Facts About the Hindenburg and Its Untimely Demise
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Date: 2022-12-29
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Comments and reviews: 20
Fremont
While the destruction of hydrogen-filled dirigible Hindenburg by fire in 1937 was spectacular (and pretty much spelled the end of confidence in travel by airship, the United States Navy actually lost THREE dirigibles well before the Hindenburg loss, all filled with inert non-flammable helium, to weather and structural failure.
They were Shenandoah lost in Ohio in 1925, Akron in 1933 off the New Jersey coast, and Macon in 1935 off the California coast.
Drowned in the crash of Macon with 72 others was Admiral William Moffett, head of the Navys Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAir]. The Navy named the former Sunnyvale Naval air Station after him: Moffett Field still carries that name today.
Surviving the crashes of both Akron and Macon was then-Commander Herbert Wiley, one of the Navys top lighter-than-air officers. He was one of only three who survived the crash of Akron.
In WW II Captain Wiley commanded the battleship USS West Virginia, itself a raised-from-the-dead and refitted survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, at the Battle of Surigao Strait in the Philippines in 1944. Engaging a force of Japanese battleships in a night action, her first salvo landed on one of the Japanese battleships at a range of 13 miles.
Wiley went on to retire as a Rear Admiral.
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While the destruction of hydrogen-filled dirigible Hindenburg by fire in 1937 was spectacular (and pretty much spelled the end of confidence in travel by airship, the United States Navy actually lost THREE dirigibles well before the Hindenburg loss, all filled with inert non-flammable helium, to weather and structural failure.
They were Shenandoah lost in Ohio in 1925, Akron in 1933 off the New Jersey coast, and Macon in 1935 off the California coast.
Drowned in the crash of Macon with 72 others was Admiral William Moffett, head of the Navys Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAir]. The Navy named the former Sunnyvale Naval air Station after him: Moffett Field still carries that name today.
Surviving the crashes of both Akron and Macon was then-Commander Herbert Wiley, one of the Navys top lighter-than-air officers. He was one of only three who survived the crash of Akron.
In WW II Captain Wiley commanded the battleship USS West Virginia, itself a raised-from-the-dead and refitted survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, at the Battle of Surigao Strait in the Philippines in 1944. Engaging a force of Japanese battleships in a night action, her first salvo landed on one of the Japanese battleships at a range of 13 miles.
Wiley went on to retire as a Rear Admiral.
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jimkuz27
Back in 92 i was at FT. Dix, N. J. in the Service and i was sent to Lakehurst Naval base to do work and train People on the M-1 Abrams tank, i was assigned to hanger 6 which was originally for the blimps, So i asked a gentleman about the Hindenburg and where it went down at, he showed me where to walk and they have a plaque in the ground, nothing fancy, in fact if you wern't looking you would not find it, it was disturbing to me, i got to talking to an old timer at the time 80, He pointed to the tree line, and he said when the air ship was docking, he heard a gunshot from the tree line and the Hindenburg exploded! He was working there at the time, so one has to wonder, over the years i heard all kinds of thearys, everything from lightning to a bomb!
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Back in 92 i was at FT. Dix, N. J. in the Service and i was sent to Lakehurst Naval base to do work and train People on the M-1 Abrams tank, i was assigned to hanger 6 which was originally for the blimps, So i asked a gentleman about the Hindenburg and where it went down at, he showed me where to walk and they have a plaque in the ground, nothing fancy, in fact if you wern't looking you would not find it, it was disturbing to me, i got to talking to an old timer at the time 80, He pointed to the tree line, and he said when the air ship was docking, he heard a gunshot from the tree line and the Hindenburg exploded! He was working there at the time, so one has to wonder, over the years i heard all kinds of thearys, everything from lightning to a bomb!
