Trip Report: Michigan
First published in 2008. Reformatted 2025. Michigan was another state I had not visited, so this trip served to check off one more on my list! Just a reminder PIN means Permanent Installation Number and ILC means Installation Location Code; I include these for Air Force properties when I know them. Saturday, 30 August 2008 I flew from Denver to Detroit, picked up a Hyundai Sonata rental car and headed west away from the big city. Willow Run Air Force Station MIBuilding
Building
Dormitory
General view
General view Willow Run Airport MI
Warehouse
Warehouse
Large hangar
Large hangar, closer view
Building
Building Air Force Plant No. 31 MI
Plant building
Plant building
Main administration building
Main administration building Emery Gap Filler Annex MI
This is a very rare extant radome on a gap filler
Tower next to gap filler building
Tower next to gap filler building
Gap filler building
Gap filler building Holt Comms Site GWEN 830 MI
The 299-foot tower has been removed at this former Ground Wave Emergency Network relay node site. I stopped for the night in Durand. The day's drive was 239 miles in 5.25 hours.
Sunday, 31 August 2008
Tri-City Army Air Field MIHangar
Hangar
Hangars Wurtsmith Air Force Base MI
WWII hangar
WWII hangar
WWII hangar
Hangar
Maintenance docks
Maintenance docks
Engine test facility
Engine test facility
Two elevated water storage tanks
Structure
Service station
Building
Building
Building
Building SAC Alert Area
Entry gate
Building 5356 - Entry control building
Building 5356 - Entry control building
Building 5356 - Entry control building
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility
"Molehole" 70-man alert facility
Security watchtower and generator building
Security watchtower and generator building
Security watchtower and generator building
Building 5346 - Fire team building
Building 5346 - Fire team building
Building 5355 - Fitness facility
Building 5355 - Fitness facility
Generator building
Sentry post and generator building
View of "molehole" 70-man alert facility viewed from security watchtower
"Christmas Tree" alert aircraft parking ramp viewed from security watchtower
"Christmas Tree" alert aircraft parking ramp viewed from security watchtower ADC Fighter-Interceptor Alert Area
ADC alert hangar, an unusual combination of Butler and Strobel & Salzman designs
ADC alert hangar, an unusual combination of Butler and Strobel & Salzman designs
ADC alert hangar showing rear of crew quarters
ADC alert hangar
Front aircraft door on a Butler unit, modified to fit longer fighter aircraft
ADC alert hangar, general view of front side
ADC alert hangar showing front of crew quarters; lower section is non-historic
ADC alert hangar showing front of crew quarters; lower section is non-historic
ADC alert hangar, showing nose modification on a Strobel & Salzman unit
ADC alert hangar, showing nose modification on a Strobel & Salzman unit
ADC alert hangar, showing rear door modification on a Strobel & Salzman unit
ADC fighter shelters near the alert hangar
ADC fighter shelters near the alert hangar
Interior of Butler unit
Interior of Butler unit
Butler unit joined to Strobel & Salzman unit Weapon Storage Area
Large storage structure
Large storage structure
Large storage structure
Large storage structure
Large storage structure
Vehicle garage
Building 5326 - 30-bay multi-cubicle storage magazine
Building 5326 - 30-bay multi-cubicle storage magazine
Building 5326 - 30-bay multi-cubicle storage magazine
Building 5330 - 20-bay multi-cubicle storage magazine
Building 5330 - 20-bay multi-cubicle storage magazine
Building 5330 - 20-bay multi-cubicle storage magazine
3-igloo storage magazine
2-bay storage magazine
8-bay multi-cubicle storage structure
8-bay multi-cubicle storage structure
Building 5109 - Maintenance building
Maintenance building
Maintenance building
Security watchtower
Security watchtower
Building 5338 - Fire team building
Building 5338 - Fire team building
Building 5338 - Fire team building
Building 5338 - Fire team building
Building 5338 - Fire team building
Entry control building
Entry control building
Entry control building
Entry control building
Entry control building
Entry control building
Entry control building
Entry control building
Generator building
Building 5309
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building My evening stop was in Rochester Hills, after driving 407 miles in 11 hours.
Monday, 1 September 2008
Packard Motor Car Proving Ground MIShop building and elevated water storage tank
Historical marker
Historical marker
Albert Kahn-designed building
Albert Kahn-designed building
Albert Kahn-designed building
Albert Kahn-designed building
General view of the shop area
General view of the shop area
General view of the shop area
General view of the shop area
General view of the shop area
Elevated water storage tank Selfridge Air Force Base MI
AN/FPS-35 radar tower
AN/FPS-35 radar tower
AN/FPS-35 radar tower
Building
Building
Building
Historical marker Then I drove back to the airport to start the trip home. Romulus Army Air Field MI
Art Deco airline terminal building
Art Deco airline terminal building
Building
Hangar Today was a short 103-mile drive in about 4 hours. I covered a mere 749 miles all weekend! Updated April 20, 2025
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