Historic Hangar at LAX Restored, Rededicated
The star of the 1927 film “Wings” on Thursday helped rededicate a refurbished 1929 hangar that is the last original structure at Los Angeles International Airport. The hangar, listed by the city as a historic cultural monument, sheltered aircraft owned by such stars as Jimmy Stewart and Buddy Rogers in the 1930s.
Rogers, 86, was on hand “to lend historic perspective to the day,” said Tom Winfrey, spokesman for the city’s airport department. Rogers’ wife of 40 years, Mary Pickford, dedicated the original hangar.
The hangar has been restored to its original condition by using original drawings kept by the Los Angeles Department of Airports. Large for its day and capable of housing 18 aircraft of that era, Hangar No. 1 could not house even a moderate-sized jet of today.
The Department of Airports leased the site and adjacent property to a development company, which will reuse it as part of a three-warehouse air cargo facility.
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