Vintage aircraft getting spacious new home

Photo / Paul Estcourt

Enough timber framing to roof 1100 homes is going into the new aviation display hangar at Auckland's Museum of Transport and Technology.

Support for the roof framing comes from use of laminated veneer lumber in the columns and beams that span 42m. This makes it the country's largest single-span wooden structure.

The beams give the hangar a height of 16m at the apex for displaying aircraft such as the Sunderland and Solent flying boats that are now out in the weather. At 55m x 50m, the new structure is twice the size of the museum's existing hangar.

Contractor NZ Strong Group aims to hand over the Meola Rd building next May and Motat is raising money for the $15 million cost.