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Ian
The Hindenburg, designed to use helium for lift, but unable to obtain the gas from the United States (which held a monopoly on helium production on the time) was a remarkable aircraft. Dr. Eckener's Dream Machine provides a fascinating look into Zeppelin travel. As Dr. Eckener himself pointed out, the Nazi government squandered the short period in aviation history Zeppelins held a technological advantage over other types of aircraft. Had the Nazi party not come to power the Zeppelin company likely would've acquired helium, enabling them to build the global transportation system they envisioned before airplanes made lighter than air travel obsolete.
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The Hindenburg, designed to use helium for lift, but unable to obtain the gas from the United States (which held a monopoly on helium production on the time) was a remarkable aircraft. Dr. Eckener's Dream Machine provides a fascinating look into Zeppelin travel. As Dr. Eckener himself pointed out, the Nazi government squandered the short period in aviation history Zeppelins held a technological advantage over other types of aircraft. Had the Nazi party not come to power the Zeppelin company likely would've acquired helium, enabling them to build the global transportation system they envisioned before airplanes made lighter than air travel obsolete.
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Christopher
It was the first Big Tobacco cover up in American history. Speculation tends to lean towards the infamous smoking lounge attendee allowed for a wealthy passenger to use his own brand of match to lite his smoke and as the attendee was permitting guests entry the wealthy passenger flicked his match that would pass through the open door and the rest, is as they say history. With fear that smoking would be not only be associated with the tragic disaster but blame placed on smoking and a negative stigma towards smokers in general prompted the mass cover up involving multiple agencies and millions in bribes to reporters and news media outlets.
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It was the first Big Tobacco cover up in American history. Speculation tends to lean towards the infamous smoking lounge attendee allowed for a wealthy passenger to use his own brand of match to lite his smoke and as the attendee was permitting guests entry the wealthy passenger flicked his match that would pass through the open door and the rest, is as they say history. With fear that smoking would be not only be associated with the tragic disaster but blame placed on smoking and a negative stigma towards smokers in general prompted the mass cover up involving multiple agencies and millions in bribes to reporters and news media outlets.
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GravesRWFiA
well interesting, wrong in points. the destruction of the graf hindenburg did NOT stop lighter than air travel. The older and smaller Graf Zeppelin had been doing the run to south america for several years already and kept going until WW2 started.
it did however end the german dream of traffic to the USA where they would have dominated the luxury first class travel over the ocean liners. The empire state buildings top was originally planned as a mooring site. you get off the ship and you're in the middle of Manhattan. but at that height the wind was too rough.
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well interesting, wrong in points. the destruction of the graf hindenburg did NOT stop lighter than air travel. The older and smaller Graf Zeppelin had been doing the run to south america for several years already and kept going until WW2 started.
it did however end the german dream of traffic to the USA where they would have dominated the luxury first class travel over the ocean liners. The empire state buildings top was originally planned as a mooring site. you get off the ship and you're in the middle of Manhattan. but at that height the wind was too rough.
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Chris
Something else you do not mention: Many Zeppelin engineers at the time touted using helium to fill the bags of the Zeppelin, and this was done in many airships. However, due to the actions of the US government (notably the Smoot-Hawley Tariff act) most of the helium in the world at the time was cost prohibitive for the Germans, as it came from the United States.
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Something else you do not mention: Many Zeppelin engineers at the time touted using helium to fill the bags of the Zeppelin, and this was done in many airships. However, due to the actions of the US government (notably the Smoot-Hawley Tariff act) most of the helium in the world at the time was cost prohibitive for the Germans, as it came from the United States.
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shindari
What caused the disaster?
Doctor Henry Jones was transporting the Ark of the Covenant on board the airship, and, shortly before the airship made landfall, some asshole opened the damn thing, and all hell literally broke loose.
The government would, of course, cover this up. Doctor Jones is among the survivors who escaped.
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What caused the disaster?
Doctor Henry Jones was transporting the Ark of the Covenant on board the airship, and, shortly before the airship made landfall, some asshole opened the damn thing, and all hell literally broke loose.
The government would, of course, cover this up. Doctor Jones is among the survivors who escaped.
