Dirigibles, Zeppelins, Blimps and the Hindenburg

In Girl in the Glass, James and Declan are shocked when they first see the Clypeate’s top-secret project - construction of a dirigible. By 1939, using dirigibles in warfare already had limited applications, although as James and Declan learn, this airship is more than meets the eye.

Dirigibles, the two main types being Zeppelins and blimps, are both steerable, powered lighter-than-air ships, but differ in their construction and design. Zeppelins are a specific type of rigid airship, characterized by a metal framework that maintains their shape, originally manufactured by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin. Blimps, also called non-rigid airships, rely on internal gas pressure to maintain their shape and are typically smaller and less structurally robust than Zeppelins. 

In Girl in the Glass, Declan isn’t thrilled by the idea of flying in a dirigible. He says:

“You saw the footage when the Hindenburg exploded, right? Giant ball of flames, shouts of ‘Oh, the humanity’? I hope your Clypeate learned how to build an airship that won’t light up like a tiki torch.”

He speaks of the Hindenburg disaster, just two years earlier, on May 6, 1937, when the German passenger Zeppelin Hindenburg caught fire while landing in Lakehurst, New Jersey. The Zeppelin’s total destruction resulted in the deaths of 35 people (36 including one ground crew member) and is widely considered a turning point in the history of dirigible travel, leading to its decline as passenger transportation. Click to watch the Hindenburg video.

The Goodyear Blimp

Hindenburg over Manhattan

The Hindenburg Disaster