The Hindenburg Remains

Canon PowerShot S100

ƒ/2

5.2 mm

1/20

1600

A rare and rarified find, hollow and airy to the touch…

This twisted duralumin beam with bolted hinge was part of the Hindenburg’s superstructure, retrieved from the wreckage of the disaster at Lakehurst, New Jersey, 75 years ago. Much of the aircraft was incinerated, and most of duralumin was retained by the Zeppelin Company and sent back to Germany for examination and recycling into military aircraft.

The Hindenburg was the largest aircraft ever built. The disaster shattered public confidence in the Zeppelin, and marked the end of the airship era.

This relic was featured in the 20th century film The Hindenburg.

12 responses to “The Hindenburg Remains”

jurvetson

Dec 23, 2012 at 6:37 am

Here is a size comparison to the largest aircraft, such as the Spruce Goose:

and the iconic image of its demise…

From that photo, I always thought it was sparking-distance from the tower…. But that is a structure in the foreground. The Zeppelin burst into flame in the open, 200 feet in the air:

It is roughly the size of the Titanic, going through a rapid airborne version of a sinking airship…

Gone in 60 seconds… (first flame to total immolation took less than 37 seconds):

(click photo for a 5-second video)

Reply
eye of einstein

Dec 23, 2012 at 6:39 am

I’ve seen the spruce goose – it was too big to photograph where it is indoors

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thepretenda

Dec 23, 2012 at 7:24 am

Wow! What a piece of history!

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seatonsnet

Dec 23, 2012 at 12:15 pm

I keep hearing that airships are going to make a comeback. Cheap to run, land anywhere, could open whole new areas to industry etc. Also very climate friendly, ecological and all that stuff.

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jurvetson

Dec 23, 2012 at 7:51 pm

Absolutely… Zeppelin NT…. better than Windows NT…

more photos.

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seatonsnet

Dec 23, 2012 at 9:31 pm

I like the idea of crossing the Atlantic in a blimp, or traveling over the Amazon jungle at that speed, better than those horrible cruise ships that run aground.

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Chucil

Dec 23, 2012 at 10:33 pm

Thank you! Never knew this before. You’re a remarkable storyteller.

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BWJones

Dec 23, 2012 at 11:44 pm

People forget just how *big* these lighter than air ships were. Imagine what that must have been like to see those zeppelins flying above cities.

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rocketmavericks

Dec 24, 2012 at 3:08 am

Hey, you took a picture above my house!

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bike-R

Dec 24, 2012 at 3:38 am

the Zeppelin hangers are still there and we had a delivery to one in late 70’s HUGE DOES NOT DESCRIBE the buildings these ships were stored in, a plaque is on the spot where the zep went down, OH THE HUMANITY!!!!!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F54rqDh2mWA

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.schtieF

Dec 25, 2012 at 11:32 pm

its name was Hindenburg 😉

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jurvetson

Dec 26, 2012 at 5:16 am

thanks! fixed now. I got it wrong half the time.

Reply

The Hindenburg Remains

12 responses to “The Hindenburg Remains”

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