Disaster in the Air: A History of the Hindenburg

“Oh the humanity.” The simple but indelible words of Herbert Morrison captured one of the greatest tragedies to occur over American soil. The fiery crash of the Hindenburg was a media sensation (one of the first disasters to be captured on film) whose images and radio report remain buoyant all these years later.

The pinnacle of air travel, the Hindenburg disaster brought with it an end to the era of giant balloon airships (though, as we will see, the industry was in its twilight). The Hinden...