, when the wooden hanger was still standing.
The surviving steel hangar in 2025

The Weeksville Dirigible Hangar (former Naval Air Station Weeksville) is an airship manufacturing, storage and test facility originally built by the US Navy in 1941 for servicing airships conducting anti-submarine patrols of the US coast and harbors. It is located on the former Naval Air Station Weeksville in Elizabrth City North Carolina, approximately 2 miles southeast of the present day Coast Guard Air Station, Elizabeth City.
 
Old Hunter said:
I far prefer the thin steel Buck 121 Fisherman to the Lakemate series, having both I stick to using the two-line 121.

The information below taken from Wikipedia reference the blimp hangers south of Elizabeth City NC. The wooden hanger burned 30 years ago, but the steel hanger survives. I rode out years ago to see them, when the wooden hanger was still standing.
The surviving steel hangar in 2025

The Weeksville Dirigible Hangar (former Naval Air Station Weeksville) is an airship manufacturing, storage and test facility originally built by the US Navy in 1941 for servicing airships conducting anti-submarine patrols of the US coast and harbors. It is located on the former Naval Air Station Weeksville in Elizabrth City North Carolina, approximately 2 miles southeast of the present day Coast Guard Air Station, Elizabeth City.
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Here are a couple pics of one of the wooden hangars at MCAS Tustin. Formerly NAS Santa Ana. Both MCAS El Toro, and MCAS, Tustin are shut down now. The helicopters parked inside the hanger in the second pic are CH-47s and CH-53s. So this place is BIG!
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Ironbut said:
Here are a couple pics of one of the wooden hangars at MCAS Tustin. Formerly NAS Santa Ana. Both MCAS El Toro, and MCAS, Tustin are shut down now. The helicopters parked inside the hanger in the second pic are CH-47s and CH-53s. So this place is BIG!
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One night (long ago!) my father took me to the base to watch the hanger doors close (don't recall if it was at Glynco or Lakehurst). I think it took 30 minutes to close those huge doors!
 
Ace Rimmer said:
One night (long ago!) my father took me to the base to watch the hanger doors close (don't recall if it was at Glynco or Lakehurst). I think it took 30 minutes to close those huge doors!
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I've helped construct some airplane hangers.
The biggest was a twin bay 747 hanger at DTW. You could fit 2 747's and a 737 all inside and close the doors.
I'm guessing that blimp hanger is quite a bit bigger.
 
DeSotoSky said:
The right sentiment but probably not for the reason you think. I have an undergraduate degree in Nuclear Medicine Technology. The source of the Helium does not make Helium radioactive. By very definition as an insert Nobel gas it is the farthest thing from. It is not radiation that will kill you sucking Helium, it is the lack of oxygen to your brain. Helium is a highly efficient displacer of oxygen in your system, replacing the oxygen in your lungs and bloodstream. Sucking Helium from a balloon IMO is as dangerous to your health as many "hold my beer" scenarios. I was watching Steven Colbert suck helium from a balloon during his monologue recently. It is depicted so casually in the media. Inhaling helium is dangerous and can be fatal. (sorry I'll go find a knife picture to post)

I started with a 1986 theme. 1986 is the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty 1886-1986.
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No disrespect intended but thank you Roger. From your quote, Nuclear Medicine Technology. Wow! That's quite impressive!
How about, hold my helium?!?
 
GPyro said:
I've helped construct some airplane hangers.
The biggest was a twin bay 747 hanger at DTW. You could fit 2 747's and a 737 all inside and close the doors.
I'm guessing that blimp hanger is quite a bit bigger.
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I was stationed at MCAS El Toro, which was only a few miles from MCAS Tustin, but I never actually went on the base. You could see those two hangers from the road though, and they were HUGE. We had hangars that housed several F-4 Phantoms for maintenance, with plenty of room left over but, they were nothing compared to the blimp hangars. What's amazing is that they were made of wood. I live in Amish country, and have seen plenty of barns being built, but these things were on a completely different level.
If you're interested there's lots of info, and pictures, if you "google" NAS Santa Ana, or MCAS Tustin.
Here's a pic of the Goodyear blimp parked in one of them:
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Ironbut said:
I was stationed at MCAS El Toro, which was only a few miles from MCAS Tustin, but I never actually went on the base. You could see those two hangers from the road though, and they were HUGE. We had hangars that housed several F-4 Phantoms for maintenance, with plenty of room left over but, they were nothing compared to the blimp hangars. What's amazing is that they were made of wood. I live in Amish country, and have seen plenty of barns being built, but these things were on a completely different level.
If you're interested there's lots of info, and pictures, if you "google" NAS Santa Ana, or MCAS Tustin.
Here's a pic of the Goodyear blimp parked in one of them:
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Click to expand...
Yeah those are big.
I've done 17 story plus buildings, and to think of their square footage with that height is impressive. All built in a year. The scaffold built during construction is a feat in itself.
Their worth preserving.

It's sorta like the old Packard Plant in Detroit. Worth preserving, but no-one had the ability to do it.
 
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