The Hangar that became a Museum
The Air Service Hangar at Bellanca Airfield is of historical significance to the state of Delaware and the United States. The Bellanca Hangar is listed on both the national and state of Delaware registers of historic sites. Continuous funding and support is needed from history and aviation fans alike to preserve the hangar for future generations.
The Air Service Hangar is now preserved and maintained today as an aviation museum focused on its namesake, Guiseppe M. Bellanca and his contributions to the aviation industry. The museum is beautifully situated on a historic roadside site of approximately 5 acres with a footprint of approximately 7,800 square feet in the main area, plus an additional office section of 1,600 square feet. It’s owned by the Trustees of the New Castle Common, and it is overseen and preserved by the Friends of Bellanca Airfield (FOBA).
The hangar has been professionally examined and judged structurally sound in all respects, including the fan truss system, the hangar’s most prominent character-defining feature, which has been praised by restoration architects and architectural historians. A state historical marker now proudly stands at the front of the museum.
Did you know? The Bellanca Aircraft Corporation built hundreds of planes in Delaware during its nearly thirty-year lifespan, with virtually every model setting one or more world records. At its peak, Bellanca employed more than 3,000 workers. Today, the 350 acre once state-of-the-art lighted public airfield and adjoining factory site are almost entirely obliterated by a large business park, however the hangar turned museum still remains.