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On May 6, 1937, the German zeppelin Hindenburg exploded, filling the sky above Lakehurst, New Jersey, with smoke and fire. The massive airship's tail fell to the ground while its nose, hundreds of feet long, rose into the air like a breaching whale. It turned to ashes in less than a minute.
- What caused the Zeppelin to explode?
- What really sparked the Hindenburg disaster?
- Why did the Hindenburg burn so quickly?
- Did the Hindenburg explode or burn?
- How many died on the Hindenburg?
- Did the captain of the Hindenburg survive?
- Where is the Hindenburg wreckage today?
- What's the difference between a blimp and a Zeppelin?
- Did the Hindenburg explosion create water?
- What fuel was used in the Hindenburg?
- How tall was Hindenburg?
- Why did Germany use hydrogen instead of helium?
- How long did the Hindenburg take to cross the Atlantic?
- What happened to the Graf Zeppelin airship?
- Do Goodyear blimps still fly?
What caused the Zeppelin to explode?
Almost 80 years of research and scientific tests support the same conclusion reached by the original German and American accident investigations in 1937: It seems clear that the Hindenburg disaster was caused by an electrostatic discharge (i.e., a spark) that ignited leaking hydrogen.
What really sparked the Hindenburg disaster?
He also said that a fire fueled by hydrogen would produce a blue flame, but the fire was a bright red. In his scenario, the mystery spark would have ignited the varnish rather than leaking hydrogen—meaning that a design flaw, rather than the inherent risks of hydrogen, had caused the disaster.
Why did the Hindenburg burn so quickly?
The airship was designed to be filled with helium gas but because of U.S. export restriction on helium, it was filled with hydrogen. Hydrogen is extremely flammable, and the official cause of the fire was due to a "discharge of atmospheric electricity" near a gas leak on the ship's surface, according to History.com.
Did the Hindenburg explode or burn?
The Hindenburg disaster was an airship accident that occurred on May 6, 1937, in Manchester Township, New Jersey, United States. The German passenger airship LZ 129 Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed during its attempt to dock with its mooring mast at Naval Air Station Lakehurst.
How many died on the Hindenburg?
Slightly less than one year later, on May 6, 1937, the world watched in horror as the Hindenburg caught fire, leading to the death of 35 people on the airship and one person on the ground in New Jersey. Most died due to the flames, but a few died by jumping from the airship while it still hovered above ground.
Did the captain of the Hindenburg survive?
Death. Although Max Pruss was the commanding officer of the last flight of the Hindenburg, Captain Lehmann was the most senior officer on board, but was there only as an observer. He was severely burned when the ship caught fire at Lakehurst on 6 May 1937, and died the following day.
Where is the Hindenburg wreckage today?
Lehmann, former commander of the zeppelin Hindenburg, during funeral services held on the Hamburg-American pier in New York City, May 11, 1937. The remains of the wreckage of the German Zeppelin Hindenburg are removed from the U.S. Naval field in Lakehurst, N.J., on May 15, 1937.
What's the difference between a blimp and a Zeppelin?
A blimp is an inflatable vehicle that gets its shape from the pressurized gases that fill it. Without an internal rigid shape of its own, the lighter-than-air vehicle deflates when that gas isn't present. Unlike blimps, zeppelins have rigid frames that retain their shape whether or not they are filled with gas.
Did the Hindenburg explosion create water?
Yes, water was created. But, because of the heat of reaction, all of the water was vapor (gas) and it did not rain water. Reaction of hydrogen with oxygen in the air always results in water as the product. The Hindenburg exploded due to the rapid combustion of hydrogen.
What fuel was used in the Hindenburg?
Despite being filled with 7 million cubic feet of highly combustible hydrogen gas, the Hindenburg featured a smoking room.
How tall was Hindenburg?
In 1936, the Zeppelin Company, with the financial aid of Nazi Germany, built the Hindenburg (the LZ 129), the largest airship ever made. Named after the late German president, Paul von Hindenburg, the Hindenburg stretched 804-feet-long and was 135-feet-tall at its widest point.
Why did Germany use hydrogen instead of helium?
Use of hydrogen instead of helium
Helium was initially selected for the lifting gas because it was the safest to use in airships, as it is not flammable.
How long did the Hindenburg take to cross the Atlantic?
While Queen Mary steamed on the ocean below, Hindenburg carried passengers from shore to shore in a matter of hours; the airship's fastest crossing was just forty-three hours.
What happened to the Graf Zeppelin airship?
The hangar was constructed in Germany and the parts were transported and assembled on site. It was finished in late 1936, and was used four times by Graf Zeppelin and five by Hindenburg. It now houses units of the Brazilian Air Force.
Do Goodyear blimps still fly?
Spirit of Innovation, Goodyear's last true blimp (non-rigid airship), was retired on March 14, 2017.
