For another airship crash that took place just a few years later (albeit for very different reasons) you might want to watch my video about the crash of the USS Akron in 1933: th-cam.com/video/wUS8A78lOXk/w-d-xo.html
The irony is that the salvaged scrap of the R-101 was actually then sold to the company that ended up building the Hindenburg. That ship was cursed from the start.
Thanks for mentioning it. Fascinating Horror's vid is usually satisfying but in this case, he missed the perfect opportunity to mention this even though he showed the Hindenburg disaster as the "final nail in the coffin" scene and I was itching for it.
And don’t forget to add that the salvaged scrap from the Hindenburg was sent back to Germany and used in making military equipment, Germany lost the war, could this cursed metal have played a small role?
The ceiling of the hotel I work at started leaking today and I literally had FH's voice in my head saying " What started as an inconspicuous drip would end up the precursor to something much, much worse... " I watch too many of these videos!
You both should definitely voice your observations because its definitely a totally understandable concern. Its better than not saying anything.. even if a higher up employee might get annoyed, its worth saying.
You actually should report it. Because people always ask after the fact, why nobody spoke up. And at very least you might save your company from some mold or water damage etc.
I have to say, watching you consistently for a few months has trained me to detect bad omens. High pressure schedules, experimental innovations, extreme compromises to the initial vision of the project... If your videos were compulsory viewing for engineers and project managers everywhere, I think we as a species would be a few degrees safer.
Very, very true! The biggest problem, though, are the people that pay to build these things and that only care about money so they cut back on essential things to save a few bucks. These people don't care about safely-- only about profit and getting the most for the smallest amount of money possible.
I honestly feel more prepared for a possible disaster thanks to this channel, there’s a lot of patterns with each tragedy I’ve started to recognise, both in identifying an unsafe environment as well as the little things people have done to be the sole survivors in these stories - the latter sometimes being as simple as listening to your gut if you think a vehicle or building isn’t safe. I definitely agree that all the engineers of the future would watch videos like this, there’s heaps of lessons that can be learnt from these tragedies.
The asbestos coated smoking room on an airship is quite possibly the most old fashioned death trap that this channel has covered and old timey death traps are basically the MO here
To bad they didn't have Kent cigarettes with the micronite filter (asbestos)! I'd love to have flown in the Graf Zeppelin. First around the world non stop. First inductee into the Mile High Club in a real bed, though they flew lower. Flawless safety record, scrapped after the Hindenburg.
This is probably the only few case in this channel that the big guy who's responsible for the impending disasters ultimately paid their price with life.
As some of the commenters below have pointed out. The Zeppelin Company who built the Hindenburg purchased some of the of the R101 scap which was then melted down and incorporated into the frame of the Hindenburg. Being that the cost of the light weight materials were rather expensive at the time. The R101 might be the only airship to have exploded twice.
This is an often-repeated bit of false, sensationalist history. R101 was made of galvanized steel. Hindenburg (like all other Zeppelin airships) was made of a lightweight alloy called Duralumin. While the Zeppelin company did purchase the wreck, they did not use the scrap metal to build Hindenburg but rather used it for other purposes such as the construction of hangars and heavier-than-air aircraft.
"Under pressure to get things right, and quickly" Those two words rarely, if ever, go together. You either do it right, or you do it quick, you can only pick one. Few people spend the correct amount of money to get both.
This reminds me of a 'pick two words on this chart' thing at work where you get to pick two words from, 'fast' 'cheap' or 'good' and what the outcome of your choices will be. Cheap and fast won't be good. Fast and good won't be cheap. Good and cheap won't be fast.
So everyone here agrees you shouldn't rush things to get it done quickly no matter how much political pressure there is. Got it. So understand exactly why people don't want to get the vaccine.
"She's too heavy" said the Coxwain "She'll never make this flight." Said the Captain "Damn the Cargo, we're on our way tonight" Iron Maiden made a fantastic song about the R101 - Empire of the Clouds.
They cover quite a lot of British history in their songs, not to mention Egyptian mythology, and literary classics (I believe those are British writers).
Yes although back in the '90s there was a full album about it called 'Curly's Airships' by Chris Judge Smith, formerly of the band Van der Graaf Generator, of whom Bruce Dickinson (and probably other Iron Maiden members) is a life-long fan.
It was the 20's, of course they had a smoking room. These ships were going to take multiple days to to their destination, and 80% of people smoked back then. It probably was considered somewhat essential because people would have probably tried to smoke without a special room, and it would have been even worse.
The smoking rooms onboard airships were sealed and pressurized making it literally impossible for gas to enter the room. The only lighter aboard the ship was chained to the smoking room bar. If anything you were more in danger of the room's lead and asbestos lining...
@@googleuser3163 honestly, asbestos is a really good choice, assuming it wasn't too heavy. It's only dangerous when it's ground into a dust that can be inhaled; once it was installed, it would be very effective at preventing fires.
Precisely this. Also, in that time smoking was widely considered to be healthy. Public opinion didn't turn on smoking until the 1970's, as crazy as that sounds. In the 40's and 50's doctors would often smoke WHILE examining patients. So it's no surprise that the smoking room was considered essential.
Me too. It’s such a tragedy that I feel bad that it’s my birthday. Those poor people could bring only a single change of clothes wrapped in paper. How dare they?!!!
I heard of it by coincidence just three days ago when I watched a video on it by a new channel I found called 'paper skies', his accent is quite hard to follow but his video on it was very good and in depth.
The R101 almost didn't take off on it's fateful flight. A few hours before they were to leave someone discovered that they didn't have an "Airworthiness Certificate" which was necessary to enter any other Nation's airspace. A quick round of telegraph messages to and from Politicians was able to have one delivered to the Ship in time, although the ship hadn't met the legal requirements for issuance. It wasn't fit to fly.
To be fair, the R 100 barely made its round trip to Canada. Rain leaked into the cabins and the outer fabric kept rippling. Writings like Nevil Shute Norway's book are heavily biased to paint R100 as vastly superior. There's also a lot of circlejerk about Lord Thompson rushing the R101 but there were other factors and pressures aside from him.
@@omegavladosovich6757 Same with the Titanic.... ships designer on board.... Captain Smith goes down with his ship.... Let's blame them. Sorted. Easy Peasy. NEXT!
Politicians needed proof that their pet project and expense of public money is a rousing success. This is why all politicians on both sides of the aisle keep saying that the NHS is a great success and provides first-world healthcare, while it burns down around them. Preserve the narrative at all costs.
@@thatgirlinautumn5995 "What time is it? I can't see the face of my watch" *flips open radium dialled fob watch* *Why... it's time for another 'Lords of England' cigar and another glass of Taylor's Port!"
