The Jamesway Hut

The Jamesway Hut

There are a number of different types of metal buildings out there. One of the most basic designs was used by the U.S. Navy in World War II as a quick and easy type of building that could be constructed in the field. Over the years, however, this basic type of building has been modified. One of the modifications is called the Jamesway hut, and it was designed by the James Manufacturing Company based in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. While these huts are very similar to other metal buildings, they do differ in a number of ways.

The Exterior

A standard metal hut is a half circle tunnel that does not require any interior stabilizing walls or columns. The Jamesway Hut modifies that a bit in that it uses wooden ribs covered with aninsulated fabric and was square in shape. The original design actually used the insulated blankets that the Army Air Corps made use of. These blankets feature glass fiber insulation that has been faced with a muslin that is fireproof and then covered in cotton to make them comfortable. This cotton was designed to be water repellant and to be strong enough that vermin could not bite their way through it. This made it perfect for the building’s exterior.The only metal used in this building came from the nails, metal bars, and other fasteners/ connectors. These huts were incredibly portable. In fact, a 16 foot square hut could be packaged in a box that weighed less than 1,200 pounds. As an extra bonus, the crates were actually designed to be deconstructed and installed as the hut’s floor. They were also insulated with fiberglass, making the floor of the hut very warm.

Construction

To build a Jamesway Hut, the crate is first dismantled and spread out into the floor. The different pieces are connected together with steel fittings. Then the wooden arches are attached and connected. These arches, once properly installed, can hold up a large amount of weight. That makes the Jamesway Hut particularly useful in areas that see heavy snowfall. After the arches are installed, the blankets are fitted between them.

The Interior

The interior of the hut was open, allowing for it to be used in many different ways. Since the blankets were securely attached to the wooden ribs, there really was no real danger of the hut blowing open during high winds or of a person falling through one of these “walls.”

Use

The Jamesway Hut has been used in a number of military operations, including World War II and the Korean War. They have also been used by the U.S. Antarctic Program.