Glass Plates

For the first time since the war the British Fleet visited a German pPort, when the Battleships Dorsetshire and Norfolk, paid an official visit to Kiel Harbour. PHOTO SHOWS:- The Dorsetshire and Norfolk in Kiel Harbour during the visit. July 5th 1931

With the trend of the world's dirigible designers towards the creation of bigger and better airships, with the consequent increase in the dangers and difficulties of mooring them, a great future is predicted for a new mooring mast perfected by D.Alfred Lee Wilkes of Los Angeles. With this new mast air liners will be moored fore and aft, and automatically kept "bow on" to the wind no matter how frequently it changes direction, with the aid of the rotary device. PHOTO SHOWS:- Dr.Alfred Lee Wilkes with the model of his new rotary mooring device for airships. 2 December 1930

Mr.R.Leach, hero of the R.101 disaster was decorated with the Albert Medal by the King at the Investiture held at Buckingham Palace, London. PHOTO SHOWS:- Mr.R.Leach leaving the Palace after being decorated. 25 June 1931.

For the first time the Graf Zeppelin made a landing on water when she landed on the Boldensee, Lake Constance, a few miles from Friedrichschafen. PHOTO SHOWS:- The Graf Zeppelin landing on the water for the first time. 24 June 1931

After several trial flights from Friedrichshafen, Germany’s gigantic new airship “Hindenburg” has been pronounced “all correct” by experts. Officials of the German Air Ministry were passengers on the last trial. Photo shows: Workmen gripping the navigation gondola of the “Hindenburg” as the airship was steered into her hanger after her last trial flight at Friedrichshafen. SCH March 7th 1936 FN.r. 51072

After several trial flights from Friedrichshafen, Germany’s gigantic new airship “Hindenburg” has been pronounced “all correct” by experts. Officials of the German Air Ministry were passengers on the last trial. Photo shows: Workmen hauling on the cables as the "Hindenburg" was landed after her last trial flight at Friedrichschafen. March 7th 1936 51071

# Clipboard Preliminary tests by the United States War Department are being carried out at Akron, with the largest non-rigid airship ever built. The "blimp" will be known as the TC13 and is more than 200 feet long. It can carry a "pay load" of men ammunition, arms and supplies weighting nearly five tons. Photo shows: The world's largest "blimp" being prepared for a test at Akron U.S.A. US April 8th 1933 PN 30432

The Soviet airship U.S.S.R. V-6 has established a new world endurance record for dirigibles, having landed at Moscow after completing a 130-hour flight without refuelling. The V-6 took off from Moscow on September 29 and surpassed by 11 hours the record established in 1935 by the Graf Zeppelin. Unfavourable weather, rain and fog, was encountered during most of the 5½ day flight. U.S.S.R. V-6, with a fleet of sister ships, is scheduled next year to serve the first Soviet passenger freight dirigible line, covering a distance of 1,000 miles between Moscow and Sverdlevak, the former Ekaterinburg, in the Urals. This line will have the only woman dirigible commander in the world. Photo shows: A picture just received in London of the U.S.S.R. V-6 as she started her endurance record attempt at Moscow. UB October 5th 1937 PN.r. 69973

35 die as Hindenburg explodes and falls. Sabotage suspected. Carrying thirty-five people to death in her flaming envelope, the “Hindenburg”, world’s largest airship, exploded and crashed in a blazing mass in a thunder storm as she was morning at her special mast at Lakehurst, New Jersey. Many of the dead leaped to the ground as the blazing airship was falling and were trapped beneath the flaming wreckage. One survivor threw her sons from a window and jumped herself. There were 97 people aboard the giant Zeppelin. Her designer, Dr. Hugo Eckener, has put forward a theory that the explosion was due to sabotage. US May 7th 1937 PN.g. 64307 / 64310

Photo shows: A United States Army blimp soaring over San Fransisco Bay, near the Golden Gate, with San Francisco, California’s great capital, stretching away in background. US April 12th 1937. 63375

Beside the still smoking wreckage of the giant dirigible, officials of the Board of Investigation of the American Department of Commerce opened an inquiry into the disaster to the “Hindenburg”, world’s largest airship, which exploded and crashed with the loss of 36 lives when mooring at Lakehurst, New Jersey. German officials travelled from Berlin for the investigation. Photo shows: Twelve-year-old Werner Franz, cabin boy on the “Hindenburg”, at the inquiry with Dennis Mulligan (left), a member of the Board of Investigation, and Commander Charles E. Rosendahl, U.S. Navy, who gave evidence. US May 18th 1937. PN.g. 64632

Beside the still smoking wreckage of the giant dirigible, officials of the Board of Investigation of the American Department of Commerce opened an inquiry into the disaster to the "Hindenburg", world's largest airship, which exploded and crashed with the loss of 36 lives when mooring at Lakehurst, New Jersey. Photo shows: Members of the Board of Investigation examining the twisted wreckage of the Hindenburg at Lakehurst. May 18th 1937. 64631

Despite the disaster to the giant Zeppelin "Hindenburg", work is proceeding at Friedrichshafen on the construction of LZ 130, Germany's newest and greatest airship. The LZ 130 is expected to excel the Hindenburg as a provider of luxurious air travel, and special attention is being paid to safety. Photo shows: A view from inside the gigantic skeleton of LZ 130 at Friedrichshafen. May 15th 1937. 64401

Survivors of the R 101 gave evidence at the resumed inquiry into the causes of the disaster at the institute of Civil Engineers, London. Photo shows: Left to right. Leaving after giving evidence at the inquiry - Engineer V.Savory: Engineer A.V.Bell: Engineer A.J.Cook and his wife. Behind (seen between Bell and Cook) is Mr.Henry J. Leech, the foreman engineer who has just been awarded the Albert Medal for entering the burning wreckage of the R 101 and rescuing a companion, after he had himself escaped. 31 October 1930. 14996

The three survivors of the R 101 disaster gave evidence at the inquiry into the causes of the crash, at the Institute of Civil Engineers, London. Photo shows: Engineer A.J.Cook, one of the three survivors of the R 101 arriving with his wife to attend and give evidence at the inquiry. A 31 October 1930. PN. 14995

The three survivors of the R 101 disaster gave evidence at the inquiry into the causes of the crash, at the Institute of Civil Engineers, London. Photo shows: Engineer A.J.Cook, one of the three survivors of the R 101 arriving with his wife to attend and give evidence at the inquiry. A 31 October 1930. PN. 14995

Photo shows: Sir John Simon, President of the Court, arriving at the Institute of Civil Engineers to open the inquiry into the cause of the R 101 disaster. D 23 October 1930. PN 14888