As a former smoker, I can testify as to the importance of having a smoking room. Passengers, ignorant of the volatility of hydrogen, would have probably tried to sneak cigarettes if there hadn’t been a designated smoking room. At least this room would have provided some measure of protection against ignition of the hydrogen.
@@PercyPruneMHDOIFandBars Technically being pressurized wouldn't prevent sparks from getting out, it would just prevent the flammable gas from getting in
Amazingly a highly addictive and deadly drug, it destroyed almost my entire WWII Generation Family. More interesting, are the idiots still trying to addict themselves to Nicotine, despite the deadly facts.
I adore airships, and got a degree in aeronautical engineering specifically so that I could have a shot at working with them someday. I really believe that investigating the causes behind the (relatively, VERY few) fatal crashes is one of the most important steps in determining how viable an airship revival would be, so I was very happy to see the notification for today’s video!! Great to see you cover this case ✨
As a fellow airship nerd, I think the problem is the efficiency rather than the safety. It might work as a novelty thing, but planes are so efficient at transporting large numbers of people quickly that airships simply can't compete. Add in the cost of that much hydrogen/helium and the safety concerns and sadly it just isn't viable.
I'm not even that big a fan and I wish they'd come back. Guess it's not economically reasonable anymore though : [ Everything is done in terms of nickels and dimes by corporations these days... Unless you're one if those billionaires doing whatever you want, there's very slim chances these will exist again (or anything without great profit).
I was interested in airships when I was a teenager. My father gave me a copy of Neville Shute’s book Sliderule. Although he later became an author he was originally an engineer and worked on the R100. It’s many years since I read it, but I do remember how bitter he was that what he saw as carelessness in the construction of R101 also killed their project.
_Now a shadow on a hill, the angel of the east_ _The empire of the clouds may rest in peace_ _And in a country churchyard, laid head to the mast_ _Eight and Forty souls, who came to die in France._ *- Iron Maiden* (Empire of the Clouds)
That was from the first album of theirs released before I saw them as my first ever concert, I hope I have Bruce’s energy in my 40s, let alone my 60s! Blew me away. Still the best live show I’ve seen in person
This is just what I like about this channel. It shines a spotlight on disasters both well known and those that have otherwise been forgotten to time. It's always imperative we learn from the past, or else we're doomed to repeat it.
A footnote to your comment: May 2023: Have you not heard...? The Irish Government is considering a ban on DISCUSSING HISTORY......at any level...whatever your views are! Check out "History Debunked"... he posted it a few days ago..... Mind blowing!
A fascinating case of pressure to get something done at any cost, leading to a tragic outcome. Thanks for doing this one, it’s one I’ve been interested in for years but there is so little on it.
My Grandmother was one of the many employed to stitch the fabric of the R101 together...I remember her telling me "I told them, as I live and breathe, this will end in tears, and sure enough it did!" I lived less than a mile and a half from Cardington until I was 19yrs old and my Father worked there until he retired in 1988... Cardington Hangers have a very interesting history!!
During its visit to Canada, the R100 moored at Saint-Hubert airport. To this day, the road at the end of which the ship was anchored is still called "Rue du R-100"
Jesus I just looked at his sub count, pretty sure when I first started watched these videos a year or so ago it was 40k or something. Yeah love the content too, especially that he posts mid week, it's something to look forward to.
What a kind way to end the video, praising and recognizing the bravery of the staff who knew the risks boarding that ship and still doing so. You have a subscriber for life with me.
“We can’t carry all of that, sir.” “I am a lord. You cannot tell me what I can or cannot do.” “Respectfully sir, the laws of physics don’t give a damn about your peerage.” Well, the old blowhard made the news, alright.
There's also the issue of the process by which an arrogant idiot got placed in charge of an incredibly important, technically challenging project. Sadly, many people still eagerly fall for con jobs over demonstrated competence.
It doesn't matter what job you do. As soon as pressure is put on the workers, mistakes are inevitable. It's a shame that money and pride are more important than people's lives.... Even today. One would think that lessons can be learned from past disasters to make it right...
some pressure is fine, as long as safety nets are present and alternate routes to solve problems available. put too much and for too long and mistakes are guaranteed, and with mistakes inevitably come accidents and fatalities
I first heard about this via the Iron Maiden song, "Empire of the Clouds". Great bit of storytelling. Great video explaining in more detail what actually happened.
This is a brilliant documentary! An excellent script, clear pronunciation, and very well researched. I appreciate the attention to historical detail and the archival footage! Brilliant! (from Warsaw, Poland)
Wow, every since I fell in love with the Iron Maiden song Empire of the Clouds (an absolute masterpiece of music), I've been fascinated by the story of the r101. And to see you make a video got me so excited!
I’ve never heard this story before. Thanks for covering it. I live down the road from where The Hindenburg went down. I’ve been in the hangar you showed a picture of, I’ve driven into it! The Hindenburg is a big deal here in Ocean County, NJ. At a local museum I work at we have pieces of the Hindenburg on display along with some plates and other things found at the crash.
Absolutely incredible work. I had never heard of this story and I’m very thankful that you have brought it to light with this video. Truly fascinating!
You have absolutely no idea how big those things are until you see them and their hangars close enough. I used to have to drive by the hangar for the Goodyear blimp in LA twice a day. Just the hangar alone made airplane hangars look like dolls versions. It was immense. If the blimp was outside moored, I would have to pull over and just gaze for a bit. It was absolutely massive!
Undoubtedly one of my favorite TH-cam channels ever, if not the best. Thank you so much for putting together these episodes with such class and dignity that only you could do. God bless you.
Hello,i stumbled onto your channel and i love it. Explaining history like a puzzle that’s been methodically and calculated into the important pieces to reveal a scene
Yes, pretty amazing footage. The Hindenburg had a lot of significance because it was a symbol of NAZI power, a "propaganda vehicle." It was also the one that ended the era of airships.
I love your channel! Thank you so much for the time, detail and accuracy you put into these beautifully produced accounts of history! I’d love to hear you do the story of the Piper Alpha disaster…? Keep up the great work, Annie 👍😊
When I lived in Naperville IL, the Goodyear blimp would go over our house on its way to the Chicago Bears football games on Sundays. It never failed to amaze us as it flew over.
My Nan was outside her Essex house along with many neighbours when the R 101 airship flew past .She remembered that the airship was low down and everyone was saying how worryingly low it was flying . Everyone had a dreadful feeling .How very sad .
I haven't seen anything about this airship since I was a kid. I had a disaster book that I used to check out at the library, which not only covered this disaster, but also the wreck of the airships Akron, Macon, and Shenandoah. They all seem lost to history, so thank you for this upload. Who would have believed a government could build something that would end so terribly?
