Message posted by Peter Merlin on August 24, 2009 at 20:50:54 PST:
Hangar 18, the first big hangar on the South Ramp complex, was built in the early 1980s as Building 180/180A. A few years later, all of the buildings were given new numbers and Hangar 18 became Building 430. I'm not sure why it was built. At the time of construction, Tactical Air Command F-117A stealth fighters undergoing acceptance testing were housed in several "Rubber Duck" temporary aircraft shelters on the Southend (later replaced by Butler-type sheet-metal buildings). Hangar 18 was apparently not used for the F-117A. The SENIOR PROM cruise missile demonstrators and C-130 launch aircraft were housed in Hangar 17 (Building 470) at the west end of the Southend ramp. TACIT BLUE was kept in Hangar 8 (Building 443). Perhaps Hangar 18 may have been used for the AGM-137 Tri-Service Standoff Attack Missile (TSSAM) prototypes and C-130 launch and control aircraft.
In Reply to: Hangar 18 posted by TheSkunkWorks on August 24, 2009 at 5:46:59 PST:
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