LZ-129 Hindenburg was the first airliner to provide regularly-scheduled service between Europe and North America.
While the airship is better remembered for the fiery Hindenburg disaster of 1937 than for its many technological achievements, it was the fastest and most comfortable way to cross the Atlantic in its day.
LZ-129 Hindenburg: A Detailed History
Origins of LZ-129 Hindenburg The astounding success of the Graf Zeppelin had proved the viability of long range passenger transportation by airship, and by the...
The Hindenburg's Interior: Passenger Decks
The interior spaces on the Hindenburg were divided into three main areas: Passenger Decks Control Car Crew Areas The passenger accommodation aboard Hindenburg was contained within the...
Hindenburg Flight Operations and Procedures
An overview of flight operations and flight procedures of the airship Hindenburg. [To learn about the “hardware” of flight — the flight instruments and controls...
Hindenburg Design and Technology
Hindenburg’s Basic Design The basic design of LZ-129 Hindenburg was conventional, and based on time-tested technology used by chief designer Ludwig Dürr and the Zeppelin...
Hindenburg Statistics
LZ-129 Hindenburg statistics: Length: 245 m / 803.8 feet Diameter: 41.2 m / 135.1 feet Gas capacity: 200,000 cubic meters / 7,062,000 cubic feet Lift:...
Hindenburg Flight Schedule
A list of all flights of the airship Hindenburg, with dates, departures, and arrivals. For details on particular flights, visit: Hindenburg Disaster: The Last Flight...
The Hindenburg Disaster
The Hindenburg disaster at Lakehurst, New Jersey on May 6, 1937 brought an end to the age of the rigid airship. The disaster killed 35...
Hi, great site. I’m wondering if you can help me find the route The Hindenburg flew for the propaganda flights when they dropped leaflets. Any ideas? Particularly wondering if there were an propaganda flights over or around Frankfurt. Thanks!
Dan can you orient people who travel out of the Frankfort airport now where the Hindenburg and Graf Zeppelins hangars were located.
I think I sort of have my answer as I compared the site of Zeppelinheim now on a map to a map of the airfield made in the late 1930’s I think that the hangars were where the new terminal is going to be where the site of the former… Read more »
I had no idea that Hindenburg used duraluminum from R-101. That is pretty spooky. Great website!
Dan,
Any idea what happened to the remains of the Hindenburg after the crash? It would be interesting to imagine all that aluminum eventually being made into B-17s and sent back to Germany, so to speak.
John
What was left was sent back to Germany for an evaluation of “what went wrong”. The only remaining parts are at a Museum in Friedrichshaften Germany on Lake Constance. What I saw was the docking point of the airship and 1 of the 12 cylinder motors. A very cool place… Read more »
I have a printed list of travellers (crew + passengers) on the Hindenburg’s journey from Rio de Janeiro on 2 December 1936. I’m happy to send a scan of it to anyone who would find this information of interest.
Colin
Hi Dan! A few weeks ago I had to make an offer for a huge (1/5 scale), flying “Hindenburg” model for a movie project and I finally got asked if it would be possible to recreate the “Hindenburg” in 1/1 scale…!!! My rather superficial research resulted in a devastating answer.… Read more »
Dear Dan,
Thanks for the photo from the Daimler-Benz
diesel engine, 890 kW (1,200 hp) of the Hindenburg.
Rubens Borges.
hi, great web-site. just one quick question, by todays standards how much would it cost to build the Hindenberg???
@ Eliot: Thanks for the compliment! As to the cost of building the Hindenburg in today’s currency… that would be quite a task even for a highly qualified cost accountant. Even determining how much it cost to build Hindenburg in the 1930’s is a challenge; which expenses do you include?… Read more »
i did a bit more resurch and estemated a cost of
$43,193,503.09 to build the hindenberg today!!!
Can you let us know how you calculated that estimate?
sure, take the $2,600,000 put it through measuringworth and then pick the top one on the list…
Hi dan,
I would like to know if you have a photo from the Daimler-Benz diesel engines, 890 kW (1,200 hp) of the Hindenburg ,and the name of the propeller.
@ Rubens: Hindenburg had four Daimler LOF-6 engines, developed from the MB-502 which had been designed for use in high-speed motor-torpedo boats. The engines were of a V16 design (vertically mounted 16 cylinder engines with four valves per cylinder) and drove fixed-pitch four-bladed Heine wooden propellers. The engines could develop… Read more »
Hey Dan,
I am doing a social studies project about the Hindenburg Disaster. I have a question about what the skin of the zeppelin was covered in. Any ideas?
Best Regards,
Zack
@ Zack: Yes, I think I can help. 🙂 Hindenburg’s covering was made of cotton canvas which had been doped (painted) with a solution of cellulose acetate butyrate (sold under the trade name “Cellon”) to which aluminum powder had been added. Iron oxide was also added to the dope applied… Read more »