From the March 4, 2013, Lookout by Claudine Zap.
Researchers now are sure that static electricity that caused the airship to crash.
Seventy-six years ago, the German dirigible Hindenburg, the future of trans-Atlantic flight, docked at Lakehurst, New Jersey, on May 6, 1937.
The fire and crash killed 35 of the 100 passengers and crew.
It was also believe that possibly a bomb or exploding paint caused it. Models have shown that these didn't cause it.
The airship had become charges with static electricity as a result of and electric storm. A broken wire or sticking gas valve leaked hydrogen into the ventilation shaft. When the ground crew members ran out to take the landing ropes, the ship became "earthed". Fire appeared in the tail of the airship, igniting the leaking hydrogen.
Now You Know. --Cooter
Showing posts with label Rigid Airships. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rigid Airships. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
America's Rigid Airships: The USS Shanandoah
From Wikipedia. I listed the six US airships on November 7th.
The Shenandoah was the first of four US Navy rigid airships built 1922-23 at the Lakeland Naval Air Station. The Shenandoah made the first North American crossing by an airship and crashed on its 57th flight.
It was big, at 680 feet long and weighed 36 tons and a range of 5,000 miles and crew of 25. The design was based on the German Zeppelin bomber L-49. Armament consisted of six .30 caliber Lewis machine guns and eight 500 pound bombs.
It was the first airship to use helium instead of hydrogen. The USS Patoka AO-9 fleet oiler was modified to become the Navy's first Airship Tender and had a strong mooring tower installed.
On September 3, 1925, the Shenandoah was caught in a storm and updrafted too high where it was torn apart and crashed to the ground, killing 14.
Today, there is a small private museum in Ava, Ohio. An elementary, junior high and high school near the crash site have athletic teams called the Zeps. A truck stop fifteen miles from the crash site at Old Washington Road )north of I-70 and US-40 was named the Shenandoah Plaza, but it is now closed and scheduled to be torn down.
I'll be going by this area on my upcoming trip on the National Road and may check it out.
I Always Like Watching Dirigibles Or Blimps Or Whatever You Call Them. --Cooter
The Shenandoah was the first of four US Navy rigid airships built 1922-23 at the Lakeland Naval Air Station. The Shenandoah made the first North American crossing by an airship and crashed on its 57th flight.
It was big, at 680 feet long and weighed 36 tons and a range of 5,000 miles and crew of 25. The design was based on the German Zeppelin bomber L-49. Armament consisted of six .30 caliber Lewis machine guns and eight 500 pound bombs.
It was the first airship to use helium instead of hydrogen. The USS Patoka AO-9 fleet oiler was modified to become the Navy's first Airship Tender and had a strong mooring tower installed.
On September 3, 1925, the Shenandoah was caught in a storm and updrafted too high where it was torn apart and crashed to the ground, killing 14.
Today, there is a small private museum in Ava, Ohio. An elementary, junior high and high school near the crash site have athletic teams called the Zeps. A truck stop fifteen miles from the crash site at Old Washington Road )north of I-70 and US-40 was named the Shenandoah Plaza, but it is now closed and scheduled to be torn down.
I'll be going by this area on my upcoming trip on the National Road and may check it out.
I Always Like Watching Dirigibles Or Blimps Or Whatever You Call Them. --Cooter
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
United States Rigid Airships
ZMC-2: A metal-clad airship operating between 1929-1941 and scrapped
ZR-1 USS Shenandoah: 1923-1925. Crashed in a storm
ZR-2 (R-38): 1921, crashed
ZR-3 USS Los Angeles: 1924-1939; decommissioned and dismantled.
ZR-4 USS Akron: Aircraft carrier 1931-1933. Lost in storm
ZR-5 USS Macon: Aircraft carrier 1933-1935. Lost in bad weather.
It Was Worth An Effort. --Cooter
ZR-1 USS Shenandoah: 1923-1925. Crashed in a storm
ZR-2 (R-38): 1921, crashed
ZR-3 USS Los Angeles: 1924-1939; decommissioned and dismantled.
ZR-4 USS Akron: Aircraft carrier 1931-1933. Lost in storm
ZR-5 USS Macon: Aircraft carrier 1933-1935. Lost in bad weather.
It Was Worth An Effort. --Cooter
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