Hindenburg: Difference between revisions

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On May 6, 1937, the German airship LZ 129 ''Hindenburg'' was about to land at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, [[Joisey|New Jersey]], after a trans-Atlantic flight from Frankfurt, Germany with 70 passengers aboard. The gigantic airship was a ~~zeppelin -- a~~ lighter-than-air craft like a blimp, but with a rigid internal ~~frame -- and~~ was filled with hydrogen rather than the usual helium.<ref>Helium was only available in the United States at the time, and that country wasn't selling it to any European power.</ref> It was the largest flying machine ever built at 263m in length, about four times the length of a Boeing 747 (and looking especially ''big'' considering since it was usually seen at a much lower altitude in flight), and was used as a commercial craft, like a luxury liner.

On May 6, 1937, the German airship LZ 129 ''Hindenburg'' was about to land at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, [[Joisey|New Jersey]], after a trans-Atlantic flight from Frankfurt, Germany with 70 passengers aboard. The gigantic airship was a zeppelin—a lighter-than-air craft like a blimp, but with a rigid internal frame—and was filled with hydrogen rather than the usual helium.<ref>Helium was only available in the United States at the time, and that country wasn't selling it to any European power.</ref> It was the largest flying machine ever built at 263m in length, about four times the length of a Boeing 747 (and looking especially ''big'' considering since it was usually seen at a much lower altitude in flight), and was used as a commercial craft, like a luxury liner.

One cannot overstate the appeal of these magnificent airships. People would drop what they were doing and rush outside to see one pass overhead. They would take pictures. It was the kind of thing you told your grandchildren about, especially if you got to tour one while it was landed ~~or -- OMG~~! -- ride in one. Cross the technological sophistication of the "Concorde" and the grandeur of "RMS Titanic" and you'll have some idea.

One cannot overstate the appeal of these magnificent airships. People would drop what they were doing and rush outside to see one pass overhead. They would take pictures. It was the kind of thing you told your grandchildren about, especially if you got to tour one while it was landed or—OMG! -- ride in one. Cross the technological sophistication of the "Concorde" and the grandeur of "RMS Titanic" and you'll have some idea.

Due to heavy weather conditions, the ship was already late, and Captain Max Pruss had kept in the air for a few additional hours longer than expected until a storm over Lakehurst cleared up. At around 7 p.m., the ''Hindenburg'' came into Lakehurst and attempted an in-air anchoring (called a "flying mooring") in heavy winds. Newsreel cameras were rolling and veteran radio newscaster Herbert Morrison of WLS was making a test recording (on special phonograph disks) of what he thought was going to be a routine landing with subsequent passenger interviews.

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* [[Intrepid Reporter]] - Herb Morrison is remembered as a hero by radio and television newscasters. He had a long and successful life and career. His assistant Charlie Nehlsen, who actually operated the disc recording machine, should also be remembered; he had the presence of mind to adjust the needle back onto the disc after the massive explosion had jarred it askew (you can hear this, right after Morrison says, "It burst into flames," if you listen carefully).

* [[Made of Explodium]] - Airships were supposed to use helium, which is very stable and nonflammable. But this was available only in and from the United States, which had [[Holding Back the Phlebotinum|imposed a ban on overseas sales for strategic reasons]]. The Germans used the less expensive (and extremely volatile) hydrogen gas instead. If that was not enough, the construction materials involved compounds commonly seen in incendiary weapons, though not in the proportions that would normally be volatile.

** Later studies show that it can't all be blamed on the use of Hydrogen. It's not as volatile as many believe it to ~~be-- Hydrogen~~ will only explode when used in extremely compressed quantities. When it burns instead of explodes, it emits a smokeless, clear, cool(er than normal fire) flame (and of note, around 80% of fire deaths are the result of smoke inhalation, not burns). A study done by the University of Miami demonstrated this: they took two cars, one gasoline-powered and one Hydrogen-powered, and penetrated the tanks, igniting them. The gasoline, being liquid, pooled at the source and eventually exploded into a ball of firey death. The Hydrogen? It was a gas, so it dissipated much more quickly, and it merely burned its fuel supply and sizzled out with very minimal damage. This is not to say that the Hindenburg was NOT Made of Explodium, though. Later studies showed that it was not the Hydrogen that caused most of the damage, but the shell case of the balloon housing. This was made with a solidified chemical that was later used as an important component of ROCKET FUEL. NASA and the descendant of the company that produced the Hindenburg both agree on this find.

** Later studies show that it can't all be blamed on the use of Hydrogen. It's not as volatile as many believe it to be—Hydrogen will only explode when used in extremely compressed quantities. When it burns instead of explodes, it emits a smokeless, clear, cool(er than normal fire) flame (and of note, around 80% of fire deaths are the result of smoke inhalation, not burns). A study done by the University of Miami demonstrated this: they took two cars, one gasoline-powered and one Hydrogen-powered, and penetrated the tanks, igniting them. The gasoline, being liquid, pooled at the source and eventually exploded into a ball of firey death. The Hydrogen? It was a gas, so it dissipated much more quickly, and it merely burned its fuel supply and sizzled out with very minimal damage. This is not to say that the Hindenburg was NOT Made of Explodium, though. Later studies showed that it was not the Hydrogen that caused most of the damage, but the shell case of the balloon housing. This was made with a solidified chemical that was later used as an important component of ROCKET FUEL. NASA and the descendant of the company that produced the Hindenburg both agree on this find.