That was the most classy and proper and compassionate way you could’ve made that statement: “many of them knew that they were possibly in danger, but felt it was their duty to board the aircraft.” I’m paraphrasing, of course. Basically, that’s what you were saying, and you put in very good words. Excellent, excellent job. But then all of your stories are done very well.. keep up the good work
The design of that boarding mast is actually very clever. The airship can rotate around it 360° with the wind without the gang plank detaching or becoming unusable.
I love the ambience of these. The information is usuallt spot on, the music gives it a universally creepy yet serious vibe and the narration is top notcn. it makes me want to submit some disasters of my own to the channel but I fear the quality and diligence of the research wouldn't be as deep and accurate if the upload pace increased. Brilliant channel and one I always enjoy seeng notificstions of new uploads in my inbox, :)
I appreciate the research you do for these videos. Your videos are entertaining but also educational as I had never heard of a lot of these disasters before.
Great video as always! The hangars, surprisingly, still exist. One is leased by Warner Bros studios who have filmed, amongst other things the more recent Batman films there. (It was odd driving past and seeing crushed cars for Gotham PD!) The other is used by Hybrid Air Vehicles - who have actually built new airships. (Known as the Airlander series.) Unfortunately Airlander 10 collapsed back in November 2017, but local whispers suggests they are still working on a new model...
I mean, when you smoke, you're already risking your lungs. Makes sense to have death walls. I'm probably still in if I can smoke while flying across my massive country.
@@tanekrune5873 I'm not entirely sure asbestos is fire proof anyway, I seem to remember chucking some on a bonfire once and it popping and exploding more than anything.
As a youth, I read Nevil Shute's book on his experience with the design, construction and operation of R-100 and I recall he devoted at least twenty pages to criticism of R-101. These amounted to R-101 was overweight, due to needless devices such as the servo control for the rudder and elevator and R-101 was leaky. In fact, the risk arises not from these design shortcomings or the hydrogen, but from the enormous surface area of the hull. This makes the craft susceptible to random air currents perpendicular to the hull axis, if it is an updraft, the ship may ascend to great heights and possibly burst, like USS Shenandoah, or if a downdraft, "auger in" like R-101, USS Akron, USS Macon and Airlander-II. This fault can't be remediated, so the rigid airship concept was abandoned.
The powerplants for the R-101 were five eight-cylinder Beardmore "Tornado" diesels (essentially coupling two four-cylinder Beardmore railcar engines together, and thus very heavy), whereas the R-100 used three Rolls Royce "Condor" engines (gasoline, and much lighter)
@@craigmclean8260 I had forgotten this. Shute mentioned the belief among those heading the airship programme that petrol was subject to spontaneous combustion in hot climates, hence the choice of Diesel engines for the India-bound ship. There must have been better motors available: Luftschiff Hindenburg did not seem weighed down by the four Daimler-Benz Diesel engines, also the superior efficiency of Diesel engines may compensate for more massive engines with reduced fuel load.
Strictly seen those are no blimps anymore. Goodyear is using in the USA semi-rigid Zeppelin NTs since 2014. Technically something between a blimp and a full-rigid airship like the R101.
I have the utmost’s respect for the guy that n charge of this channel. Excellent material. Excellent (and very respectful) narration. Keep it u man! I’ve watched all of your videos. Amazing really
id theorize the smoking room was actually a safety feature- the designers considered that people would be smoking regardless, so they built a isolation chamber for the lighter sparks and cig butts
I agree to a point...but the "smoking Room" was not the cause of the crash.... It was well below a safe height as it crossed the coast into France... It was uncontrollable due to leaking gas bags causing its instability.... had it been at the correct height & cruising merrily along.... and was engulfed in a catastrophic explosion: OK now we look at the smoking room.... But no, it hit the ground..... and THEN exploded. Every eye witness said that..... "It just came down...rather slowly, hit the ground...and THEN exploded. That much is not in doubt. . Overweight.... insufficient compensation for leaking gas (Lift) ..... (ie ballast ditching?) It was doomed from take off. Untried, un-proven...haste killed this craft.
Just discovered your channel and I’m so glad I did. It’s becoming my little bit of pleasure on my breaks at work or when I’m relaxing. Great work on your part. Great content and you voice was made for narrating! X
Nice history lesson/video as always to watch on my birthday of a disaster that occurred 62 years before I was born! I don’t mean to brag but a relative on my dad’s side was chosen to speak to the captain of the Hindenburg after it crashed. My sympathies go out to the victims and their families 🇬🇧🕊
I think this is one of the only times on this channel that the disaster wasn't caused by greedy capitalists trying to cut corners for profits. Instead it was caused by idiot politicians trying to cut corners for their ego. Ahhh humanity. It's too bad too. The whole concept of airships is really cool. I'd love to live in a world where air cruises were a thing.
@@jackalope07 No thanks chief, my break is over soon. No need to fall out as that's not who I am. Capitalism, Socialism and all the other political and economic systems seem to have their positives and negatives. That's my fence-sitting opinion anyway. Take care and enjoy the rest of your day, Alex.
Drs would literally say 'smoking tobacco clears the lungs!' they must have been paid off from the tobacco lobbyists/whoever earns tax $ on the product... Surgeons back then, SMH, but they would smoke during surgery...
My nan, who will be 100 years old next month, remembers seeing the airship as a child. She and her younger sister were playing in their garden in London, when they were disturbed by noise and a looming shape. There overhead, flying very low was the R101, it's motors making quite a noise. She was rather scared and fascinated at the same time!
I recently finished a Maps list with the locations of memorials from accidents brought up on this channel. Although far away, I don't want to miss a chance to pay a minute of thought for those who died, should I happen to be in the vicinity. Following this channel for a while has highlighted how often tragedies have occured that I had no knowledge on whatsoever.
Wooooah that's crazy! I was not aware of this I thought it was just the Hindenburg you sir! Are criminally underrated for a horror story channel!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I remember seeing the hanger as a child. My Father was in the RAF and he took me there. Their is now a company still using it for modern airships using Helium.
@@StamfordBridge No, I was reading about helium. I wondered the same thing because I heard that the United States was selling off its helium but they were just selling off reserves which we don't need anymore because the supply is plentiful.
Just a little thing related to the R 101,Iron Maiden has a song called "Empire of The Clouds" that tells the story of the accident that destroyed the ship, it's a great song.
There's an alternate timeline where airship travel like this succeeded and remained viable. And I'll admit it, even after learning of this tragedy, I'm a little jealous to not be living in that timeline.
