Bellanca Airfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Air Service, Inc. Hangar at Bellanca Airfield
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Air Service, Inc. Hangar in 2012
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 Location in Delaware
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2 Centerpoint Blvd., New Castle, Delaware |
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| Area | 2.7 acres (1.1 ha) |
| Built | 1936 |
| Built by | James Mullens; John E. Healy & Sons |
| Architectural style | Aircraft Hangar |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000601 |
| Added to NRHP | June 15, 2005 |
The Bellanca Airfield was a special place where airplanes were made and serviced. It was built in 1928 in New Castle, Delaware. Two important people, Giuseppe Bellanca and Henry B. DuPont, started it.
This airfield was located near the Delaware River. Over the years, about 3,000 airplanes were built there! The plant closed in 1954. Today, the only part of the airfield that still stands is the old Air Service, Inc. hangar. This hangar was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 because it's an important historical building.
Contents
The Bellanca Airfield Story
Who Was Giuseppe Bellanca?
Giuseppe Mario Bellanca came from Italy in 1912. He loved designing airplanes. His planes were known for being able to fly for a long time and use fuel very well. He set many records!
The Famous "Columbia" Plane
One of Bellanca's most famous planes was the WB-2 monoplane, called Columbia. It was a very advanced plane for its time. In 1927, two pilots, Clarence Duncan Chamberlin and Bertrand Blanchard Acosta, flew the Columbia for over 51 hours! They stayed in the air, circling New York City, and covered 4,100 miles. This was a new world record for how long a plane could stay in the air.
This flight was even longer than the distance from New York to Paris. Famous pilot Charles Lindbergh actually wanted to use the Columbia for his own flight across the Atlantic Ocean, but he couldn't get the plane.
Just two weeks after Lindbergh flew to Paris, the Columbia made another amazing flight. It flew non-stop from New York City all the way to Berlin, Germany. This trip was 3,911 miles long. It was another incredible journey, showing how strong and efficient Bellanca's planes were.
The Historic Hangar Today
The Air Service, Inc. Hangar at Bellanca Airfield was built around 1936. It's made mostly of strong concrete blocks with nice brick details. The hangar is quite large, measuring 60 feet wide and 180 feet long.
This hangar is the last remaining piece of the once-busy Bellanca Airfield. It helps us remember the important role this place played in aviation history.
