US Navy Quonset Hut: A Product of American Industry

Construction drawings of the 16' x 36' Quonset Hut Redesign (October 21, 1941)

           The Quonset Huts continued to be modified at the manufacturing level throughout the production process. The manufacturers were concerned with not only the construction of the huts in the factory and their performance on the field, but also with efficiency of transportation. Crating the T-Rib Quonsets was eventually reduced to one quonset hut contained in three crates, out of an original 12[1], which, even without the contents considered, decreased the weight immensely.

Detail of modified Stran-Steel Rib,1941

            The first major redesign of the Quonset Hut introduced a new steel framing system as well as a new interior shape. The T-Rib was replaced with the Stran-Steel system of two lightweight steel channels welded back to back, forming an I-shaped member, with a serpentine shaped groove in between.  The groove allowed for the use of friction held nails (instead of bolts)[2]. Stran-Steel’s framing system outperformed the T-Rib system as it was lighter and faster to erect, without sacrificing the strength or structural integrity.

Stran-Steel Advertisement

            Next, the roof of the Quonset Hut was also redesigned into a segmented arch (rather than a full arch) to maximize usable floorspace, as now equipment up to four feet tall could be placed directly against the walls. 

Equipment in a full-arch Quonset could not be flush to the wall, wasting floor space

            On September 23, 1941, the production of the Quonset Huts was contracted from George A. Fuller and Co. to Stran-Steel Corp. (a subsidiary of the Great Lakes Steel Corp.).   The steel corporation had already established itself in the market of residential light-weight steel framing prior to World War II, with its product making an international debut at the Chicago World Fair in 1933 in Homes of Tomorrow exhibit[3].  The Good Housekeeping Stran-Steel House served as testimony to the strength and versatility of a lightweight steel framing system, which was already being specified for building extensions added to T-Rib Quonsets.  The steel company revolutionized the designs again, bringing their previous experience with the hut, and their new steel technologies to the fore-front. The design was approved in October 1941 with Otto Brandenberger remaining the project leader.  The new Stran-Steel Quonset reverted back to the full arch, sacrificing floor-space for ease of erection and more compact and lighter shipping.  When this Quonset Hut was crated, it required less space than wood-framed canvas tents. The Stran-Steel Quonset Hut could be put up in one day, by ten men, with only hand tools and no specific skills to construct.

Pre-fab. reproduction of the Good Housekeeping Stran-Steel House today (Wilmette, IL)  

           At the end of 1942, Stran-Steel had gained extensive knowledge and experience in constructing and manufacturing the Quonset Huts, and they took over production.  This was no surprise as earlier in the year, the corporation had proved that its product was inseparable from the design, and with more experience in mass-production than George A. Fuller and Co., it only made sense to sub-contract production to Stran-Steel.  This way, the partnership between George A. Fuller and Co. and Meritt-Chapman and Scott Corp. could focus their efforts on the design, construction and general contracting of supplies for bases[4].  The Navy also benefited in giving up the business involved in manufacturing, because they could shift their energies back to military duties and obtain the huts as they would any other piece of equipment now that the design had reached maturity.

Newspaper headline, December 7, 1941

           In fact, the Quonset Hut was really a collaboration of a number of industries, not only did the US Navy, George A. Fuller and Co., Meritt-Chapman and Scott Corp., and Stran-Steel Corp. work together to design the Quonset Hut, but many more industries were needed when production levels increased dramatically.  After the attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941, the navy increased Quonset production from 40 units/day to 150 units/day.  The giants of the building industry were soon called into service in the production of different versions of the Quonset, and among these were Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation and Bethlehem Steel Company, (supplied steel- arched tees); Masonite Corporation (provided tempered pressed-wood); Kimberly-Clark Corporation (developed Kimsul insulation); and Libby Owen Ford (produced shatter-proof glass for windows)[5].

Kimsul Logo, 1941

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[1] Julie Decker and Chris Chiei, Metal Living for a Modern Age. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2005.

[2] "Good Housekeeping Stran Steel House." MoMA Org, accessed December 9, 2012. http://www.momahomedelivery.org/.
[3] "Good Housekeeping Stran-Steel House."
[4] Julie Decker and Chris Chiei.
[5] Julie Decker and Chris Chiei.

Iceland (OSS World War II Intelligence Report) pt1-2 1942 Office of Strategic S

Excerpts from Iceland (OSS World War II Intelligence Report) pt1-2 1942 Office of Strategic Services.

