80 years ago on this date, when attempting to land near New York, the airship "Hindenburg" bursts into flames. 36 people died in the accident.
"The airship, which was named after German President Paul von Hindenburg, originally had 50 beds, which were increased to 72 at the beginning of 1937. The designers of the aircraft have created a luxurious flying hotel in a completely modern design. Aluminum profiles covered in red or orange damask are used for the chairs and armchairs. The tables were also made of aluminum.
Converted into today's money, one ticket for a transoceanic flight with the "Hindenburg" was worth 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 a shower cabin, a restaurant with 10 tables, a lounge (with a lightweight aluminum grand piano), a special smoking room, a panoramic observation floor, etc. n.
Creation of architects
All the furnishings on board the airship were the work of the design bureau of Fritz August Breuhaus, who strongly opposed the idea of the furniture being made 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 graphics, Otto Arpke, who used the technique of drawing on silk. He borrowed his motives from the round-the-world trip of the predecessor of the Hindenburg, the LZ-127 zeppelin, which showed views of China, Alaska, and a world map with the zeppelin routes.
"Hindenburg" began regular passenger flights in May 1936 and in 12 months made 37 flights over the Atlantic Ocean. The journey usually took two and a half days, depending on the direction of the wind. With a headwind, the maximum speed reached 150 km/h, and the shortest flight took 43 hours. In the western direction - from Frankfurt am Main to New York - on average the trip took 60 hours, and about 50 hours on the return trip. For passengers, this means two nights in cabins with bunk beds. The ladder for the upper bunk was also made of lightweight aluminum using a technology that was ahead of its time.
Revolutionary innovations
The folding stool, which was the only piece of furniture in the cabin apart from the ladder, was styled 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 prototypes of the hot-air balloons of the Montgolfier brothers to the various Zeppelins.
Since the tanks of the "Hindenburg" were filled with hydrogen rather than helium as originally intended, strict fire regulations were in place on board. Smoking was only allowed in the special double-insulated smoking room, and all cigarettes, matches and any devices that could cause a spark were confiscated from passengers upon boarding the airship. 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, there was an express ban on any open sources of heat and light. The lighters in the smoking room also worked electrically. Passengers were entitled to a maximum of 20 kg. luggage, huge suitcases-wardrobes were not accepted on board. There were also restrictions on airmail - parcels larger than 50x50x100 cm were not loaded onto the zeppelins.
At the time of the crash with the "Hindenburg" his fellow and exact copy "Graf Zeppelin" was under construction. However, it never flew with passengers, because in the meantime the use of hydrogen to fill airships was banned, and replacing it with helium turned out to be economically unprofitable.