Evening star., 1936-05-09
H|NDENBURG SETS
62-HOUR RECORD
ON ATLANTIC TRIP
Giant Zeppelin Safe at Lake.
hurst After First North
ern Voyage.
JOURNEY is HAILED
AS GREAT SUCCESS
Official Time Is 81 Hours and So
Minutes-New York Acclaims
Dirigible on Dawn Visit.
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Long successful 1uith its Zeppelin
passenger service to South America,
Germany this year built the Dorld'S
largest dirigible, the Hindenburg,
to install similar service to North
America. On test flight across
the South Atlantic the giant netD
ship WaS proved Seaworthy. Re-
turning to Germany, the Hinden-
burg took on board its more than
so passengers and headed DeSt to
the United States, bent on break
ing the 10orld speed record.
tCopyright. 1885. by the Associated Press.)
LAKEHURST, N. j., May e.-The
Hindenburg, newest and largest of the
Zeppelins, completed its first trip
across the North Atlantic today in rec
ord time for lighter -than-air craft.
Following the shipping lane across
the North Atlantic, the Hindenburg
did not pass over American land
until it skirted Long Island, followed
Ambrose Channel into New York
Harbor and cruised over New York
City.
It was sighted over New York at
am, just as dawn was lighting the
sky. Thousands of early risers cheered,
and ships tied down their whistles.
After cruising over Manhattan for
18 minutes, the 803-foot ship circled
GnlI4h dironflxy 60 oIx
Nazi Swastika Visible.
The red and black of large Nazi
swaStika was visible on the vertical
fin aft.
A dozen or more airplanes circled
far above As the nose of the zeppe-
lin dipped for the ground, the moon
was still in the sky, and a brilliant
red sun was just coming up on the
Eastern horizon.
At $40 am. the Hindenburg for
the first time touched soil in the
United States-on the first of its 10
scheduled round-trip commercial voy-
ages from Germany during the Sum-
mer.
A landing crew Of trained sailors
from the United States Navy, aided by
about so civilians. brought the ship
safely to land. The civilians were
pressed into service because soldier re-
inforcementS from Camp Dix we're not
on hand when the ship arrived.
The Hindenburg circled over the air
station before it lowered to the earth,
dumped its water ballast and threw
out its ropes. Its speed was so greatly
reduced that as it slowly turned about
the field it looked as if it were stand
ing still. With all its tow lines ham
died by the swarm of ground men, the
Hindenburg's nose was made fast to
the mobile mooring mast at 5:23 am.
The ship, carrying 81 passengers and
a crew of Sc, was slowly towed into the
hangar.
Los Angeles Removed.
To make room for the Hindenburg,
naval officials removed from the
hangar last night the old naval dirig-
ible Los Angeles, which the United
States gained from Germany after the
World War.
The landing was more difficult than
had been expected, although with the
adequate preparations it was still
handled with ease.
Just before the Hindenburg reached
the Lakehurst field, the wind veered
from northwest to southeast, necessi-
tating expert maneuvering to bring
1t in.
AS soon as the ship was made
fast to the mooring mast DR.. Hugo
Eckener, the famous dirigible de-
signer, leaned out Of the control
cabin, the famous smile spread over
his face, and he waved a greeting
to the throng of 5000 people.
To DR.. Eckener it was perhaps
Just another crossing of the Atlantic.
1t was on October IS. 1928, that
he first brought across the North
Atlantic the Graf Zeppelin, which
for the last few years has been in
regular commercial service between
Germany and Brazil.
Last month the Hindenburg made
(see HINDENBURG, Page 2.)