 

The Assembly of Modern Quonset Huts

A time-lapse video showing how a modern Quonset Hut is assembled. It has a similar structure to the WWII model, however, instead of a rib and purlin frame with exterior cover sheets, large corrugated steel ribs become both the frame and the cover, making assembly faster and easier.

Alternative Assemblies

The principle for building all types of Quonset huts are the same. However, some Seabee Battalions created their variation of assembling and transporting for the sake of efficiency. 

The 90^th Battalion at Iwo Jima, for example, developed a time-saving method of pouring concrete slabs at one location and erecting the hut frames at another. After the frame was erected, the Seabees carried the huts to the dried foundation[1].

In Alaska, civilian contractors who were more familiar with the local climate, landscape, and traditions developed sled systems to help transport fully erected Quonset huts to remote locations. Sled runners were bolted to the floors of the Quonset huts and created mobile camps nicknamed “Wannigans”[2].

On dry land, similar methods like the “Wannigans” were used. Rather than sled runners, steel semi-trailer systems built using stock steel components and wheels from heavy equipment vehicles were used to relocate Quonset huts from Camp Deluz, California. 20-B cranes were used to lift the entire hut and secured to the trailer that was pulled by a KR-10 tracker at 25mph to its new location[3].

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[1] Chris Chiei, How the Hut Came to Be, (NJ, Princeton Architecture Press, 2005), 27

[2] Chiei, 27

[3] Chiei, 27

Seabees and the Assembly of the Quonset Huts

According to an instruction manual by the U.S. Naval Civil Engineering laboratory, the 40’ x 100’ Utility Quonset Hut could be assembled by 10 men in 323 hours[1].  The assembly was divided into four sections: ribs and purlins, end wall framing, roof sheeting, and building flashing, each requiring 68, 93, 157, and 5 man-hours respectively[2].  Although this is the manual to construct a larger version of the standard Quonset Hut, the principle is the same for the assembly of all types of Quonset Huts.

The ribs and purlins are first assembled on the ground, and then hoisted to the foundation by a manila rope choker attached to the crown of the rib[3]. The rib is guided into place and attached onto the foundation by anchor bolts. Purlins are then bolted to the ribs to stabilize the frame laterally.

The endwall frames are similar to the body of the Quonset Hut, with ribs and girt that are fastened by studs. Cover sheets and door leaves are attached to the endwall frames[4].  The cover sheets are placed horizontally and self-tapping metal screws are used to secure the sheets to the structural frame. Then 3’x7’ walk-in doors and 2’x9” windows are installed.

Roof sheeting is used to cover the main body frame. The sheeting is placed, caulked and fastened. Lap joints in the sheeting are caulked by hand-operated mastic guns and stitched with self-tapping metal screws[5]. Finally, steel flashings are installed in the junctions between the endwalls and roof, and in the openings around the windows and walk-in doors. Prefabricated flashing was provided, and was field-cut to fit.

The layout of the Quonset camps are determined by the planning instructions provided to the Seabees. A slight rearrangement of the plan is permissible, however the huts must remain scattered at a distance to prevent more than one possible hit in a single pass of an air raid. Further protection from planes is achieved through banking earth over part of the shelter. The covering should be about 3 ½ feet above floor level and sloped back 15 degrees[6]. The occupants of the Quonset Hut are then protected against the effects of bursts at a distance.  

Modifications to the assembly of the Quonset Hut may be made based on its geographical location.  In tropical regions, it may be desirable to omit the embankments and support the hut on blocks to permit circulation of air beneath the hut, prevent flooding, and reduce termite damage[7]. Water collecting troughs, and overhangs created by insert bulkheads were also added, while the oil heater and vent stack were replaced by a third ventilator.  In colder climates, heat loss and dampness can be prevented by layering the floor panels with tarred paper during or after construction of the hut[8]. In addition, residual framing lumber was used to create a separate entry to trap the cold air, and prevent it from entering the hut.  

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[1] U.S. Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory, Evaluation of 40- by 100- foot Arch-Rib Utility Building, (California, Port Hueneme, 1963)

[2] U.S. Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory

[3] U.S. Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory

[4] U.S. Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory

[5] U.S. Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory

[6] Chris Chiei, How the Hut Came to Be, (NJ, Princeton Architecture Press, 2005), 14

[7] Chiei, 14

[8] Chiei, 14