Hindenburg Explosion - Paramount Newsreel (1937)

[Music] how did this tragedy happen to the Hindenburg the world wants to know and the highest United States authorities are driving to learn why two score died at the very instant of Landing the world's greatest Airship here is the end of the first trip of 1937 end of all things for the Hindenburg last of her 21 American [Music] voyages now at Twilight comes the Dreadful end she is over Lakehurst nosing in as on so many trips before nearly 50 laughing passengers are at the windows from which they have just looked down on Millions watching from New York there's nothing wrong the ship level PS off drops her water ballast the ground crew is ready underneath it's all right as it has always been all right she drops her Line This Voyage is over and tonight she is going back to Germany and then [Applause] God up [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] he [Applause] and so perishes the great Hindenburg at the Home Port of the vanished Shen Andor the akan and the mon [Music] it was just a year ago that New Yorkers first beheld the Silvery spectacle of Germany's luxury airliner Hindenberg soaring majestically past Manhattan skyline having spanned the North Atlantic in the record shattering time of 61 and a half hours from its hanger at Fredick Harin to its American Port of Call at Lake HST New Jersey today with veteran Captain Ernest l aboard in an advisory capacity the greatest light of an aircraft ever built nears the completion of her 21st Atlantic Crossing her first of this year encountering storms and headwinds during this ill- fated Voyage the giant derable noses toward the Lake Hurst moing mass today having just ridden out a brief electrical disturbance and now that the wind has subsided she releases ballast preliminary to easing her vast Hulk into the hands of the Navy ground crew awaiting the landing Lines by which she is gently drawn to Earth her 50 passengers impatient eager to arrive at a Journey's End scarcely 300 ft above the ground now Port holes open Landing lines are thrown hovering so close to Earth one is impressed by her Mammoth size her great framework encasing 7 million cubic feet of Highly inflammable hydrogen careful maneuvering by expert hands of all but warped her into the hanger Motors are idling all seem ship shaped to the scurrying crew below and suddenly oh shoot it shoot it shoot [Music] it you're all right now in less time than it takes to tell the scene is one of horror as the ship has slowly sagged to Earth and the Flames have enveloped the entire structure many of those aboard having jump to escape Cremations [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] estimate of its toll and human life stands at 50 Dead with many of the 50 persons pulled from the Flames not expected to live a nightmare 20 seconds incredible it seems that the Spectre of death could stalk so quickly so completely for here in this appalling tragedy is written the worst disaster in aviation history