2016-07-17

The Hindenburg Built by Zeppelin

Count Ferdinand Von Zeppelin (1838-1917) the founder of the company Zeppelin led the way to the development of the airships and built the German D-LZ 129 Hindenburg in the early 20th century. When the Hindenburg was in the process of completion, Paul Joseph Goebbels who was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 wanted the Hindenburg to be named Adolf Hitler, even though he Hindenburg was completed with the financial support of the Nazi government, Dr. Hugo Eckener the manager of the Luftschiffbau Zeppelin and the commander of the famous Graf Zeppelin refused to name it after Hitler and named the airship after the president of Germany, Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg (1847-1934). Even though Dr. Hugo Eckener refused to name it after Adolf Hitler, the rudder of the Hindenburg would eventually have the swastikas emblazoned on its tail fins symbolizing the Nazi power. This led to continuing bomb threats which led to suspicions of sabotage in the Hindenburg disaster on May 6, 1937. The cause of the explosion of the Hindenburg has never been determined.



Hindenburg First Flight

The first Flight of the Hindenburg which lasted 3 hours and 6 minutes took place on the 3rd of March 1936. After a series of test flight the Hindenburg carried its first passengers which consisted of approx. 80 reporters on a short flight from Friedrichshafen to Lowenthal on March 23, 1936.

The Hindenburg Regular Schedule Flights

The Hindenburg was considered as the fastest and most comfortable way to cross the Atlantic during its time was the first airliner to provide regularly scheduled service between Europe and North America. Passage between Europe and America via Hindenburg cost $400 one way in 1936 and $450 in 1937. By the end of 1936 the Hindenburg had crossed the Atlantic 34 times, carrying over 3,500 passengers and more than 66,000 pounds of mail and freight. There were eighteen round-trip flights planned between Germany and the United States in 1937 but only managed to make six successful flights in including a round-trip from Germany to Brazil.



Hindenburg Incinerates in 30 Seconds

The Hindenburg is remembered for one of the most famous air disasters in history when it burst into flames at less than 300 feet of the ground while attempting to land at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey on May 6, 1937. The Air ship, which is nearly 3 football fields long and 15 stories tall, blew up above a huge number of people who were taking a glimpse of the monstrous airship when it burst into flames and incinerated in 30 seconds.



Werner Franz Hindenburg Last Survivor

There were 97 people on board the ship, made up of 36 passengers and 61 crew members. when the accident occurred Passengers and crew members began jumping out the promenade windows to escape the burning ship, 62 survived suffering serious injuries, 13 passengers, 22 crew members and one worker on the ground died. No evidence of sabotage was ever found, and no convincing theory of sabotaged has ever been discovered. Werner Franz who was a 14-year-old cabin boy and Jumped from the blazing craft running into the wind to escape the flames escape without so much as a scratch is the last surviving crew member that passed away in 2015 at the age of 92.

Hindenburg Flight History

In 1936 the Hindenburg operated 34 International flights 04 local international flights and 18 National local flights totaling 2,807 hours and 09 minutes

March 1936 – 229hr19min

Four test flights Friedrichshafen – Friedrichshafen – March 4,5,6,1 7

National flight Friedrichshafen – Friedrichshafen – March 18

Test / Mail flight with 80 reporters Friedrichshafen – Lowental – March 23

National flight Lowental – Lowental – March 26

Pro Hitler Propaganda flight Lowental – Lowental – March 26 to March 29

One Passenger International Flight – Löwental – Rio de Janeiro – March 31 to April 4 – First South America Trip

April 1936 – 103hr52min

International Flight – Rio de Janeiro – Löwental – April 6 to April 10

May 1936 – 424hr10min

National flight Lowental-Frankfurt – May 4

International flight Frankfurt – Lakehurst – May 06 to May 09 – First flight to North America

