80 years ago on this date, while attempting to land near New York, the airship "Hindenburg" burst into flames. The accident killed 36 people.
"The airship, which was named after German President Paul von Hindenburg, originally had 50 beds, which were increased to 72 in early 1937. The aircraft's designers created a luxurious flying hotel in a completely modern design. Aluminum profiles were used for the chairs and armchairs, covered in red or orange fabric. The tables were also made of aluminum.
Converted into today's money, a ticket for a transatlantic flight on the "Hindenburg" cost between 10,000 and 25,000 euros. But the flight was worth the money, because the air giant offered unprecedented luxury at the time: double cabins with shower cabins, a restaurant with 10 tables, a lounge (with a lightweight aluminum grand piano), a special smoking room, a panoramic observation deck, etc.
A creation of architects
All the furniture on board the airship was the work of the design bureau of Fritz August Breuhaus, who firmly opposed the idea of the furnishings being designed in the bombastic style of Hitler's two leading architects - Paul-Ludwig Trost and Albert Speer. The thin walls of the airship were decorated with paintings by the famous Berlin professor of graphic arts Otto Arpke, who used the technique of painting on silk for this purpose. He borrowed his motives from the round-the-world journey of the predecessor of the "Hindenburg", the zeppelin LZ-127, which showed views of China, Alaska and a world map with the routes of the zeppelins.
"Hindenburg" began regular passenger flights in May 1936 and in 12 months made 37 trips over the Atlantic Ocean. The trip usually lasted two and a half days, depending on the direction of the wind. With a tailwind, the maximum speed reached 150 km/h, and the shortest flight took 43 hours. In the westward direction - from Frankfurt am Main to New York - the trip took an average of 60 hours, and about 50 hours on the return trip. For passengers, this meant two nights in cabins with bunk beds. The ladder to the upper berth was also made of lightweight aluminum using technology that was ahead of its time.
Revolutionary innovations
The folding stool, which was the only piece of furniture in the cabin besides the ladder, was designed in a modern classic style. In the smoking lounge, Otto Arpke had arranged an exhibition on modern aviation - from Francesco de Lana-Terzi's unrealized project for a vacuum sphere flying device, through the first models of hot air balloons of the Montgolfier brothers to the various Zeppelins.
Since the tanks of the "Hindenburg" were filled with hydrogen, and not helium as originally planned, strict fire regulations applied on board. Smoking was allowed only in a special double-insulated smoking room; when boarding the airship, all cigarettes, matches, and any devices that could cause a spark were confiscated from passengers. All crew members were required to wear special antistatic clothing and shoes with insulated soles.
Strict security measures
The kitchen was equipped with electrical appliances, and there was an explicit ban on any open sources of heat and light. The lighters in the smoking room also worked on an electrical principle. Passengers were allowed a maximum of 20 kg. of luggage; huge suitcases were not accepted on board. There were also restrictions on air mail - shipments larger than 50x50x100 cm were not loaded onto the zeppelins.
At the time of the Hindenburg disaster its sibling and exact copy, the "Graf Zeppelin", was under construction. However, it never flew with passengers because in the meantime the use of hydrogen to fill airships had been banned, and replacing it with helium proved to be economically unprofitable.