The Hindenburg in Flames: How a Photograph Marked the End of the Airship

The Hindenburg in Flames: How a Photograph Marked the End of the Airship — page 1
Chapter One A LANDING GONE WRONG For the people of New York City May 6 1937 was just another Thursday another workday in the city of 7 million people The weather forecast for the day was mostly cloudy and cool with showers in the morning Readers of The New York Times who scanned the headlines saw news from overseas They also saw a story about efforts in Congress to give less money to people who were out of work The United States and most of the world were still suffering from the Great Depression The economic downturn which had begun in 1929 had cost millions of people their jobs Turning to page eight of The Times readers might have noticed a small article about the delayed arrival of the airship Hindenburg The giant aircraft was supposed to have docked that morning at the Naval Air Station in Lakehurst New Jersey about 50 miles 80 kilometers south of New York City But on May 5 as the Hindenburg neared the Atlantic coast of Canada it ran into stiff winds that slowed its progress As The Times reported With the dirigible slowed to 42 knots according to reports received by American Airlines plans to land at Lakehurst N J at 6 a m today were abandoned Now the airship would land at 6 p m that evening The Hindenburg was scheduled to leave that night for its return to Europe across the Atlantic Ocean The Times assured readers that speedy re-fueling will enable the airship to start its return trip at midnight