FUN WITH MAPS ISSUE 2026-075

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (May 6, 2026) – This edition of Fun with Maps recalls an iconic aviation disaster from this day in history which altered the future of aviation travel.

Zeppelin in Flames

The Hindenburg disaster of May 6, 1937 at Naval Air Station Lindhurst in central New Jersey marked the pending end of “Zeppelins”, rather rigid airships, being used in commercial aviation.

About one third of the passengers plus crew perished during the attempted tying down of the airship.

Airships offered a convenient way to travel long distances at speeds faster than ships and without the several stops airplanes of the day needed to refuel.  The Hindenburg took three days between Frankfurt, Germany and New Jersey.

An inherent design tradeoff was the ultimate cause of the disaster.  Pure hydrogen was used in the large body of the airship to provide lift.  Hydrogen is rather combustible.  The goldbeater’s skin, derived from cow intestines, used to cover the airship’s body was flexible, light weight and sealed in the hydrogen gas quite effectively, but could tear and rip if overly stressed.

No one is certain where the tear originated, but almost certainly static electricity started the Hindenburg’s fire.

This map of New Jersey by Bradford is from 1837.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps. Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.