Crew Areas and Keel

Other than the control car, the crew and work areas aboard Hindenburg were primarily located along the keel, including officer and crew sleeping quarters, the radio room, post office, electrical room, work rooms, and rope handling areas for the mooring lines.

Hindenburg keel - plan view (Drawing courtesy David Fowler)

Hindenburg keel – plan view (Drawing courtesy David Fowler)

Fuel, fresh water, and ballast tanks were also located along the keel, as were cargo storage areas. The keel also offered access to the engine cars, and the auxiliary control and docking station in the tail, and ladders at Rings 62, 123.5, and 188 offered access to the axial catwalk at the center of the ship.  A section of B Deck included Hindenburg’s kitchen and separate mess areas for the officers and crew.

Hindenburg Radio Room, Electrical Room, and Crew Sleeping Quarters

The area along the keel toward the bow of the ship included Hindenburg’s radio room, electrical room, and sleeping quarters for certain members of the crew.

Hindenburg keel, forward

Hindenburg keel, forward

Radio Room

Hindenburg Radio Room

Hindenburg Radio Room

Hindenburg’s radio room contained both long wave and short wave 200 watt radios, powered by batteries, which allowed the ship to communicate both telegraphically (by morse code) and also by voice.

Hindenburg’s long wave trasmitter had a 120 meter (393 foot) trailing antenna which could be deployed or retrieved with an electrically-powered winch; the short wave transmitter had a 26 meter (85 foot) trailing antenna which was manually deployed.  The ship also had a 15 meter (50 foot) fixed antenna which was used only for receiving.

In case of radio or electrical failure, there was also a small emergency radio set in the bow which was powered by a stationary bicycle attached to a small generator.

Hinenburg’s radio equipment also included direction finding navigation radios, which were located in the navigation room of the control car.

Electrical Room

Electrical power for the ship was provided by two 50-65 h.p. Daimler-Benz “OM-65” diesel engines connected to Siemens generators, located in an electrical room. The generators could produce 35 KW of electricity which was fed through two systems, one at 220 volts and one at 24 volts. Either motor by itself could produce enough electricity for the ship’s needs, allowing one to be shut down for maintenance without affecting the operation of the ship.

Hindenburg Electrical Room

Hindenburg Electrical Room

The electrical room also contained the ship’s master gyro compass and a 5.7 million candlepower Hefner searchlight which could illuminate the ground or sea below the ship.

The room was make of thick aluminum sheets and was entered through an airlock; the room was kept at positive pressure to prevent any free hydrogen from entering the room.  The electrical room also had a hatch for access to the outside when the airship was on the ground.

Sleeping Quarters for Officers and Crew

Sleeping quarters for the officers and crew were located within the hull of the ship along the keel. The officers shared a compartment with twelve bunks, located in Bay 14 just forward of the control car, and the commander had a private cabin in the same area. There was a 22-bunk sleeping area for the crew in Bay 11, just aft of the passenger accommodations, and there were twelve additional bunks located toward the stern in Bay 5.

Hindenburg Crew Bunks

Hindenburg crew bunks, along the keel

Hindenburg Cargo Storage

The Hindenburg’s keel also contained several areas for storage of cargo and freight.

Cargo storage along Hindenburg's keel

Cargo storage along Hindenburg’s keel

Hindenburg B Deck: Kitchen and Mess Areas

The port section of B Deck, just below the main passenger deck, housed the ship’s kitchen, connected by a dumbwaiter to the serving pantry on A Deck, and separate mess areas for the officers and the crew.

B Deck (Drawing courtesy David Fowler)

Hindenburg galley on B Deck

Hindenburg galley on B Deck

Galley

Hindenburg galley on B Deck

B Deck: Crew mess, with photographs of Hitler and Hindenburg (left); Officers mess (right)

B Deck: Crew mess, with photographs of Hitler and Hindenburg (left); Officers mess (right)

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Ralph Avery
Ralph Avery

How were the hydrogen bladders attached to the frame of the ship?

Thad Anthony
Thad Anthony

Very interesting layout of the interior. I noticed that in the keel layout diagram, it appears the crew quarters have windows, but I can’t find any photographs that would support that premise. Does anyone know if any of the crew quarters were provided with window? Officers maybe?

Darell
Darell

1.Using modern avionics and material now available would it be possible with either helium or hydrogen to build a working airship using the Hindenburg design.

Bartholomew Busby
Bartholomew Busby

With advances in solar electricity collection and computer navigation, another Hindenburg disaster would be nearly impossible, even without using non-flammable helium, by removing all combustion aspects from the plans. Alas, it would be like rebuilding the Titanic, the ships are obsolete, too expensive, too temperamental, and too slow

Eric C.
Eric C.

Realistically upon looking into the helium/hydrogen situation it would appear most of the reason zeppelins and airships went out of style was all of the disasters proximity to one another and WWII incentivizing aircraft design. Realistically with modern engineering and safety practices there’s no scientific reason not to bring airships… Read more »

Alan
Alan

I understand that the original mast on the top of the Empire State Building was intended to be a mooring mast for dirigibles. If this was true, how did the passengers (or even the crew) embark or disembark from the ship? It would seem to me that you would have… Read more »

Hitech
Hitech

The observation level on floor 102 of the Empire State Building was intended to be the embarkment / disembarkment walkway. (Info from Wikipedia).

Barry V Redmond
Barry V Redmond

What a great informative insight into the Hindenberg. The photos of the interior are priceless. Such a refined civilized way to travel, no jetlag, comfortable surroundings, and just such a shame it had a disastrous ending. It will forever be remembered like the Titanic.Thank you for compiling this amazing webpage.Cheers!!!

Mickey Hanson
Mickey Hanson

I understand meals were served in shifts. What were the shifts?

Chucks
Chucks

Sunday, 29 Mar 2015.

My left eye is on the Smithsonian Channel Hindenburg video and my right eye is deep in this website. Absolutely fascinating!

louis brewsell

I have been very keen listening, watching films and reading stories about the Hindenburg Air Ship. I have grown to be very interested in the history. So I have decided to build a radio control model which I commenced two years ago and still in construction. My aim to introduce… Read more »

Nathan Van Coops
Nathan Van Coops

Hello Dan, Great photos and information. Your site and Patrick Russell’s have been extraordinary in their explanations. I have two questions that I have not been able to find answers to so I thought I would ask. #1 Is there any information on the second dog being carried on board?… Read more »

Patrick Russell

Hi Nathan, I’m glad you like the blog. I’m always glad to see that folks are finding it and learning new things from it. Unfortunately, I’ve never found much information about Fred Muller’s dog, who was lost along with Spah’s dog Ulla in the Hindenburg crash. Other than the fact… Read more »

RALPH VERDU

I WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 YEARS OLD WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN AROUND 1938 GIVE OR TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS. A DIRIGIBLE (ASSUMED IT WAS THE GRAF)‚ SLOWLY DRIFTED DOWN THE OHIO VALLEY. US CHILDREN RAN UNDERNEATH YELLING UP TO THE PASSENGERS WHICH WERE HANGING OUT OF THE WINDOWS. IT WAS… Read more »