HANGAR 4 AT LUNKEN FIELD Hangar 4 has been home to some iconic companies throughout its past. In 1928, Aeronca Aircraft Corp. began manufacturing airplanes in the hangar. Procter & Gamble housed its corporate fleet here during their 56-year tenure and made some major modifications to the facility along the way to accommodate their continually updated aircraft and flight department. Today, leading aircraft management and private jet charter company, Reynolds Jet calls hangar 4 its hometown operations base.

Aeronca was formed on November 11 1928 in Cincinnati Ohio to build light aircraft. The aircraft featured in the comapany's logo is The 1929 Aeronca C-2. Aeronca became the first company to build a commercially successful general aviation aircraft.

1929 Production began on the C-2 aircraft in Hangar 4 in 1929; the first aircraft prodcuced by Aeronca. Nicknamed the "flying bathtub" because of its open-pod fuselage C-2 Characteristics Crew: 1 Capacity: 0 passengers (pilot-only) Length: 20 ft 0" Wingspan: 36 ft 0" Height: 7ft 6" Wing Area: 142.2 sq.ft Empty Weight: 406 lbs Max Speed: 80 mph Range: 240 miles Max Altitude: 16,500 ft Take off distance: 70 ft Take off time: 5-second run Cost per mile: $0.01 Price: $1,495 in 1929. $1,245 in 1931 (average car at this time sold for $670)

1931 The Aeronca C-3 enters into production. A two-seater derivative of the C-2. C-3 Characteristics Crew: 1 Capacity: 2 passenger side-by-sde ( including the pilot) Length: 20 ft 0" Wingspan: 36 ft 0" Height: 7ft 10" Wing Area: 142.2 sq.ft Empty Weight: 569 lbs Max Speed: 95 mph Range: 200 miles Max Altitude: 12,000 ft Price: $1,895 in 1935 for the C-3 Master (with enclosed cabin. Brakes and wing light cost extra)

1937 Engine assembly taking place in the Engine Dept

View inside the Aeronca plant during the construction of Aeronca Ks. The Model K entered into service in 1937. Aeronca K Characteristics: Crew: 1 Capacity: 1 passenger (side-by-side) Length: 20 ft 0" Wingspan: 36 ft 0" Height: 6 ft 3" Empty Weight: 744 lbs Max speed: 93 mph Range: 250 miles Max altitude: 12,000 ft Rate of climb: 450 ft/min

Workers in the Paint (dope) Department at Aeronca's Lunken Plant. C-3 Masters in the background and low-wing construction in the foreground

Workers in the covering department during construction of the Model K.

1933 Aeronca build a sea plane version - C-2 and C-3 on pontoons A group of young men in Charleston, W. Va, wanted to fly but the topography of the country did not allow for any substantial airport near the city. With the purchase of the C-2, floats replaced the wheeled landing gear. In 1933, this Kanawha Flying Club boasted being the only flying club in the Middle West that is operating on seaplanes.

Aeronca's Hangar 4 Engine Assembly Room Production of C2s and C3s ended in 1937 as the airplanes could not meet new government airworthiness standards. “Many of the C-3’s peculiarities—external wire braces, extensive fabric construction, single-ignition engine, and lack of an airspeed indicator—were no longer permitted. Fortunately for the legion of Aeronca owners, a “grandfather” clause in the federal regulations allowed their airplanes to continue flying, although they could no longer be manufactured.

A view from inside Aeronca's factory. All of the airplanes produced from the start of production in 1929 to 1937 are known as the "Lunken" Aeroncas

Aeronca's Model L outside Hangar 4. Note the height of the building. Introduced in 1935, only 65 Model L aircraft were built. Problems with sourcing an adequate engine and the destructive flood in 1937 made the Model short lived. Model L characteristics Crew: 1 Capacity: 1 passenger Length: 22 ft 6" Wingspan: 36 ft 0" Height: 7ft 0" Empty Weight: 1034 lbs Max speed: 123 mph Range: 535 miles Price: LC cost $,3275 (1937)

Full length view of the original Hangar 4/Aeronca Factory. Photo taken circa 1931

Great Flood of 1937 A major flood of Ohio River hit Lunken Airport. Lunken Airport is forever known as Sunken Lunken. The entire airport was washed away. One of the only building to remain, the Control Tower has a single black brick marking just how high the flooding was. Aeronca's factory was destroyed along with most of the early blue prints, drawings, and tooling. After the floods, Aeronca made the decision to move out of Hangar 4 and Lunken Airport, into its new plant at Middletown, Ohio. Aeronca continued to manufacture aircraft in Hangar 4 until 1940, with over 500 C-2 and C-3 aircraft built during this time.

1940 Cincinnati Aircraft Service takes over hangar 4. The company leases the old Aeronca Factory; Hangar 4, and they begin to offer a new course in Ground Fundamentals of aviation.

19 March 1948 - 10 December 1951 The 123rd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron - Founded in 1 March 1948 - is based in Hangar 4, on Lunken Airport, for approximately 3 years. OPERATIONS The 123rd Air Control Squadron (ACS) - now located at Blue Ash Air National Guard Station in Cincinnati) is a mobile Control and Reporting Element Equipped with air surveillance radar, generators, tactical vehicles, point-to-point, ground-to-air and satellite communications, the 123rd provides an integrated air picture and theater missile defense warning to the Air Operations Center via data link. Operationally, the 123rd provides surveillance and identification of aircraft within the assigned area of responsibility, directs defensive and offensive air missions and can be tasked to direct air defense and airspace management activities.

Feb 17 1946 Greater Cincinnati Airman's Club. Started in 1939, the Greater Cincinnati Airmen Club is a forum for airmen of all backgrounds that enjoy sharing their passion for aviation (still active today). For more info visit http://www.greatercincinnatiairmensclub.com The Greater Cincinnati Airmen's Club - described in 19XX as a lively prewar outfit of plane-owning pilots from the Cincinnati area - would meet in their quarters in Hangar 4 for Sunday afternoon "hangar flying" and Wednesday "pilots' nights". Before the war, the club had 100 members.

1951 Hangar 4 has a new owner; Procter & Gamble. P&G take possession of Hangar from the former owner, Cincinnati Aircraft Service, Inc., to house their two recently purchased DC-3 aircraft. The 123rd Control and Warning Squadron, a National Guard radar unit relocate to Blue Ash Air National Guard Station. Extensive remodeling takes place immediately to accommodate the P&G DC-3s, including raising the roof! During their 54-year tenure, the historic building had been enlarged and modernized by the company several times to accommodate their continually updated aircraft and flight department.

2004 -2006 P&G conducted a premises review as their incoming Gulfstream G-Vs would not fit in the hangar. The company had outgrown Hangar 4, even with all the enlargement and modernization remodeling. P&G would remain at Lunken Airport with a built-to-spec hangar constructed. Construction was completed in 2006 and P&G vacate Hangar 4.

July 2015 Reynolds Jet signs agreement to lease Hangar 4, to enrich our aircraft services offering and better serve Cincinnati’s private jet travel community. As the largest operator of on demand charter aircraft at Lunken Field, Reynolds Jet offers its aircraft owners and charter guests best access to their aircraft, enjoying car-door-to jet-door access. Controlled hangar space for Reynolds Jet-only aircraft Direct fueling from onsite fuel farm Permanent onsite third-party maintenance services Secure locked garage parking facilities for guest cars Reduction in critical operating costs Unparalleled service experience