Comments on: LZ-129 The Latest Airship

By: Baron Waste

Baron Waste — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 18:15:03 +0000

It's interesting, that they didn't refer to the Adolf Hitler by name. Probably because Dr. Eckener was ready to publicly commit seppuku if they went ahead with that plan. So, okay, “Hindenburg” then, if you insist. This will be remembered, Doctor…

By: beagledad

beagledad — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:35:06 +0000

The “LZ” stands for Led Zeppelin, right?

By: LightningRose

LightningRose — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:21:07 +0000

The loss of the Hindenburg was tragic, but it should also be remembered that 2/3 of the passengers and crew survived.

By: Eliyahu

Eliyahu — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:50:14 +0000

Yes, Sean, it’s too bad we wouldn’t give Germany what was then a strategic material to assist with their development of aircraft. After all, as Tom Lehrer wrote about the Germans, “We taught them a lesson in nineteen-eighteen, and they’ve hardly bothered us since then…”

By: Damon

Damon — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:37:38 +0000

Yea, Sean. It’s too bad FDR didn’t trust those kindly Nazis.

By: Toronto

Toronto — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 03:50:17 +0000

Sean – I’d heard that. Most of the helium was in Texas, as I recall, atop natural gas atop oil.

You’d think Texans would have higher, squeakier voices.

By: Sean O'Brien

Sean O'Brien — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:30:43 +0000

Another thing that we have to thank FDR for. At the time, the US controlled the world’s supply of Helium. The Hindenburg was originally designed to use it, rather than hydrogen. Unfortunately, the President refused to allow the sale, fearing that the ship would be used for military purposes.

By: Torgo

Torgo — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 00:44:30 +0000

I would love to have flown on this baby.

By: Toronto

Toronto — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:33:29 +0000

Stan: Offhand, I can’t think of any airships that did crash in the Atlantic. New Jersey, sure. France, definitely. One or two off the coast on local flights, one in the Mediterranean, one in the Arctic, but none on trans-Atlantic flights.

By: Rick

Rick — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:55:33 +0000

Yeah. Some manatees ARE pretty huge.

By: Al Bear

Al Bear — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:50:25 +0000

Oh the hugemanity

By: StanFlouride

StanFlouride — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 11:46:46 +0000

“No attempt to cross the ocean by airship has ever come to grief.”

oops.

(and the Titanic was unsinkable)

By: jon

jon — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 08:20:49 +0000

The LZ-129 was later known as The Hindenburg…