It would be a sight to behold initially but imagine the ugly sight of airship congestion when international travel became popular, it would be so bad it would block out the sun!
I remember my late father telling me about how he saw the R101 fly over London. I also visited Cardington a few years ago and the two massive sheds where the two airships were built are still there. One of them is now used as a sound stage for film making. I think parts of Inception and various Batman films were made there.
Ditto, my late mother. She would have been about 6 years old at the time and lived in Eltham (SE London). I can't match the other points in your post, though.
I live in Kentucky and we get quite a few blimps during the Derby week festivities (theyre used to advertise mostly, along with small planes with banners) and I always love seeing them. It is cool to imagine a world where these became the mode for air travel as opposed to the planes we have instead. At least we still get to enjoy them on occasion and they weren’t completely done away with
It's almost as if politicians should take a responsible step back and allow professionals' scientific consensus, that has more than a Wikipedia paragraph's understanding of a subject, to determine deadlines and details. Who would have seen that coming?
Indeed. That being said, there were also errors by said professionals on the R101 team. Because it's also a case of cramming a bunch of unmatured innovations into a salad.
PandaNFriends: Certainly not the shoddy crowd that has occupied Westminster these last decades: All of them... Without fail... Have Failed Britain. All of them "miffed" to have missed the gravy boat...and extremely angry they have missed the Cruise Liner that was the Brussels Junket. La creme de la Creme! Britain has the worst Parliament for decades...... spoilt brats with no sense of responsibility. And you wonder why the Civil Service is in revolt?
Not only that. Bruce Dickinson invested in an airship company that was based in one of the sheds at Cardington where there R101 was built. The sheds are very impressive as was the 'flying bum' airship which I believe has now been taken to the US
For another airship crash that took place just a few years later (albeit for very different reasons) you might want to watch my video about the crash of the USS Akron in 1933: th-cam.com/video/wUS8A78lOXk/w-d-xo.html
The irony is that the salvaged scrap of the R-101 was actually then sold to the company that ended up building the Hindenburg.
That ship was cursed from the start.
Thanks for mentioning it. Fascinating Horror's vid is usually satisfying but in this case, he missed the perfect opportunity to mention this even though he showed the Hindenburg disaster as the "final nail in the coffin" scene and I was itching for it.
I didn't know that, thanks.
🤭
And don’t forget to add that the salvaged scrap from the Hindenburg was sent back to Germany and used in making military equipment, Germany lost the war, could this cursed metal have played a small role?
@@kingofsinter8416 We need to find out where that metal is now...
The ceiling of the hotel I work at started leaking today and I literally had FH's voice in my head saying " What started as an inconspicuous drip would end up the precursor to something much, much worse... "
I watch too many of these videos!
Lol!
Well the last disasters had holes with the leak and severe damage. Not just drips.
Funny, I hear his voice, too, narrating potential disasters I see coming, lol.
You both should definitely voice your observations because its definitely a totally understandable concern. Its better than not saying anything.. even if a higher up employee might get annoyed, its worth saying.
You actually should report it. Because people always ask after the fact, why nobody spoke up. And at very least you might save your company from some mold or water damage etc.
I have to say, watching you consistently for a few months has trained me to detect bad omens. High pressure schedules, experimental innovations, extreme compromises to the initial vision of the project... If your videos were compulsory viewing for engineers and project managers everywhere, I think we as a species would be a few degrees safer.
And far more alive.
I too am here to learn the lessons of the past
Very, very true! The biggest problem, though, are the people that pay to build these things and that only care about money so they cut back on essential things to save a few bucks. These people don't care about safely-- only about profit and getting the most for the smallest amount of money possible.
I honestly feel more prepared for a possible disaster thanks to this channel, there’s a lot of patterns with each tragedy I’ve started to recognise, both in identifying an unsafe environment as well as the little things people have done to be the sole survivors in these stories - the latter sometimes being as simple as listening to your gut if you think a vehicle or building isn’t safe. I definitely agree that all the engineers of the future would watch videos like this, there’s heaps of lessons that can be learnt from these tragedies.
@@UnchainedMelodie92 Ironically, it was the socialist R-101 that crashed, not the capitalist R-100.
The asbestos coated smoking room on an airship is quite possibly the most old fashioned death trap that this channel has covered and old timey death traps are basically the MO here
and it didn;t even have any relevance to the crash!
Exactly my thoughts...definition of old fashioned.
Except it wasn’t a death trap. In fact, it was very safe. The cancer from smoking would kill you before the asbestos or lighter.
To bad they didn't have Kent cigarettes with the micronite filter (asbestos)! I'd love to have flown in the Graf Zeppelin. First around the world non stop. First inductee into the Mile High Club in a real bed, though they flew lower. Flawless safety record, scrapped after the Hindenburg.
@@echodelta9 Scrapped 4 years later in 1940 to have it's duralumin frame be recycled into wartime supplies
This is probably the only few case in this channel that the big guy who's responsible for the impending disasters ultimately paid their price with life.
yup. what a tool.
Agreed. Also love your pic tentacultist/tako.
@@azuman7 well you will love my channel then.
We need more of that. I'm sick of the people in charge getting away.
This is terrible of me but I was so hoping the @$$hat didn't come out alive but went down with his 12 cases of chammpagne.
As some of the commenters below have pointed out. The Zeppelin Company who built the Hindenburg purchased some of the of the R101 scap which was then melted down and incorporated into the frame of the Hindenburg. Being that the cost of the light weight materials were rather expensive at the time.
The R101 might be the only airship to have exploded twice.
That is very interesting. Cursed metal it would seem.
@@reaperkollyns6495
Oh
Cursed materials
This is an often-repeated bit of false, sensationalist history. R101 was made of galvanized steel. Hindenburg (like all other Zeppelin airships) was made of a lightweight alloy called Duralumin. While the Zeppelin company did purchase the wreck, they did not use the scrap metal to build Hindenburg but rather used it for other purposes such as the construction of hangars and heavier-than-air aircraft.
Yes indeed you're right, this is an "urban myth" @@googleuser3163
"Under pressure to get things right, and quickly"
Those two words rarely, if ever, go together. You either do it right, or you do it quick, you can only pick one. Few people spend the correct amount of money to get both.
How true and how history repeats itself when not heeded. Modern aircraft and the space shuttle come to mind.
May I pass on a couple of recommendations?? 👌 thanks. 1. Disturban 2. Disturban History 3. Leap Frog Studios. Hope you enjoy. Chur🙏🏽
There's a common phrase that goes something like "Things can be done either good, cheap or fast but you can only ever pick two".
This reminds me of a 'pick two words on this chart' thing at work where you get to pick two words from, 'fast' 'cheap' or 'good' and what the outcome of your choices will be.
