Last Thursday’s strong storm that knocked down trees and cut power in Manitowoc also damaged some buildings and aircraft at the local airport.
Manager Wolf Wendell tells Seehafer News the first of three cells to hit the area caused damage to a long-standing structure at the front of the airport property.
“The 1947 Republic Seabee that’s been in place since 1991 in honor of Don Gruett, who restored it and also was a very big sponsor to the airport, is now nice and secure,” he said. “And, it looks like it’s going to be restored by the local clubs and donations from the public.”
As for other damage, Wendell said, “8 private hangars and 2 aircraft were damaged on the nose. But, mostly it’s just from the wind. The excessive winds caused doors on the hangars to buckle and push into the buildings, resulting in damage to the aircraft.”
The local airport manager also explained this storm cell was pretty unique.
“This cell not only contained north/south winds, it actually had east/west winds as well,” Wendell explained. “That’s what caused most of our hangar damage because most of their doors slide north to south. The east/west winds were so strong that it broke latches and securing tabs on the doors of the hangars themselves and thus pushed into the aircraft.”
Wendell added, “Luckily, we had a clean apron and there were no planes out and about between 4 and 4:30 in the afternoon.”
He estimated the initial damage figure in excess of $55,000, but it could go higher depending on a full accounting of the hangar damage.