* [[Nazi Germany]] - The ''Hindenburg'' bore prominent swastikas, Plus, many of the people involved with the ''Hindenburg'' were, of course, Nazis. Its first flights involved dropping leaflets to urge people to vote for Hitler for chancellor. However, manager Hugo Eckener, head of the Zeppelin company and longtime captain of the ''Graf Zeppelin'', was an outspoken anti-Nazi. In fact he quickly named the airship "Hindenburg" after Germany's then-president, before the Nazis could name it the "Adolph Hitler."

* [[Newsreel]] - Most people at the time saw the silent footage from the video cameras, or [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H47x9q5-C2k something like this]. Morrison's audio recording was only dubbed onto these films many years later.

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== Comics ==

* The Don Simpson-illustrated six-issue "Monster Comics" adaptation of ''[[King Kong]]'' was originally to include a scene wherein Kong, at the top of the Empire State Building, [[~~Big~~ ~~Lipped~~ ~~Alligator Moment~~|encounters the Hindenburg flying overhead]]. He is described as becoming "instinctively enraged" by the Swastikas on it ("The symbol of Nazi tyranny!"), and punches it, causing it to crash. Simpson used photos of the actual crash for the panels depicting the Hindenburg's destruction. The scene, totaling two pages, was cut from the sixth and final issue of the comic after it was realized the scene was in poor taste. The deleted scene was included on separate "bonus pages" printed on green paper if you ordered all six issues from Simpson's website.

* The Don Simpson-illustrated six-issue "Monster Comics" adaptation of ''[[King Kong]]'' was originally to include a scene wherein Kong, at the top of the Empire State Building, [[Non Sequitur Scene|encounters the Hindenburg flying overhead]]. He is described as becoming "instinctively enraged" by the Swastikas on it ("The symbol of Nazi tyranny!"), and punches it, causing it to crash. Simpson used photos of the actual crash for the panels depicting the Hindenburg's destruction. The scene, totaling two pages, was cut from the sixth and final issue of the comic after it was realized the scene was in poor taste. The deleted scene was included on separate "bonus pages" printed on green paper if you ordered all six issues from Simpson's website.

* In a speculative ''[[Superman]]'' comic in which Superman is involved in the [[War of the Worlds]], Lois Lane is reporting on the Martian invasion by telephone: "They set the train on fire! All those people! ''The humanity!''" Since this takes place in 1938, Lois may actually be thought of as quoting Morrison.

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== Video Games ==

* ''[[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl]]'' introduced the Ghost/Flying-type, Drifloon, and its evolution, Drifblim, styled after a child's balloon and a hot air balloon, respectively. The [[Black Humor|joke]] of [[Hello, Insert Name Here|naming]] one "Hindenburg" was fairly obvious and commonly done, thanks in part to them learning Explosion and having an Ability whose Japanese name is ''Detonation''. Then the fifth generation of games, whose region is based on an American location (New York City and [[What Do You Mean Its Not Symbolic|New Jersey]]) for the first time gave these Pokémon an Ability exclusive to them that grants a [[Status Buff]] [[Power At a Price|while]] [[Standard Status Effects|Burned]]. Oh yeah, and in this generation Drifblim now [[Black Comedy|learns Explosion at level]] 56<ref>The Hindenburg Disaster occurred on May 6th</ref>, instead of 51...

* ''[[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl]]'' introduced the Ghost/Flying-type, Drifloon, and its evolution, Drifblim, styled after a child's balloon and a hot air balloon, respectively. The [[Black Humor|joke]] of [[Hello, Insert Name Here|naming]] one "Hindenburg" was fairly obvious and commonly done, thanks in part to them learning Explosion and having an Ability whose Japanese name is ''Detonation''. Then the fifth generation of games, whose region is based on an American location (New York City and [[What Do You Mean Its Not Symbolic|New Jersey]]) for the first time gave these Pokémon an Ability exclusive to them that grants a [[Status Buff]] [[Power At a Price|while]] [[Standard Status Effects|Burned]]. Oh yeah, and in this generation Drifblim now [[Black Comedy|learns Explosion at level]] 56,<ref>The Hindenburg Disaster occurred on May 6th</ref> instead of 51...

* ''[[Solatorobo]]'''s first level is aboard an airship named the Hindenburg. Of course, it crashes in [[Kill It with Fire|a ball of flames]], though this time, the culprit is Lares.

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[[Category:Tropes Examined by the Mythbusters]]

[[Category:Joisey]]

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[[Category:Hindenburg]]