Cheap and fast won't be good.
Fast and good won't be cheap.
Good and cheap won't be fast.
So everyone here agrees you shouldn't rush things to get it done quickly no matter how much political pressure there is. Got it. So understand exactly why people don't want to get the vaccine.
"She's too heavy" said the Coxwain "She'll never make this flight."
Said the Captain "Damn the Cargo, we're on our way tonight"
Iron Maiden made a fantastic song about the R101 - Empire of the Clouds.
They cover quite a lot of British history in their songs, not to mention Egyptian mythology, and literary classics (I believe those are British writers).
One of my all time favorite songs by them.
Yes although back in the '90s there was a full album about it called 'Curly's Airships' by Chris Judge Smith, formerly of the band Van der Graaf Generator, of whom Bruce Dickinson (and probably other Iron Maiden members) is a life-long fan.
Their absolute masterpiece.
"She's the biggest vessel built by man, a giant of the skies! For all you unbelievers, the _Titanic_ fits inside!"
It was the 20's, of course they had a smoking room. These ships were going to take multiple days to to their destination, and 80% of people smoked back then. It probably was considered somewhat essential because people would have probably tried to smoke without a special room, and it would have been even worse.
The smoking rooms onboard airships were sealed and pressurized making it literally impossible for gas to enter the room. The only lighter aboard the ship was chained to the smoking room bar.
If anything you were more in danger of the room's lead and asbestos lining...
They needed to smoke to steady their nerves.
@@googleuser3163 honestly, asbestos is a really good choice, assuming it wasn't too heavy. It's only dangerous when it's ground into a dust that can be inhaled; once it was installed, it would be very effective at preventing fires.
I wasn't saying the smoking room was a danger to the smokers; but that without it, the smokers would be a danger to the rest of the ship.
Precisely this. Also, in that time smoking was widely considered to be healthy. Public opinion didn't turn on smoking until the 1970's, as crazy as that sounds. In the 40's and 50's doctors would often smoke WHILE examining patients. So it's no surprise that the smoking room was considered essential.
I love that you lined it up to upload on the same day
Noticed the same thing: 91 years ago today.
Me too. It’s such a tragedy that I feel bad that it’s my birthday. Those poor people could bring only a single change of clothes wrapped in paper. How dare they?!!!
Wow I didn't even realize that until I read your comment
Uploaded on the anniversary of its demise.
I feel like it was a coincidence that the date is the same but its a nice coincidence.
I'm both an old guy, and a history buff. I admit i'd never heard of this one before. Fascinating Horror once again coming through with a hidden gem.
I hadn't heard of this one either, only the Hindenburg. History repeats itself because humans don't learn from it.
I heard of it by coincidence just three days ago when I watched a video on it by a new channel I found called 'paper skies', his accent is quite hard to follow but his video on it was very good and in depth.
@@morganosborne9258 - So true. Lots of horrible things could be avoided if we just triggered our memories.
@@chatteyj - Thanks for the info.
Funnily enough Iron Maiden has a song that covers this very event.
The R101 almost didn't take off on it's fateful flight. A few hours before they were to leave someone discovered that they didn't have an "Airworthiness Certificate" which was necessary to enter any other Nation's airspace. A quick round of telegraph messages to and from Politicians was able to have one delivered to the Ship in time, although the ship hadn't met the legal requirements for issuance. It wasn't fit to fly.
To be fair, the R 100 barely made its round trip to Canada. Rain leaked into the cabins and the outer fabric kept rippling. Writings like Nevil Shute Norway's book are heavily biased to paint R100 as vastly superior. There's also a lot of circlejerk about Lord Thompson rushing the R101 but there were other factors and pressures aside from him.
@@omegavladosovich6757
Same with the Titanic.... ships designer on board.... Captain Smith goes down with his ship.... Let's blame them.
Sorted. Easy Peasy.
NEXT!
Politicians needed proof that their pet project and expense of public money is a rousing success. This is why all politicians on both sides of the aisle keep saying that the NHS is a great success and provides first-world healthcare, while it burns down around them. Preserve the narrative at all costs.
This TH-cam channel is one of the best TH-cam channels.
preach!!! damn right it is!
agree!
I read that as "this TH-cam channel is one of the TH-cam channels", and have I have to agree
I've been binge watching this channel ever since I came across it, it's so addicting
without a doubt
I never thought about how people physically boarded these airships. That photo at 7:47 made me feel woozy.
Oh to live in the past, smoking a cigar in the asbestos room of the flammable airborne balloon.
The ultimate #yolo
Truly, the past is a different country.
@@thatgirlinautumn5995
"What time is it? I can't see the face of my watch"
*flips open radium dialled fob watch*
*Why... it's time for another 'Lords of England' cigar and another glass of Taylor's Port!"
🤣
To be fair, asbestos was fireproof
As a former smoker, I can testify as to the importance of having a smoking room. Passengers, ignorant of the volatility of hydrogen, would have probably tried to sneak cigarettes if there hadn’t been a designated smoking room. At least this room would have provided some measure of protection against ignition of the hydrogen.
It was also kept pressurised to prevent ANY chance of sparks getting out.
even modern airplanes have cigarette disposals in bathrooms for this reason
@@PercyPruneMHDOIFandBars Technically being pressurized wouldn't prevent sparks from getting out, it would just prevent the flammable gas from getting in
Amazingly a highly addictive and deadly drug, it destroyed almost my entire WWII Generation Family. More interesting, are the idiots still trying to addict themselves to Nicotine, despite the deadly facts.
well reasoned. I appreciate this insight.
I adore airships, and got a degree in aeronautical engineering specifically so that I could have a shot at working with them someday. I really believe that investigating the causes behind the (relatively, VERY few) fatal crashes is one of the most important steps in determining how viable an airship revival would be, so I was very happy to see the notification for today’s video!! Great to see you cover this case ✨
As a fellow airship nerd, I think the problem is the efficiency rather than the safety. It might work as a novelty thing, but planes are so efficient at transporting large numbers of people quickly that airships simply can't compete. Add in the cost of that much hydrogen/helium and the safety concerns and sadly it just isn't viable.
I think airships would have a much better chance today. Primarily because smoking while flying is illegal now.
Sweet i have one in biochemistry. I have a genetic condition that makes me look and sound like im 12 lol
get 89 more degrees and you might be able to "Just go there"
I'm not even that big a fan and I wish they'd come back. Guess it's not economically reasonable anymore though : [
Everything is done in terms of nickels and dimes by corporations these days... Unless you're one if those billionaires doing whatever you want, there's very slim chances these will exist again (or anything without great profit).