International flight Lakehurst – Frankfurt – May 12 to May 14

International flight Frankfurt – Lakehurst – May 17 to May 20

International flight Lakehurst – Frankfurt – May 21 to May 23

International flight Frankfurt – Rio De Janeiro – May 25 to May 29

June 1936 – 207hr04min

International flight Rio de Janeiro – Frankfurt May 30 to June 03

National flight Frankfurt – Lowental – June 06

National flight Lowental – Lowental – June 16 – Krupp/Essen flight

National flight Lowental – Frankfurt – June 18

National flight Frankfurt – Frankfurt – June 18

International flight Frankfurt – Lakehurst – June 09 to June 22

International flight Lakehurst – Frankfurt -June 24 to June 26

International flight Frankfurt – Lakehurst – June 30 to July 02

July 1936 – 354hr33min

International flight Lakehurst – Frankfurt – July 04 to July 06

National flight Frankfurt – Frankfurt – July 8

National flight Frankfurt – Frankfurt – July 8

International flight Frankfurt – Lakehurst – July 10 to July 13

International flight Lakehurst – Frankfurt –July 15 to July 17

International flight Frankfurt – Rio de Janeiro – July 20 to July 24

International flight Rio de Janeiro – Frankfurt – July 25 to July 29

August 1936 – 355hr31min

National flight Frankfurt – Frankfurt – August 01

International flight Frankfurt – Lakehurst – August 05 to August 08

International flight Lakehurst – Frankfurt – August 10 to August 11

International flight Frankfurt – Lakehurst – August 17 to August 19

International flight Lakehurst – Frankfurt – August 20 to August 22

International flight Frankfurt – Rio De Janeiro – August 27 to August 30

September 1936 – 305hr38min

International flight Rio de Janeiro – Friedrichshafen – September 04 to September 08

National Friedrichshafen – Friedrichshafen – September 14 – Flight over 1936 Nazi Party Nuremberg Rally

National Friedrichshafen – Frankfurt – September 16

International flight Frankfurt – Lakehurst – September 17 to September 20

International flight Lakehurst – Frankfurt – September 22 to September 24

International flight Frankfurt – Lakehurst – September 26 to September 29

October 1936 – 395hr08min

International flight Lakehurst – Frankfurt – October 01 to October 03

International flight Frankfurt – Lakehurst – October 05 to October 07

International local flight Lakehurst – Lakehurst – October 09 – Millionaires Flight

International flight Lakehurst – Frankfurt – October 10 to October 12

International flight Frankfurt – Rio de Janeiro – October 21 to October 25

International local flight Frankfurt – Rio de Janeiro – Recife – October 29 to October 30

International flight Recife – Frankfurt – October 30 to November 02

November 1936 – 325hr23min

International flight Frankfurt-Rio de Janeiro – November 05 to November 09

International flight Rio de Janeiro – Frankfurt – November 12 to November 16

International flight Frankfurt-Rio de Janeiro – November 25 to November 29

International local flight Rio de Janeiro – Rio de Janeiro – November 30 to December 01

December 1936 – 106hr31min

International local flight Rio de Janeiro – Recife – December 03 to December 04

International flight Recife – Frankfurt – December 04 to December 07

In 1937 the Hindenburg operated 03 International flights and 04 National local flights totaling   279 hours and 57 minutes

March 1937 – 193hr27min

National flight Frankfurt – Frankfurt – March 11

National flight Frankfurt – Frankfurt – March 11

International flight Frankfurt – Rio de Janeiro – March 16 to March 20

International flight Rio de Janeiro – Frankfurt – March 23 to March 26

April 1937 – 09hr22min

National flight Frankfurt – Frankfurt – April 27 – Udet flight/Rhineland

National flight Frankfurt – Frankfurt – April 27 – Udet hook-on trial flight

May 1937 – 77hr08min

International flight Frankfurt – Lakehurst – May 03 to May 06 – HINDERBURG CRASH AT LAKEHURST

Hindenburg Valuable Philatelic Artifacts

At the time the accident the Hindenburg carried around 17,000 pieces of mail, 176 pieces stored in a protective container survived the crash. The pieces scorched but still readable, are among the world’s most valuable philatelic artifacts in the world. The accident is believed to have lasted between just 32 and 37 second, with experts analyzing that the fire spread at a rate of around 15m/s. This tragedy led to the end of the use of rigid airships for commercial passengers. LZ-129 and its sister ship, LZ-130, are still the largest objects ever to fly.

German D-LZ 129 Hindenburg 1937 Tragedy

Author: Fast Aviation Data
Source: www.fastaviationdata.com/german-d-lz-129-hindenburg-1937-tragedy

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