Hill Field, Spray Pool, 5835 A Lane, Layton

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Building 266 provides particularly vivid images of the processes involved in the repair, maintenance, and painting of aircraft, a crucial component of Hill Field's overall mission to support Pacific and European theaters of military operation during World War II. In addition, this building contributes to a deeper understanding of the early development of the U.S. Army Air Corps, a branch of the Army which eventually became the U.S. Air Force. Architecturally, this is the oldest butterfly-roof structure on Hill Air Force Base. History: Building the Spray Pool, provided shelter for the surface treatment of aircraft engines, body parts, and other items.

Numerous aircraft were overhauled or prepared for storage on the Base, which required that all surfaces be protected from oxidation by the application of corrosion preventatives like paint and oil. Some of these surface treatments were applied by dipping parts into tanks of liquid in various repair shops, and others were applied by spraying the chemical with an air-powered gun. Building 266 housed components that required the latter method, like aircraft engines that were "pickled" (sprayed inside and out with rust inhibitor oil). Chemicals needed for these processes were stored in the Paint, Oil, and Dope House (Building and transferred to Building 266 as they were needed. HILL FIELD, SPRAY POOL HAER No.

UT-85-R Page 2 Quotas set by Air Command were rarely met in the beginning months of World War II. Materials, including paint and other surface treatment chemicals, were often difficult to obtain. As the war progressed, these obstacles began to subside. A shortage of special parts, tools, equipment, and adequate working space continued to present challenges, but in gradually reduced proportion. In efforts to increase efficient production methods, all aircraft repair activities were carefully monitored and controlled by the Production Control Branch. The status of aircraft and parts could be accurately determined at any of the various stages of production.

The Branch obtained and decimated technical information to workers and handled technical correspondence, including all official long distance telephone calls pertaining to the engineering department. As the Production Control Branch gathered statistics, employees and materials could be more efficiently allocated among the departments. Coordination between departments came gradually as the units began to understand their relationship to each other and as specialized labor and production line methods became widespread. Even with careful planning, though, operations progressed at different rates in each department. Frequent rush orders or parts shortages caused congestion in the production lines that disrupted the interdepartmental flow.

General Description: Building 266 is a one-story, butterfly-roof industrial structure with no distinctive stylistic elements. It is a small rectangular building. The exterior walls and roofs are made of vertical corrugated metal siding. Each gable end has a single overhead door. Several original four-over-four fixed windows remain in the building. Small lean-to sheds have been added to both the northeast and southwest walls of the building. HILL FIELD, STEAM PLANT HAER No. UT-85-R Page 3 $* S| 5| tA Si I ^ r en Q 4 51 CD D 3 ! I r-i 8 <0 g 1 f *l ^ t $ i %$ 1