I was interested in airships when I was a teenager. My father gave me a copy of Neville Shute’s book Sliderule. Although he later became an author he was originally an engineer and worked on the R100. It’s many years since I read it, but I do remember how bitter he was that what he saw as carelessness in the construction of R101 also killed their project.
_Now a shadow on a hill, the angel of the east_
_The empire of the clouds may rest in peace_
_And in a country churchyard, laid head to the mast_
_Eight and Forty souls, who came to die in France._
*- Iron Maiden* (Empire of the Clouds)
Legendary song.
Those lines are very Shane MacGowan-y
Classic Bruce Dickinson.
That was from the first album of theirs released before I saw them as my first ever concert, I hope I have Bruce’s energy in my 40s, let alone my 60s! Blew me away. Still the best live show I’ve seen in person
This is just what I like about this channel. It shines a spotlight on disasters both well known and those that have otherwise been forgotten to time. It's always imperative we learn from the past, or else we're doomed to repeat it.
A footnote to your comment: May 2023: Have you not heard...? The Irish Government is considering a ban on DISCUSSING HISTORY......at any level...whatever your views are!
Check out "History Debunked"... he posted it a few days ago..... Mind blowing!
I can only imagine the panic the pilots must have felt when seeing all those crates full of wine bottles and that rug.
A fascinating case of pressure to get something done at any cost, leading to a tragic outcome. Thanks for doing this one, it’s one I’ve been interested in for years but there is so little on it.
My Grandmother was one of the many employed to stitch the fabric of the R101 together...I remember her telling me "I told them, as I live and breathe, this will end in tears, and sure enough it did!" I lived less than a mile and a half from Cardington until I was 19yrs old and my Father worked there until he retired in 1988... Cardington Hangers have a very interesting history!!
During its visit to Canada, the R100 moored at Saint-Hubert airport. To this day, the road at the end of which the ship was anchored is still called "Rue du R-100"
Thank you for honoring those who worked on the airship. They were victims of the ambition of others.
Iron Maiden’s song «Empire of the Clouds» tells the story of the R101. I believe it is their longest studio recorded song at almost 20 minutes.
I'm so happy to see this channel succeeding, the content is awesome.
Jesus I just looked at his sub count, pretty sure when I first started watched these videos a year or so ago it was 40k or something. Yeah love the content too, especially that he posts mid week, it's something to look forward to.
What a kind way to end the video, praising and recognizing the bravery of the staff who knew the risks boarding that ship and still doing so. You have a subscriber for life with me.
Iron Maiden made a song in tribute to the R101. That's what made me do research on the disaster.
Perfect timing, this video was just posted.
Did Led Zepplin do a song about it ?
@@chatteyj
No, but an image of the Hindenburg bursting onto flame was on their debut album.
@@drumdad54sdl47 I know it was kind of a lame joke by me, apologises.
It's a great song, very immersive, makes you feel the journey. Someone made a video for the song on YT telling the story of the R101 with pictures.
“We can’t carry all of that, sir.”
“I am a lord. You cannot tell me what I can or cannot do.”
“Respectfully sir, the laws of physics don’t give a damn about your peerage.”
Well, the old blowhard made the news, alright.
Isn't that how it goes.
"...You'll get your headlines, Mr. Ismay."
neither the first nor the last time that happened...
@@jesuszamora6949 "He wanted a legend, and by God, he's got one."
There's also the issue of the process by which an arrogant idiot got placed in charge of an incredibly important, technically challenging project.
Sadly, many people still eagerly fall for con jobs over demonstrated competence.
"I must travel my imported imperial rug of 200# weight, so it can be rolled out under the feet before my departuring exit"
It doesn't matter what job you do. As soon as pressure is put on the workers, mistakes are inevitable.
It's a shame that money and pride are more important than people's lives.... Even today.
One would think that lessons can be learned from past disasters to make it right...
some pressure is fine, as long as safety nets are present and alternate routes to solve problems available.
put too much and for too long and mistakes are guaranteed, and with mistakes inevitably come accidents and fatalities
I first heard about this via the Iron Maiden song, "Empire of the Clouds". Great bit of storytelling. Great video explaining in more detail what actually happened.
"Even though they feared for their lives, they considered it their duty".
Powerful words. Having courage is being scared but doing the job anyway.
“Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s having fear and still doing it anyway.”
This is a brilliant documentary! An excellent script, clear pronunciation, and very well researched. I appreciate the attention to historical detail and the archival footage! Brilliant! (from Warsaw, Poland)
Wow, every since I fell in love with the Iron Maiden song Empire of the Clouds (an absolute masterpiece of music), I've been fascinated by the story of the r101. And to see you make a video got me so excited!
You, my friend are my favorite history teacher.
Thank you for your on-going research and monologue.
Awesome as usual. I love how you feel no need to make things more dramatic than they already are.
I’ve never heard this story before. Thanks for covering it. I live down the road from where The Hindenburg went down. I’ve been in the hangar you showed a picture of, I’ve driven into it! The Hindenburg is a big deal here in Ocean County, NJ. At a local museum I work at we have pieces of the Hindenburg on display along with some plates and other things found at the crash.
Absolutely incredible work. I had never heard of this story and I’m very thankful that you have brought it to light with this video.
Truly fascinating!
Your channel is the only "history" based channel that I watch. Your videos are always interesting and very well produced. Excellent work 🙂
You have absolutely no idea how big those things are until you see them and their hangars close enough. I used to have to drive by the hangar for the Goodyear blimp in LA twice a day. Just the hangar alone made airplane hangars look like dolls versions. It was immense. If the blimp was outside moored, I would have to pull over and just gaze for a bit. It was absolutely massive!
and this one was 3x the size of a goodyear blimp...
Undoubtedly one of my favorite TH-cam channels ever, if not the best. Thank you so much for putting together these episodes with such class and dignity that only you could do. God bless you.
The Eighth Doctor's first Doctor Who audio drama is set on the R101, that's what made me research it. Apparently it was aliens
EXTERMINATE!
It's always aliense.
That was how I first heard of the R101. And Vortisaurs, but that's another story.
Hello,i stumbled onto your channel and i love it. Explaining history like a puzzle that’s been methodically and calculated into the important pieces to reveal a scene
The Hindenburg is the one ALWAYS remembered due to the news footage I assume.
Whereas the R101 went down in the middle of the night unseen and unrecorded.
OH, THE HUMANITY!
Well, American media. Had to be heard around the world. You know that already.
@@frankoceazz Good point :o)
Yes, pretty amazing footage. The Hindenburg had a lot of significance because it was a symbol of NAZI power, a "propaganda vehicle." It was also the one that ended the era of airships.
It’s been crazy watching this channel grow over the years. Keep up the great work.
