I'm impressed by the fact that in those days boarding a dirigible may have required considerable aerobic exercise...
Maybe there's an elevator in that mooring tower; otherwise it would be like climbing three ranger towers.
For the word freaks among us, the etymology of "blimp" is controversial.
Images via imgur.
Here in central France near Le Dorat our old bar owner remembers the Zepplins flying over.
ReplyDeleteThe quiet chugging of the motors and the sound of music and gay laughter floating in the still evening air.
The reason the Hindenberg blew up was that it was filled with highly flammable Hydrogen because the United States controlled the reserves of less flammable Helium and refused to sell it to Germany.
An analysis of photos of the fire seems to reveal that it was actually the skin of the dirigible, covered with highly flammable dope, that burned first. Look at the pictures and you will see what I mean.
Delete...And the etymology of the word 'phreak' is not controversial. It is a portmanteau of phone and freak and refers specifically to telecom hackers. Hey, you invoked the "word phreaks" [sic]. :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you. I didn't know the word "phreak" had such limited applicability. I've amended the text.
DeleteThis is the R101 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R101)
ReplyDeleteIt took off from a mile or two from where i live now, and my wife knew all the survivors when she was a child in the 1960s.