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BeatleAlex
The ship caught fire and crashed to the ground. It never slammed to the Mooring mast, people say that it looks like it's hitting the tower because of the angle of that particular photo. The tower is actually quite far away from the ship but it looks close due to how big The Hindenburg was.
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The ship caught fire and crashed to the ground. It never slammed to the Mooring mast, people say that it looks like it's hitting the tower because of the angle of that particular photo. The tower is actually quite far away from the ship but it looks close due to how big The Hindenburg was.
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Barry
I would like one on Texas City disaster. The one that happened after World War II that started with a fire on a ship full of Ammonium Nitrate and rushed, war time contruction of several dangerous chemical plants very close to each other.
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I would like one on Texas City disaster. The one that happened after World War II that started with a fire on a ship full of Ammonium Nitrate and rushed, war time contruction of several dangerous chemical plants very close to each other.
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Made-line
So where did it leave from? It was going to NJ, though where did it take off? I'm sure you've said it, though I can't find where you have, exactly. Can't believe those things went across the oceans.
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So where did it leave from? It was going to NJ, though where did it take off? I'm sure you've said it, though I can't find where you have, exactly. Can't believe those things went across the oceans.
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WillyMacShow
These things were amazing. Imagine a cruise in the sky. Bars, food, buffets. I would love for a safe version to exist today. They did trips to the Arctic, North America, marvels even today.
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These things were amazing. Imagine a cruise in the sky. Bars, food, buffets. I would love for a safe version to exist today. They did trips to the Arctic, North America, marvels even today.
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Ima
What really caused the destruction of the Hindenburg is no mystery. Norm MacDonald blew the case wide open years ago. That's right, it was caused by none other than Frank Stallone.
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What really caused the destruction of the Hindenburg is no mystery. Norm MacDonald blew the case wide open years ago. That's right, it was caused by none other than Frank Stallone.
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redstratus97
Here is what Im curious about. How common were these things in the 20s and 30s? Did the average person living in a city see them often? Were they as common as airplanes?
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Here is what Im curious about. How common were these things in the 20s and 30s? Did the average person living in a city see them often? Were they as common as airplanes?
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King
Do an episode on THE DUCHESS OF POLINGAC best friend of Marie Antoinette. Family had a marked past, she was an enemy of the French Revolution and pretty scandalous herself.
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Do an episode on THE DUCHESS OF POLINGAC best friend of Marie Antoinette. Family had a marked past, she was an enemy of the French Revolution and pretty scandalous herself.
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Yo! Hannes
What caused it? It was the 30's. Technoloy was pushed to the limits right out of the box. What made the US almost crash two nuke's into the Carolinas during the 60's?
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What caused it? It was the 30's. Technoloy was pushed to the limits right out of the box. What made the US almost crash two nuke's into the Carolinas during the 60's?
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Katherine
My grandfather was there. It was his first as a police officer. When he got home singed smelling of smoke and his holster melted all he could say was, I quit!
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My grandfather was there. It was his first as a police officer. When he got home singed smelling of smoke and his holster melted all he could say was, I quit!
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Eye
Does anybody know of a video of an actual survivor from the crash? Not anybody on the ground but somebody who was actually on there. I can't find anything.
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Does anybody know of a video of an actual survivor from the crash? Not anybody on the ground but somebody who was actually on there. I can't find anything.
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mark
I saw a video of a ground lineman and he said an engine was revving and sparks coming from the exhausts. Seemed like a good man and credible witness.
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I saw a video of a ground lineman and he said an engine was revving and sparks coming from the exhausts. Seemed like a good man and credible witness.
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Paul
You know what's funny is they already know how the leak started you just didnt look into it enough at the time of this video
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You know what's funny is they already know how the leak started you just didnt look into it enough at the time of this video
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Adna
I felt bad like omg what a tragedy but when I saw the swastikas on the ship I was like ow well shit happens, sucks to suck.
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I felt bad like omg what a tragedy but when I saw the swastikas on the ship I was like ow well shit happens, sucks to suck.
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