Hangars

[Fred C]

I had heard that H96 was such because it was the 96th hangar built in Australia. Cannot confirm or deny that though. It makes more sense to me though because the latest hangar built was H416, and I don't think that many buildings have been erected at SYD airport since H271 was built.

Just my 2 cents.

[Nigel C]

I used to work in Bld 471, and that was the original project office for the third runway construction way back in the 90's. It still stands and is still in use for the RESA project.

Phillip, there have been many buildings built and knocked down over the years. I wouldn't try guessing how many there are.

Brenden, are you trying to tell me that the now removed Hangar 1 (old Eastern Airlines maintenance hangar) was the first one built?

[Philip Argy]

It's certainly an interesting question - where would we find the definitive answer? Shep would have known but who inherited his knowledge?

[Lee G]

Are you sure Brendon ... Hanger 271 wasn't built after Hanger 96

[Nigel C]

Lee, if you look at old photos (c1965) the rear structure of the current Hangar 96 is quite visible, whereas H245 and H271 weren't built at that stage. According to some of the older guys I work with, the new, very tall entrance was only put there in the mid-late 80's.
I don't know whether it was called H96 back then.

[Lee G]

Brendon, I stand corrected by the sage - Nigel, you must access some really old archive material ...

[Nigel C]

Sage haha

The foyer of my office has photos adorning it from the 1920's through to the 90's. I just had a squiz at those to compare what's there now and what was there then.
There's also a 1:400 scale model of the international terminal from ~1970 to mark the official opening of the 'new' international terminal complete with B707 and Vickers VC-10 models. I'm sure that'll come in handy one day too...

[Fred C]

H96 was H96 before the addition to allow it to fit 747's in. It has since been modified again to fit the A380.

I suspect hangar 1 might be the original hanger in Australia. It may have been modified several times over the years. It also had hangars 2 and 3 next to it. I only think this as Kingsford Smith Airport would have been the first airport in Australia and probably had the first hangar.

[Nigel C]

Thanks for clarifying H96's history Fred.

If Hangar 1 was the first built then surely there should have been some effort made to preserve it instead of putting the wrecking ball through it?

Hangar 7 in Brisbane was built in 1942, so I highly doubt the hangars are numbered in accordance to a national hangar count system.

[Lee G]

What's the number of the original QANTAS hanger in Longreach?