Hindenburg's Smoking Room

6 days ago

The Hindenburg had a smoking room despite being filled with flammable hydrogen gas.
The smoking room was pressurized to prevent hydrogen leaks and had a double-door airlock.
Only one electric lighter was allowed; no open flames permitted elsewhere on the airship.
Pressurization may have been more for public relations than safety, as hydrogen rises upward.
The real risk was fire spreading from the passenger section to the gas cells above.
The smoking room was popular because it also housed the bar and featured decor like a star map.
Other zeppelins like R101 had smoking rooms, but R100 did not.
Cooking on the Hindenburg used electric stoves, as open flames were prohibited.

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