In spite of all our differences, the one thing that binds all living creatures is that we each have an expiration date. This finality to our existence is what makes life special, something to be cherished and protected. But occasionally things can go terribly wrong…
No doubt you’ve seen the infamous video of the fiery crash of the Hindenburg airship. Accompanying the disturbing images is the anguished narrative by American radio reporter, Herbert Morrison. A recent study by audio historian Michael Biel of Morehead State University discovered that the original audio recording was slightly slow, giving Morrison a higher pitch than the deeper bass he was known for. Biel has redubbed the video to reflect what is believed to be the true sound of Morrison’s voice.
The giant zeppelin made history with her maiden transatlantic flight in May 1936. The 800-foot long, hydrogen-filled behemoth had a top-speed of 82 miles/hour and range of over 8,000 miles. On the night of May 3, 1937, the Hindenburg left Frankfurt for Lakehurst, New Jersey. This was the first transatlantic trip of the 1937 season. The crossing over the Atlantic Ocean was uneventful.
The Hindenburg arrived in Lakehurst around 7pm to begin landing procedure. Shifting winds resulted in a few missed attempts. At 7:25 pm, witnesses saw fabric in the zeppelin’s upper fin flutter as if gas was leaking. At the same time, another witness saw what looked like static electricity moving up the hull from the bottom. Immediately after this, witnesses reported a small flame near the fin. Then the Hindenburg caught fire and quickly became engulfed in flames. (more)
Morrison and engineer Charlie Nielsen had been sent by WLS in Chicago to cover the Hindenburg arrival “as an experiment in recording news for delayed broadcast. His eye witness description of the disaster was the first coast-to-coast radio broadcast and has become a classic piece of audio history.” (source)
The back motors of the ship are just holding it just enough to keep it from— It’s burst into flames! It burst into flames, and it’s falling, it’s crashing! … Four- or five-hundred feet into the sky and it—it’s a terrific crash, ladies and gentlemen. It’s smoke, and it’s flames now, and the frame is crashing to the ground, not quite to the mooring-mast. Oh, the humanity and all the passengers screaming around here. (more)
Thirty-five people aboard the ship (13 passengers and 22 crew) and one member of the ground crew died. The cause of the fire remains a mystery, but suspected causes include sabotage, static spark, engine exhaust spark, or lightning. Regardless, the accident abruptly ended the use of airships for public transportation. Today’s blimps are used primarily for marketing and photographing sports events and are filled with non-volatile helium.
