Akron, Ohio -
Goodyear Blimp Hangar

We were visiting Akron and decided to try to find the hangar where the blimps were actually made years ago - I remember being taken there as a kid and standing inside. A memory I will never forget! I took pictures from the road last September. [Carol Stickel, 01/28/2009]

When I was stationed in Akron as a US Air Force recruiter, I got to know a gentleman who worked at Loral Aerospace (now Lockheed Martin) and he was kind enough to take me into the airdock on several occasions. The southern end of the airdock has been closed off for decades by a large building (Goodyear built a handful of Corsair fighters in that building towards the end of WWII). The airdock itself is of course closed to the public; it is now used as a huge storage space. Unknown to most though, is that on the east side of the airdock is the original Goodyear 1910 airdock, which is perhaps 1/100th the size of the later one.

One last note: for some years in the late '80s and early '90s, the full-sized shuttlecraft prop from the original Star Trek series was stored there while it was restored. [Mike Kozlowski, 02/16/2007]

A huge structure .... Just imagine how big the blimps used to be that were built inside. As large as a Floating City! In the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest building without interior supports, the Goodyear Airdock -- where Goodyear once built blimps --- is 22 stories high and could accommodate four Super Bowl Games at once! Because of the unique design and construction, height and atmosphere actually produce rain and clouds inside the building! [Michael Schario, 06/16/2002]

[RA: June 2004 Update - Melissa points out that "Goodyear no longer owns the airdock. It was sold years ago to Lockheed Martin. The airdock is not open to the public (a shame, really, as they could make a lot of money on tours!)."]

Worlds largest structure without interior support. Under right conditions it rains inside. Home of ill-fated Akron and Macon airships. [Ted Snyder, 09/23/2000]

[RA: Nov. 2004 - Tom Solinski writes: "In a recently published biograpy of Karl Arnstien -- the man behind the design of the Airships Akron and Macon and the Air Dock created to build and house them -- Karl points out that under the right conditions it got very humid, to the point of misting, but never raining in the Dock. A rumor that has been out of proportion since 1929."]