Thomas S. Hook

Softcover book of 148 pages, with bibliography and many black and white photos of the Akron era airship. The author examines the history and crash of this great craft, and what was behind her ultimate demise.
USS Akron (ZRS-4) (9/1931 to 4/1933) at 785 ft long, the first purpose-built flying aircraft carrier, carrying F9C Sparrowhawk fighter planes. Destroyed in a thunderstorm off the coast of New Jersey on April 4, 1933, killing 73 of the 76 crewmen and passengers. Sister ship USS Macon was show more lost on 2/12/35 killing 2. show less

USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) was the first of four United States Navy rigid airships. It was constructed during 1922–23 at Lakehurst Naval Air Station, and first flew in September 1923. It developed the U.S. Navy's experience with rigid airships, and made the first crossing of North America by airship. On the 57th flight,[2] Shenandoah was torn apart in a squall line over Ohio in September 1925.
Includes reprint of front page of Columbus Evening Dispatch recounting tragic plunge of airship during show more storm in 1925 in Ohio. Shenandoah was assembled at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey in 1922–1923, in Hangar No. 1, the only hangar large enough to accommodate the ship; its parts were fabricated at the Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia. The design was based on Zeppelin bomber L-49 (LZ-96), built in 1917. 680 ft long and weighed 36 tons, range of 5,000 mi, and could reach speeds of 70 mph show less