Hindenburg Airship Skin

"Oh, the humanity, all the passengers. screaming around here [...]  Listen, folks; I... I'm gonna have to stop for a minute because I've lost my voice. This is the worst thing I've ever witnessed." - Herbert Morrison, WLS radio broadcaster at the scene of the disaster.

On May 6, 1937, the Hindenburg burst into flames in what should have been a routine landing. The airship was kept aloft by 16 gas cell chambers, which were infamously filled with flammable hydrogen. A spark was all it took for for the explosion to begin, which ripped through the Hindenburg in a matter of seconds.

This specimen is a swatch of canvas fabric from the airship skin of the Hindenburg. The specimen was acquired from one of the largest private collections of Hindenburg artifacts in the world. It was originally retrieved at the scene in 1937 by journalist Harry Kroh. Kroh was a local reporter dispatched to cover what was expected to be a routine landing, but turned into one the most well-covered disasters in history.

Swatches vary in size and shape, but each measures approximately one square centimeter in area. Swatches may exhibit uneven edges or have areas where the cloth beneath the aluminum doping is visible.

The specimen is enclosed in a handsome, glass-topped riker box case measuring 4 1/2" x 3 1/2". A small information card is also included.

Please Note: The swatch is enclosed in a small, specimen jar within the case. If you choose to remove the swatch from the jar, please be careful while handling. While the aluminum coating is still bright the fabric beneath is quite fragile.