On Thursday, August 16 Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. unveiled an Ohio Historical Marker at its 101 year old airship hangar in Suffield Township.
Moments before the Ohio Historical Marker is unveiled at the Visitor’s Entrance to Goodyear’s Wingfoot Lake Blimp Base.
Photo: © Cindy Slater
Front of the Ohio Historical Marker that explains the importance of the site in the history of military and commercial airships and balloons.
Photo: © Cindy Slater
The back of the Ohio Historical Marker where the history of the oldest airship base in the country is continued.
Photo: © Cindy Slater
During World Wars I and II the facility often referred to as “the Kitty Hawk of lighter-than-air flight” was used to build and test lighter-than-air craft for military use. The facility was also used to train the first class of Navy airship pilots. The site delivered its last military blimp to the Navy in 1960.
The Wingfoot Lake Hangar during construction which began in 1917 and was completed in 1918.
Photo: LTAS Collection
The Wingfoot Lake Hangar shortly after completion.
Photo: LTAS Collection
A “B” airship flies over the Wingfoot Hangar as a Kite Balloon is being brought out of the hangar.
Photo: LTAS Collection
Since 1925, the facility has been used to build, maintain and house Goodyear’s commercial blimps, the first of which was the Pilgrim. Over the last six years it has assembled the three new Blimp NT’s, Wingfoot One, Two and Three.
The maiden flight of the Pilgrim on June 3, 1925
Wingfoot Three, Goodyear’s newest airship under construction inside the Wingfoot Lake Hangar, April 2018.
Photo: © A. Bellon