lz 130 Graf Zeppelin II über Flugfeld-Hangar

Die Henry Cord Meyer LTA Collection enthält Professor Meyers Forschungen zur politischen, militärischen und kommerziellen Entwicklung von Luftschiffen in Deutschland, Großbritannien und den Vereinigten Staaten. Neben den politischen und militärischen Implikationen von Luftschiffen untersuchte er soziale und wirtschaftliche Aspekte und verglich den Betrieb der Zeppelingesellschaften Schütte-Lanz und Luftschiffbau (LBZ) in Friedrichshafen, des britischen Luftfahrtministeriums in Cardington, England, und der Goodyear Zeppelin Corporation in Akron, Ohio. Zu den untersuchten Luftschiffen gehören das LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin, das LZ 129 Hindenburg und das LZ 130 Graf Zeppelin II, die britischen Luftschiffe R-100 und R-101 sowie die Luftschiffe der US-Marine USS Shenandoah (ZR-1), USS Los Angeles (ZRS-3), USS Akron (ZRS-4) und USS Macon (ZRS-5).

The LZ 130 Graf Zeppelin II was a German passenger airship that was built in the late 1930s. It was the successor to the famous LZ 129 Hindenburg and was intended to be used for transatlantic flights. However, the Graf Zeppelin II never entered commercial service due to the onset of World War II. Instead, it was used for a number of military and research purposes, including conducting bombing raids and carrying out high-altitude experiments. It was eventually decommissioned in 1940 and was scrapped in 1941. Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH best known for its leading role in the design and manufacture of rigid airships, commonly referred to as Zeppelins, was founded by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in 1908. Luftschiffbau Zeppelin became the leading manufacturer of large lighter-than-air vehicles. During the First World War, Zeppelins were employed as the first long-distance strategic bombers. After World War One all remaining zeppelins were claimed by the Allies as war reparations. Following Count von Zeppelin's death in 1917, control of Luftschiffbau Zeppelin fell to Dr. Hugo Eckener, an enthusiastic proponent of the civil value of airships who led the construction of the largest rigid airships in history, including the LZ 129 Hindenburg. The LZ Group's capital contribution came primarily from its two airships LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin and LZ 129 Hindenburg. A transatlantic airline Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei (German Zeppelin Transport Company) was incorporated on 22 March 1935 as a joint venture between Zeppelin Luftschiffbau, the Ministry of Aviation, and Deutsche Luft Hansa. In the mid-1930s it operated commercial passenger zeppelin flights including regular transatlantic service to South and North America. Hugo Eckener intended to run against Hitler in the 1932 presidential election and after the Nazis won, Reich Minister of Aviation Hermann Göring created a special agency to extend Party control over LZ Group. On 6 May 1937, the LZ 129 Hindenburg caught fire and exploded while mooring in Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 35 people as well as Ernst Lehmann, the Company director. Hindenburg was covered by insurance of 6 million RM, which was paid in full, but the loss of future passenger revenue was not. Public confidence in Zeppelin travel had also been shattered and the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin was immediately grounded on its return flight from Brazil on 8 May 1937. The last pre-war german airship LZ 130 Graf Zeppelin II was launched in September 1938. Over the next 11 months, Graf Zeppelin II made 30 test, promotional, and propaganda tours around Europe. With the advent of World War II, it flew for the last time on 20 August 1939 and never entered the transatlantic passenger service for which it was built. All airships were scrapped in 1940 to produce combat aircraft. On 6 May 1940, a Wehrmacht demolition team destroyed the hangar complexes at Frankfurt Airport. During the Second World War, the company facilities were hit by Allied bombing raids.