THE GREAT AIRSHIPS - THE TRAGEDIES AND TRIUMPHS: FROM THE HINDENBURG TO THE CARGO CARRIERS OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM

The majesty of the airship is undeniable, but its history has been turbulent. In 1937 one of the most famous airships ever, the Hindenburg, came to a catastrophic end in New Jersey. Its destruction by fire, with great loss of life, almost brought about the end of the airship as a means of transport, but now, at the turn of the twentieth century, a new age of the airship is dawning. Technological developments and improved safety measures have once again encouraged aviators to take flight in airships, and even to consider launching them into outer space.

Imagine floating above cities and towns, fields and plains, mountains and hills, in luxurious comfort: the Hindenburg was the result of these dreams, but its unforeseen demise nearly ended them. At the end of the Second World War the airship made a comeback, although limited to mainly military and commercial uses. Today the need for fuel efficient and more comfortable forms of transport has seen a resurgence of these splendid balloons and modern technology will ensure their greater safety. The future may see a new generation of airships which will eradicate the catastrophic image of the Hindenburg, and reinstate another golden age of travel.

The Great Airships examines the history of this gracious form of flight, pausing to detail the dramatic story of the greatest of airships, the Hindenburg, from its inception to its maiden voyage and horrifying conclusion. Despite almost disappearing from our skies during the years after the Hindenburg disaster the airship is today once again providing food for the imagination with new concepts for cargo carriers, massive TV screens for advertising, and space landing stations planned for the coming millennium. The Great Airships is a celebration of this most grand aircraft, giving giving a detailed and informative history from the earliest years of the century to the present day, and on in to the 21st century.

CONTENTS 

• Prologue 
• Dawn Breaks 
• The Golden Age 
• Icarus Falls 
• Pride of the Reich 
• The Voyages of the Great Ship 
• The Dream Ends
• The Legacy 
• Index