Image: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s blimp hangar was officially recognized as an Ohio landmark and historic site with the unveiling of an Ohio Historical Marker at the facility last week. The company says that this year marks the hangar’s 100th anniversary. The facility, which is located by Wingfoot Lake in Suffield, Ohio, is regarded as the oldest airship hangar in the country.
“The Wingfoot Lake hangar has a rich history of contributions to aviation in Ohio and our nation,” said Goodyear senior vice president and chief communications officer Paul Fitzhenry. “From training the first class of United States Navy pilots in lighter-than-air to building of airships for the defense of the nation during WWI and WWII and serving as the home base of our current airship fleet, this facility is an Ohio and American treasure.”
In addition to providing housing for Goodyear’s iconic airships, the Wingfoot Lake facility has also served as the construction site for many of the “more than 300 lighter-than-air vehicles” built by the company since 1917. Goodyear has announced that it will be holding a christening ceremony for the company’s newest blimp, Wingfoot Three, on Aug. 30, 2018.
