Overhead Zeppelin Footage

M

Mike G. Anderson

Guest
Recently, while watching a program on the History Channel, ("History's Lost and Found", I believe) they featured a segment on a piece of the Hindenburg. Putting the story of the airship in a nutshell, they explained how the derigible offered a new alternative to ocean liners in terms of trans-Atlantic travel. As the narrator went on, they showed a bit of footage taken from an aircraft (airship, presumably) of the Olympic from overhead. She was distinguished by the aft-GSC weather cover ajacent to the tank room as well as her buff funnels (looked light as opposed to the way Cunard red shows on film). I was unaware such film existed. Oddly enough, it was reminiscent of the fly-by scene in James Cameron's Titanic, except for the fact the camera went stern to bow.

If anyone knows anything about it, please explain. Also, is there any other footage of Olympic (or any of the great liners) taken from the air?

Thanks in advance.
 
Hi Mike!

I too have seen the fly by footage and I believe it was taken from either one of the U.S. Navy's zeppelins then in service, those being U.S.S. Macon, U.S.S. Akron and the U.S.S. Shenandoah, or quite possibly the German airliner Graf Zeppelin, through it is hard to distinguish as there is no timeframe given for this footage. I have no indisputable proof of either of these opinions, but it would make sense that a either a navy crewman or a foreign or perhaps even American tourist would want to film the Olympic. I could be wrong, I would appreciate any additional info :-)

Thanks,

Brian
 
Also, now that I think of it, I have seen footage of a fly over of New York Harbor. I paused the film and I believe is from the late 1920's showing either the Mauretania or Aquatania at the Cunard pier, it is very grainy and only something like 20 seconds long so I may be wrong, but the ship looks identical.

Best regards,

Brian
 
in order to tell the difference of whether its mauretania or aquitania, i suggest look at the area directly around the bridge, aquitania's windows are round, while mauretania's tend to be square shaped. as for the zeppelin, its probably the Graff Zeppelin if its from the early 20's.
 
Hi Jesse!

I am quite certain that the film was indeed shot aboard Graf Zeppelin as it was the only Trans-Atlantic airship in operation at the time and based on the smooth uninterrupted flow of the film, it highly is unlikely the film was taken from a plane due to this lack of turbulence.

Whether or not the film was dated to the "early 20's" does not rule out that it could have been filmed aboard Graf Zeppelin either.

D LZ — 127 or Graf Zeppelin was in operation until 1937 although after the Hindenburg disaster in 1936, Graf Zeppelin was removed from the Trans-Atlantic circuit and restricted to European travel only as a safety precaution.

So the footage could have been taken even as late as 1935, however I believe it dates mid to late 20's.

As for distinguishing the Cunard ship in port, it is some distance away and stern out, so attempting to see the bridge windows is quite impossible.

Best Regards,

Brian
 
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