hindenburg crash, lakehurst, new jersey
DESCRIPTION
When Technology Fails...TRANSCRIPT
Dr. Hugo Eckner
Ambition to build next generation of aircraft
Long distance flight
Graf Zeppelin
Successful flights
Spotless track record
Other countries abandoned airship program
Zeppelin Company
Named after Paul von Hindenburg
Size
803 ft, 29 ft longer than Graf Zeppelin
135 ft in diameter
4 diesel engines
2x as much gas
Hydrogen gas
U.S. monopolized helium
Feared Hitler
Hindenburg
Luxury Liner
$400
Dining rooms
Writing rooms
Passenger lounges
Cabins
Promenades
Bars
Smoking room
Commercial Flights
Gained permission from U.S.
10 round trips from Frankfurt to Lakehurst, NJ
6 to Rio de Janerio
1500 transatlantic passengers
German- American international company
Zeppelin Company & U.S. Navy
18 planned flights
Commercial Flights
7:10 pm: Lightning spotted
7:20 pm: Dead level stop
7:21 pm: Hindenburg is “grounded”
7:25 pm: Outer cover begins to flutter
32 Seconds
Recap of Events
Captain Max Pruss
Several things to consider:
Dope
Aluminum powder + Iron Oxide = Thermite (explosive)
Hydrogen
Tail Heavy
Grounding of ship
St. Elmo’s Fire
What went wrong?
Potential difference slowly rose
High tension towards back of ship
Broken shear wire punctures gas cell
Spark ignites free gas particles
From Dr. Hugo Eckener
Most Likely Scenario
Name forever associated with tragedy and technological disaster
End of Airship travel
Rise of the Airplane
Impact
Girlfriend allegedly had communist ties
Had access to area where fire started
Dry-Cell battery found in wreckage
Eric Spehl
No credible evidence ever found to support sabotage
“the Hindenburg was destroyed accidently by unusual but natural causes.”
Bottom Line
http://www.airships.net/hindenburg/disaster
http://www.airships.net/blog/hindenburg-covering-rocket-fuel
http://history1900s.about.com/cs/disasters/a/hindenburgcrash_2.htm