The Worst Air Disaster You've Never Heard Of
4 days ago
- #aviation history
- #USS Akron
- #dirigibles
- The USS Akron, a massive U.S. Navy airship, was launched in Akron, Ohio, on August 8, 1931, marking a significant event in aviation history.
- The airship was dubbed 'the Queen of the Skies' and was part of America's effort to dominate the skies using dirigibles.
- The Akron was engineered and built by Goodyear over nearly three years, standing 14 stories high and 785 feet long.
- The launch event was attended by 250,000 people, including First Lady Lou Hoover, who christened the ship.
- The U.S. Navy's airship program, led by Rear Admiral William Moffett, aimed to use dirigibles for reconnaissance, especially in potential conflicts with Japan.
- Despite previous airship disasters, including the crash of the Shenandoah, the Navy continued to invest in dirigibles, believing in their strategic value.
- The Akron was designed to carry scout planes, making it the first flying aircraft carrier, significantly expanding its reconnaissance capabilities.
- The airship faced criticism and mishaps, including structural concerns and accidents, but funding and support for the program continued.
- The story highlights the brief, tragic era of American airships, overshadowed by the later Hindenburg disaster.