Some pictures of the few remains of KNTK, MCAS Tustin, CA. At one time a medium-sized air station located about 5 miles north of John Wayne-Orange County airport, Tustin hosted Marine Air Groups 16 and 56, and specialized in west coast USMC medium (HMM) and heavy (HMH) lift helicopter operations, as well as light fixed-wing aircraft operations (VMO) with its 3000’ x 150’ Runway 6/24. Tustin was also known for developments and testing of air surveillance radar and Precision Approach Radar (PAR) technology for the USN/USMC.
Built in 1942 for USN airship operations, MCAS Tustin is best known for its two exceptionally large airship hangars. At 1072’ in length, 292’ in width and 192’ in height, these hangars built with frames made of Oregon Douglas fir, some of the largest wooden hangars in the world. Built in 1943, these two hangars are 2 of a total of 17 wooden airship hangars that were built for the US Navy at 11 Naval Air Station. Today, these 2 hangars are part of only 7 total surviving airship hangars from the original 17; the remaining 5 being located at the former Moffett Field Naval Air Station (NAS) CA, Lakehurst NAS in New Jersey, and the former Tillamook NAS in Oregon. The hangars at MCAS Tustin are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and are also listed as National Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks. These two hangars, some miscellaneous support structures, the air traffic control tower, and the crash/rescue fire station, are the only remaining structures left at the once sprawling air station. Unfortunately, decades of maintenance chemical disposal and Jet fuel/Avgas contamination into the ground has precluded development of these areas, but once remediated, all but the large hangars will ultimately disappear.
MCAS Tustin appeared during the second round of base closures in the 1991 Base Realignment And Closure (BRAC) commission list. MCAS Tustin closed permanently on 3 July 1999, the day after nearby MCAS El Toro closed permanently.
Two notable movies that were filmed at MCAS Tustin, were The Hindenburg (1975) and Pearl Harbor (2000).
Photo credits: current photos: MikeD
Built in 1942 for USN airship operations, MCAS Tustin is best known for its two exceptionally large airship hangars. At 1072’ in length, 292’ in width and 192’ in height, these hangars built with frames made of Oregon Douglas fir, some of the largest wooden hangars in the world. Built in 1943, these two hangars are 2 of a total of 17 wooden airship hangars that were built for the US Navy at 11 Naval Air Station. Today, these 2 hangars are part of only 7 total surviving airship hangars from the original 17; the remaining 5 being located at the former Moffett Field Naval Air Station (NAS) CA, Lakehurst NAS in New Jersey, and the former Tillamook NAS in Oregon. The hangars at MCAS Tustin are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and are also listed as National Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks. These two hangars, some miscellaneous support structures, the air traffic control tower, and the crash/rescue fire station, are the only remaining structures left at the once sprawling air station. Unfortunately, decades of maintenance chemical disposal and Jet fuel/Avgas contamination into the ground has precluded development of these areas, but once remediated, all but the large hangars will ultimately disappear.
MCAS Tustin appeared during the second round of base closures in the 1991 Base Realignment And Closure (BRAC) commission list. MCAS Tustin closed permanently on 3 July 1999, the day after nearby MCAS El Toro closed permanently.
Two notable movies that were filmed at MCAS Tustin, were The Hindenburg (1975) and Pearl Harbor (2000).
Photo credits: current photos: MikeD
