Steel-framed Hangar Doors Support Historic Aircraft Museum

by Jason Cramp | August 4, 2025 5:18 pm

A vintage yellow biplane is parked in front of a hangar marked "Roosevelt Field School of Aviation." — The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, a living museum in Red Hook, N.Y., keeps the early days of flight alive with its collection of vintage aircraft, vehicles and museum grounds that harken back to the 1920s and 1930s. Recently the museum has built two new hangars, completed with bifold doors, to store some of its aviation collection. *Photo courtesy Schweiss Doors*

At the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Red Hook, N.Y., new steel-framed bifold doors are helping preserve a rare collection of early aircraft—without disrupting the site’s 1920s-era aesthetic.

The flying museum, established in 1958, houses one of the most complete collections of original and replica aircraft from aviation’s early decades through World War II. As part of a major restoration initiative, three hangars on the museum’s grounds have been upgraded with large-scale bifold doors to provide secure, weather-resistant storage and improve access for aircraft movement.

The new doors were installed on both new and existing hangars, replacing older structures that lacked complete enclosures. One existing Quonset-style hangar received a 14.6 m (48 ft) wide by 3.6 m (12 ft) tall bifold door mounted on a free-standing header system to accommodate the curved roofline and provide a flat, reinforced opening. The new doors allow for full-width access to accommodate aircraft, vehicles, and equipment.

A wide hangar with a curved roof displays the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome sign, with two yellow planes nearby on grass. — While the hangars may be new, they were designed to still look like they’re from the Golden Age of Aviation. The bifold doors were clad to mimic old hangar doors. *Photo courtesy Schweiss Doors*

Two additional hangars were constructed to expand storage for the museum’s operational aircraft, which are flown regularly during summer and fall airshows. These buildings feature multiple bifold doors ranging in size from 9.1 m (30 ft) to 15.2 m (50 ft) wide, all measuring 3.8 m (12.5 ft) in height. The doors include thermal insulation and interior sheeting to help stabilize interior conditions.

To retain the early 20^th-century appearance of the campus, the new hangar doors were clad to blend with the vintage look of the site, including repurposed metal sheeting from earlier buildings.

The hangar upgrades are part of an ongoing revitalization effort to ensure continued preservation of historic aircraft while providing safe, functional storage for staff and volunteers. Renovation efforts have been supported by the Disosway Foundation and guided in part by the late Brian Coughlin, a longtime pilot, restorer, and site manager for the museum.

Endnotes:

[Image]: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/OldRhinebeck1.jpg
[Image]: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/OldRhinebeck4.jpg

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