NAS blimp bases

Navy Blimps could stay in the air and patrol coastal waters much longer than airplanes.

The blimps (non-rigid airships) were built by Goodyear Aircraft Company of Akron, Ohio.

The blimps were powered by two aircraft radial air-cooled engines, the crew worked and on long patrols lived in a car under the envelope.

To protect the blimps from strong winds and thunderstorms on the ground most bases had one or more larger airship hangars.

The start of World War II blimps use bgan on September 23, 1935, when the US Navy purchased the airship Defender from Goodyear.

Defender was used for crew training and give the Navy designation G-1, the first G-class blimp.

In addition to anti-submarine warfare, the blimps did assist with Search and rescue missions.

[26] The Tillamook Air Museum is the only NAS blimp hangar open to the public daily.

The hangar is over 7 acres and is made of over 3.2 million board feet of Pacific Northwest lumber.