I love your channel! Thank you so much for the time, detail and accuracy you put into these beautifully produced accounts of history! I’d love to hear you do the story of the Piper Alpha disaster…? Keep up the great work, Annie 👍😊
When I lived in Naperville IL, the Goodyear blimp would go over our house on its way to the Chicago Bears football games on Sundays. It never failed to amaze us as it flew over.
Having been inside the cardington hangers and seeing the size, seeing the R101 must of been a magnificent sight! The history is astounding!
My Nan was outside her Essex house along with many neighbours when the R 101 airship flew past .She remembered that the airship was low down and everyone was saying how worryingly low it was flying . Everyone had a dreadful feeling .How very sad .
Honestly one of two channels where one watched everything. Look forward to every upload
"Handmade gasbag" is a wonderful insult.
I haven't seen anything about this airship since I was a kid. I had a disaster book that I used to check out at the library, which not only covered this disaster, but also the wreck of the airships Akron, Macon, and Shenandoah. They all seem lost to history, so thank you for this upload. Who would have believed a government could build something that would end so terribly?
Yes! Been waiting on this one since the “Doctor Who” audio drama.
Who doesn’t love Charley Pollard
Always exciting getting a notification for your channel, I always enjoy watching your content during my lunches at work.
That was the most classy and proper and compassionate way you could’ve made that statement: “many of them knew that they were possibly in danger, but felt it was their duty to board the aircraft.” I’m paraphrasing, of course. Basically, that’s what you were saying, and you put in very good words. Excellent, excellent job. But then all of your stories are done very well.. keep up the good work
I never knew how Dirigibles were boarded until now. That looked precarious entering from the docking area ?
The design of that boarding mast is actually very clever. The airship can rotate around it 360° with the wind without the gang plank detaching or becoming unusable.
I love the ambience of these. The information is usuallt spot on, the music gives it a universally creepy yet serious vibe and the narration is top notcn. it makes me want to submit some disasters of my own to the channel but I fear the quality and diligence of the research wouldn't be as deep and accurate if the upload pace increased. Brilliant channel and one I always enjoy seeng notificstions of new uploads in my inbox, :)
I always love it when this channel uploads everytime I'm having my dinner ready.
I appreciate the research you do for these videos. Your videos are entertaining but also educational as I had never heard of a lot of these disasters before.
RIP Lord Thomson's champagne.
RIP Lord Thompson :E
and fancy rug!
Great video as always! The hangars, surprisingly, still exist. One is leased by Warner Bros studios who have filmed, amongst other things the more recent Batman films there. (It was odd driving past and seeing crushed cars for Gotham PD!) The other is used by Hybrid Air Vehicles - who have actually built new airships. (Known as the Airlander series.) Unfortunately Airlander 10 collapsed back in November 2017, but local whispers suggests they are still working on a new model...
A smoking room lined with asbestos sounds utterly divine 😆
How gentile! Ox blood red Leather wingback chairs and the double potential for lung cancer! Haha!
I mean, when you smoke, you're already risking your lungs. Makes sense to have death walls. I'm probably still in if I can smoke while flying across my massive country.
@@tanekrune5873 I'm not entirely sure asbestos is fire proof anyway, I seem to remember chucking some on a bonfire once and it popping and exploding more than anything.
@@chatteyj
It really is fire proof. Either that wasn't asbestos or it was covered in something flammable.
@@skylined5534 I was thinking either that, or the process to create the fireproofing gives it a lot more resistance than just loose asbestos.
As a youth, I read Nevil Shute's book on his experience with the design, construction and operation of R-100 and I recall he devoted at least twenty pages to criticism of R-101. These amounted to R-101 was overweight, due to needless devices such as the servo control for the rudder and elevator and R-101 was leaky. In fact, the risk arises not from these design shortcomings or the hydrogen, but from the enormous surface area of the hull. This makes the craft susceptible to random air currents perpendicular to the hull axis, if it is an updraft, the ship may ascend to great heights and possibly burst, like USS Shenandoah, or if a downdraft, "auger in" like R-101, USS Akron, USS Macon and Airlander-II. This fault can't be remediated, so the rigid airship concept was abandoned.
The powerplants for the R-101 were five eight-cylinder Beardmore "Tornado" diesels (essentially coupling two four-cylinder Beardmore railcar engines together, and thus very heavy), whereas the R-100 used three Rolls Royce "Condor" engines (gasoline, and much lighter)
@@craigmclean8260 I had forgotten this. Shute mentioned the belief among those heading the airship programme that petrol was subject to spontaneous combustion in hot climates, hence the choice of Diesel engines for the India-bound ship. There must have been better motors available: Luftschiff Hindenburg did not seem weighed down by the four Daimler-Benz Diesel engines, also the superior efficiency of Diesel engines may compensate for more massive engines with reduced fuel load.
Airship travel sounds so mysteriously epic from the descriptions here - I think that's one of the things that I'd love to do, if I could! :D
Love your work. Look forward to it every week. Whole family found you organically around the same time, love talking to them about your new vids!
I so look forward to this channel every week. We still have the Goodyear blimps going in US. They fly over football games, mostly
Strictly seen those are no blimps anymore. Goodyear is using in the USA semi-rigid Zeppelin NTs since 2014. Technically something between a blimp and a full-rigid airship like the R101.
Thank you for uploading this! Please can you do one on the airship Italia. Many thanks 🙏.
I have the utmost’s respect for the guy that n charge of this channel. Excellent material. Excellent (and very respectful) narration. Keep it u man! I’ve watched all of your videos. Amazing really
Tuesday truly is the best day for content on TH-cam; Fascinating Horror AND That Chapter upload!
id theorize the smoking room was actually a safety feature- the designers considered that people would be smoking regardless, so they built a isolation chamber for the lighter sparks and cig butts
I agree to a point...but the "smoking Room" was not the cause of the crash.... It was well below a safe height as it crossed the coast into France...
It was uncontrollable due to leaking gas bags causing its instability.... had it been at the correct height & cruising merrily along.... and was engulfed in a catastrophic explosion:
OK now we look at the smoking room....
But no, it hit the ground..... and THEN exploded. Every eye witness said that..... "It just came down...rather slowly, hit the ground...and THEN exploded.
That much is not in doubt. .
Overweight.... insufficient compensation for leaking gas (Lift) ..... (ie ballast ditching?)
It was doomed from take off. Untried, un-proven...haste killed this craft.
Really well written. Respectful to the victims, knowledgeable of the technical aspects and just nicely summarised. .
i really hope you get over a million subscribers because your content is amazing
Enjoyed this video. You, uncover tragedies that are not in any history books that I can recall. Thank you.
