Hangar 1, Moffett Federal Airfield

Located in Mountain View, California, Hangar 1 at Moffett Federal Airfield is one of the most iconic landmarks of early aviation history in the United States. Originally constructed in 1933 to house the USS Macon, a Navy dirigible nearly as large as the Hindenburg, Hangar 1 is a massive structure—1,133 feet long, 308 feet wide, and 198 feet tall—capable of containing the Empire State Building laid on its side.

Nearly 90 years later, a major restoration effort has brought this Naval Historical Monument back to life. Following years of environmental remediation, the structure underwent seismic retrofits, repainting, and structural reinforcement—all while preserving its original character.

Schuff Steel fabricated and erected 165 tons of new steel to reinforce the structure while preserving as much of the original historical frame as possible. Working on-site with historic materials and geometry, the team overcame significant logistical challenges. Nearly all structural components required field fabrication, despite 3D scans and detailed modeling efforts. In addition to the retrofit work, over 12,000 hot-driven rivets were carefully removed and replaced with modern high-strength fasteners, ensuring safety and long-term stability.

The project achieved a major safety milestone: over one million safe working hours across all trades, including 100,000+ field hours completed by Schuff Steel’s Union Ironworkers from Locals 377 & 378.

Schuff Steel’s contributions included:

• Fabrication and erection of 165 tons of retrofit steel
• Extensive field fabrication to accommodate historic conditions
• Design-Assist services for complex structural integration
• BIM coordination with 3D scanning to guide detailing
• Removal of over 12,000 rivets, replaced with high-strength fasteners

Now fully restored, Hangar 1 stands as a symbol of engineering excellence and historic preservation—ready for reuse while honoring its extraordinary legacy.