Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Area B, Building 38, Maintenance Building No. 3, Dayton

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER OHIO,29-DAYT.V,1V-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The architecture of Building 38 is typical of the early construction of Wright Field. It is unique in that it has undergone very little modification and still retains its original function, automotive repair. Project History: This report is part of the overall Wright- Patterson Air Force Base, Area B documentation project conducted by HAER See overview report, HAER No. OH-79, for a complete description of the project. WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, AREA B, BUILDING 38,

Maintenance Building

No. 3 HAER No. OH-79-V (Page 2)

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER OHIO,29-DAYT.V,1V-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Building 38 was constructed in typical Wright Field style of six-course, American bond brick with end gables, wide metal entablatures, and concrete-filled bull s eyes on the rectangular, decorative corner columns. One element that makes this building different is the use of brick soldiers (bricks laid on end with the longest side vertical) placed above the concrete foundation and above the windows and doors at the south end of the building. The building was originally an open structure with the north and west sides exposed; in the roof was extended further to the north in a gambrel fashion, and in the building was enclosed with bricks keeping the same six-course, American bond pattern with soldiers at the bottom.

This created a structure measuring x Attached to the northeast corner is a one- story addition, of similar style, measuring 104 x 48' which was added near the end of World War II. This extension has overhead doors at each end and was used to provide convenient space for simple standard maintenance such as oil changes and tune-ups. HISTORY: Building 38, constructed in is one of the few structures at Wright Field which still retains its original function. When erected, it was designated Maintenance Building Number 3 and was used for automotive repair. Since World War II, Building 38 has undergone very little modification.

While motor vehicles have changed immensely, the facilities of Building 38 are still used to repair and maintain them instead of being converted to office space as most of the old buildings have been. Today its official designation is the Transportation Squadron Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Facility. For bibliography, see Wright-Patterson Air Force Base overview report (HAER No. OH-79).