Can you guess where in Pakistan was this building located and what was its purpose? Comparing the size of this building with the two airplanes in the frame, you can tell that it is simply not just an airplane hangar. Then what was it? Why was it built? What happened to it? Feel free to share your answers or guesses. We will provide answers in few days along with photo credits and references. Together we can trace the whole history that went behind this building’s construction.
Dear Readers,
While All Things Pakistan has remained alive and online, it has been dormant since June 11, 2011 - when, on the blog's 5th anniversary, we decided that it was time to move on. We have been heartened by your messages and the fact that a steady traffic has continued to enjoy the archived content on ATP. While the blog itself will remain dormant, we are now beginning to add occasional (but infrequent) new material by the original authors of the blog, mostly to archive what they may now publish elsewhere. We will also be updating older posts to make sure that new readers who stumble onto this site still find it useful.
We hope you will continue to find ATP a useful venue to reflect upon and express your Pakistaniat. - Editors
It’s a shame it was demolished in 60s… Almost every airship I read about crashed during service.. no wonder we don’t have these magical transports in the modern world..
Some comments from the ATP Facebook Page:
– “Kala pul , hanger built by the British to house the newest plane butbWorld War II ended and tha hangervwas never used . I think it was dismantled but am nit sure what use was made of the land , Residential area Ksrachi Airport , I think ?”
– “Kala pul was an error , sorry getting old and the memory is fading. kalapul was the railway bridge to Defence . The Hanger was close to star gate Katachi Airport just about adjacent to ten bridge .”
– “Yes from the site wax Kala Chapra , so I was not completely nuts when I said Kala pul . Lol :)”
The R101, which was several times the size of a contemporary Boeing 747 (hence the gigantic hangar), crashed on its maiden flight to Karachi in 1931 and this scrapped the programme. Obviously the hangar was never used.
Is this the famous PIA Hanger situated near Old Karachi Airport. Just a thought.
From Internet Search, it seems like it is Kala Chapra Hangar.
http://www.pakistaniaviation.com/photohist.htm