The German zeppelin Hindenburg , the largest airship ever built , exploded and crashed while essay to land at the Naval Air Station at Lakehurst , N.J. , on May 6 , 1937 .
The Hindenburg had safely made 10 pear-shaped - trip flight of steps between Germany and the U.S. before its disastrous final journeying . Here , the Hindenburg is in Frankfurt , Germany , after completing a record 48 hours in the breeze , May 15 , 1936 .
The Hindenburg was a luxury dirigible , capable of carrying people and cargo across the Atlantic Ocean in a comfortable two - day journeying . The only other realistic choice for crossing the ocean at the meter was on an ocean liner , which was more spacious but drive about a week . Here , the Hindenburg fly over New York City on its way to Lakehurst , N.J.
The interior of the Hindenburg let in a telephone number of passenger amenity , include a dining room , a lounge with a lightweight grand pianissimo , a promenade with view of the human beings below , and a smoke way , which was pressurized to keep flammable hydrogen aside from open flame . Here , a barkeeper stands behind the Hindenburg ’s bar .
The Hindenburg ’s ascendence and navigation rooms were housed in a cabin under the ship . This is a view of the Hindenburg ’s cockpit .
dirigible landing were unreliable affaire , requiring the crew onboard to precisely even the craft while men on the ground used mooring stock to pull it in safely . Gusts of wind could send airship aloft again , leaving the men to select between hanging on and falling , either of which could lead to injury or death . Here , dry land crew members contend to stabilise the Hindenburg as it record its mooring after a flying on May 20 , 1936 .
On May 6 , 1937 , the Hindenburg caught fire while landing at Lakehurst Naval Air Station . Thirty - five of the 97 people aboard were killed , along with one soul on the ground .
Although the precise cause of the plosion has never been determined , the general consensus is that a spark ignited the hydrogen flatulency that kept the Hindenburg afloat . The Hindenburg was made to use helium rather than hydrogen , which was much safer but also heavier . However , Germany did n’t have enough atomic number 2 to fill the airship and had to use hydrogen rather .
The key , also known as dope , used to make the skin of the Hindenburg waterproof helped the fire spread . The dope contained iron oxide and aluminum powder , which mix to form thermite . The entire ship was steep in flame in 34 seconds .
People onboard leapt from window and catwalk to break away the fire . Members of the priming coat crew fled from the gate-crash vessel , then returned to attempt to pull survivors from the wreckage .
Of the 97 people onboard , 62 outlast , although many of the survivors were severely injured . The disaster followed several other dirigible crashes in the 1920s and ' 30 and effectively put an end to commercial dirigible travel .
A lonely soldier hold the remains of the Hindenburg . An extensive investigating follow the crash to specify whether the explosion was the mathematical product of sabotage , most likely in protest of the Nazi government . Sabotage has never been proven .
At the scene of the crash , Department of Commerce inspectors George W. Lossow ( leftover , lid and grey pelage ) and J. E. Sommers ( dark coat , exposed ) examine the forward port motor of the Hindenburg on May 20 , 1937 . Other life-sustaining parts are covered to protect them for late inspection .
In increase to carrying masses , the Hindenburg carried mail and other cargo . This postcard was salvage from the wreckage .
The Hindenburg ’s final flight was its return to service after being refit over the winter , which is why reporters were wait at Lakehurst . This press pass belonged to Arthur Cofod , a courier send to pick up photos being delivered on the airship for Life Magazine . Cofod used his own Leica camera to record the disaster , and his photographs ended up being published in Life . The coverage of the disaster also admit Herb Morrison ’s famous " Oh , the humanity , " which was recorded for Chicago radio set station WLS and send slide - to - seashore via NBC .