Thank you for this "on the day" release!
Just discovered your channel and I’m so glad I did. It’s becoming my little bit of pleasure on my breaks at work or when I’m relaxing.
Great work on your part. Great content and you voice was made for narrating! X
Nice history lesson/video as always to watch on my birthday of a disaster that occurred 62 years before I was born! I don’t mean to brag but a relative on my dad’s side was chosen to speak to the captain of the Hindenburg after it crashed. My sympathies go out to the victims and their families 🇬🇧🕊
The best narration ever. As usual. Thank you and I like this video
I think this is one of the only times on this channel that the disaster wasn't caused by greedy capitalists trying to cut corners for profits. Instead it was caused by idiot politicians trying to cut corners for their ego. Ahhh humanity.
It's too bad too. The whole concept of airships is really cool. I'd love to live in a world where air cruises were a thing.
ah yes those non greedy non capitalists in...
👓 the British empire
❓
Those government dipshits cut costs cuz they do what capitalists do: prioritize luxury and costs over safety and human lives
What about the "greedy capitalists" responsible for the Chernobyl meltdown...?
@@residentelect Do you really want to go back and forth? I promise you you'll run out first.
Union Carbide at Bhopal
@@jackalope07
No thanks chief, my break is over soon.
No need to fall out as that's not who I am.
Capitalism, Socialism and all the other political and economic systems seem to have their positives and negatives.
That's my fence-sitting opinion anyway.
Take care and enjoy the rest of your day, Alex.
"Failure was not an option."
If I've learned anything from this channel and life in general, failure is ALWAYS an option!
I love your channel, even if the subject matter is sad. Narration is fantastic.
How have I never heard of this. Great video as always.
Btw this is posted on the same day the disaster happened, was that on purpose?
It’s shocking to me that they’d have a smoking room.
Doctors used to do cigarette commercials.
Using cancer inducing cigarettes in a room lined with asbestos, a cancer inducing material.
They must have smoked Lucky Strikes cigarettes.
Come on man it was asbestos lined. Totally safe.
Drs would literally say 'smoking tobacco clears the lungs!' they must have been paid off from the tobacco lobbyists/whoever earns tax $ on the product...
Surgeons back then, SMH, but they would smoke during surgery...
I never heard of this incident. Fascinating indeed! Thanks for the great and educational content!
My nan, who will be 100 years old next month, remembers seeing the airship as a child. She and her younger sister were playing in their garden in London, when they were disturbed by noise and a looming shape. There overhead, flying very low was the R101, it's motors making quite a noise. She was rather scared and fascinated at the same time!
Another piece of excellent reporting. Thank you!
I recently finished a Maps list with the locations of memorials from accidents brought up on this channel. Although far away, I don't want to miss a chance to pay a minute of thought for those who died, should I happen to be in the vicinity. Following this channel for a while has highlighted how often tragedies have occured that I had no knowledge on whatsoever.
Wooooah that's crazy! I was not aware of this I thought it was just the Hindenburg you sir! Are criminally underrated for a horror story channel!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I remember seeing the hanger as a child. My Father was in the RAF and he took me there.
Their is now a company still using it for modern airships using Helium.
Interesting. Actual rigid air ships or blimps?
Blimps. The British driving instructor training school is also there.
Isn’t the world running out of helium?
@@StamfordBridge Yes and it is bad to waste it because it is essential for MRI scanners.
@@StamfordBridge No, I was reading about helium. I wondered the same thing because I heard that the United States was selling off its helium but they were just selling off reserves which we don't need anymore because the supply is plentiful.
Just a little thing related to the R 101,Iron Maiden has a song called "Empire of The Clouds" that tells the story of the accident that destroyed the ship, it's a great song.
awesome video! i don’t mind waiting for these videos when they’re all this well made.
There's an alternate timeline where airship travel like this succeeded and remained viable.
And I'll admit it, even after learning of this tragedy, I'm a little jealous to not be living in that timeline.
Nah, i wouldn't want to waste time travel in these ticking bomb
I dont think so
Germany's Graf Zeppelin logged over a million miles of safe travel, including an around-the-world flight in 1929. I'd have loved to have been aboard.
It would be a sight to behold initially but imagine the ugly sight of airship congestion when international travel became popular, it would be so bad it would block out the sun!
I like to imagine that timeline also has a steampunk aesthetic that I've always found very appealing.
Simply, Thank you for these podcasts. Well done !
If memory serves right, The R101 frame was sold for scrap, and some of that metal ended up in the Hindenburg.
Aluminum recycled...
Excellent channel. I've never heard of so many of your stories.
I remember my late father telling me about how he saw the R101 fly over London. I also visited Cardington a few years ago and the two massive sheds where the two airships were built are still there. One of them is now used as a sound stage for film making. I think parts of Inception and various Batman films were made there.
Ditto, my late mother. She would have been about 6 years old at the time and lived in Eltham (SE London). I can't match the other points in your post, though.
I live in Kentucky and we get quite a few blimps during the Derby week festivities (theyre used to advertise mostly, along with small planes with banners) and I always love seeing them. It is cool to imagine a world where these became the mode for air travel as opposed to the planes we have instead. At least we still get to enjoy them on occasion and they weren’t completely done away with
It's almost as if politicians should take a responsible step back and allow professionals' scientific consensus, that has more than a Wikipedia paragraph's understanding of a subject, to determine deadlines and details. Who would have seen that coming?
Indeed. That being said, there were also errors by said professionals on the R101 team. Because it's also a case of cramming a bunch of unmatured innovations into a salad.
But look at the "scientific consensus" based false beliefs and bad policy advice in nutrition and climate, for example.
@@LaurieWilliams-lk8fc Are you anti-vaxx too?
PandaNFriends:
Certainly not the shoddy crowd that has occupied Westminster these last decades: All of them... Without fail... Have Failed Britain.
All of them "miffed" to have missed the gravy boat...and extremely angry they have missed the Cruise Liner that was the Brussels Junket. La creme de la Creme!
Britain has the worst Parliament for decades...... spoilt brats with no sense of responsibility.
And you wonder why the Civil Service is in revolt?
@LaurieWilliams5066 we all know what you're referring to. It's not a vax.
I always watch the new videos when they come out. Great tidbits of history that you don't get much anywhere else
If I remember correctly, R101 was the subject of a song called ‘Empire of the Clouds’, on the Iron Maiden album ‘Book of Souls’.
The song is six minutes longer than this video. Not complaining... just saying.
Not only that. Bruce Dickinson invested in an airship company that was based in one of the sheds at Cardington where there R101 was built. The sheds are very impressive as was the 'flying bum' airship which I believe has now been taken to the US