Historic Airship Flights

Vintage images of airships in flight, showcasing early aviation history with notable designs in black and white, highlighting their majestic presence in the sky.

Photograph of the first airship (R34) to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Dated 20th Century
Photograph of the first airship (R34) to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Dated 20th Century
151 assets in this story
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Anefo photo collection. Helicopters on Ypenburg. May 10, 1948. The Hague, Ypenburg, South Holland
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In broad daylight, two saucers (the other indicated by arrow) flew over San Francisco, seen only by Joe Kerska who luckily took this photo or we might not believe him. Date: 10th October 1956
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German U-Boat in N.Y.
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Observation Balloon Intrepid, Civil War - USA
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Engraving depicting a French air-ship. Dated 20th Century
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Rome (Italy), March 1911. Aviation in Rome: the aviator Fischer in one of the admirable flights he has just made at the Campannellas racecourse before the kings of Italy.
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Zeppelin over St. Paul's Description: German Graf Zeppelin flies over St. Paul's Cathedral while on a press visit to London. Date: 1930 london, sepia, cathedral, aircraft, aviation, transport, zeppelin, stpauls, airship, dirigible, lighterthanair, luftschiff, grafzeppelin, dzr, lz127, dlz127, luftschifflz127, deutschezeppelinreederei, lz127grafzeppelin, luftschiffbauzeppelin, deutscheluftschiffahrtsaktiengesellschaft, delag, zeppelinlz127
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San Francisco, California: October 16, 1936. The Golden Gate Bridge under construction, with the roadbed being suspended from the cables.
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Anefo photo collection. Congratulations from Albert Heijn and Boldoot for Ajax D.M.V. An advertising plane. Advertising plane of Albert Heijn above the Leidseplein in Amsterdam. June 3, 1971. Amsterdam, Noord-Holland
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Anefo photo collection. Arrival of Jeeps Amsterdam. March 26, 1947. Amsterdam, Noord-Holland
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Alphonse Pénaud's airplane, driven by twisted rubber bands. Alphonse Pénaud (1850-1880) a French aviation designer and engineer. Dated 19th Century
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Nacelle of the airship Norge, from L'Illustrazione Italiana, Year LII, No 20, May 16, 1926.
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08/31/1910. Military Maneuvers in France. The Airship "Clement Bayard" Passing over a Small Town to recognize the situation of the Troops. Photo: Harlingue.
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Vintage photograph. Low angle view of a Bell helicopter used for police patrol
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Left side view of German airship Zeppelin LZ 129 Hindenburg burning at Lakehurst, New Jersey, 6 May 1937; the disaster occured while the airship was landing. In this photo, the rear half of the ship is on fire but the ship is still above the ground; nose is pitched sharply upwards.
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The French airship Ville-de-Nancy near its hangar in Sartrouville, France, illustration from L'Illustration, No 3462, July 3, 1909.
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The Zeppelin LZ 129 Hindenburg catching fire on May 6, 1937 at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey.
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Photo of the crash of the airship Hindenburg in Lakehurst, New Jersey on May 6, 1937.
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San Sebastián, 1910. Funicular in the Peña del Águila (Mount Ulía).
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Cooley aeroplane
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The F6 Airship taken into the hangar, 1918, World War I, 20th century.
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Gyrocopter, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Hindenburg Lakehurst Naval Airstation New Jersey USA May 6, 1937
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Airplanes in flight above Hendon, London, 1935, England, by Eric Lee-Johnson.
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Blancard, Hippolyte (1843 - D.1924), lower part of a balloon during its swelling quai de Billy, 16th arrondissement, Paris (dummy title), 1890. Platinum draw. Carnavalet museum, history of Paris.
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Artist's impression of Kaufmann's steam-powered airplane, shown as a model at the Aeroriuaffcical Exhibition held in London in 1868.
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The Hindenburg disaster May 6, 1937 in Lakehurst, Anonymous
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Anefo photo collection. unknown . Helicopter above Maashaven. June 16, 1961. Rotterdam
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Travel photos. Airship over palm trees with caption "Good Year Lifeguard Tires - Reliance NC 14 A
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Airplane demonstration in the skies above Hendon, London, 1935, England, by Eric Lee-Johnson.
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A couple of autogyros, aircrafts with airplane wings and helicopter rotor, in the sky of New York, United States, from L'Illustrazione Italiana, year LVII, n 46, November 16, 1930.
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GRABADO-GLOBO AEROSTATICO. Location: PRIVATE COLLECTION. MADRID. SPAIN.
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Anefo photo collection. Demonstration with helicopter for forest fire on high Veluwe helicopter above fire. October 19, 1971. Gelderland, Veluwe
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1930S Graf Zeppelin German Rigid Airship
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Anefo photo collection. Queen Juliana puts the radio telescope in Dwingeloo. April 17, 1956. Drenthe, Dwingeloo
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Expedition at night in the Gare de Orleans Virgin (Daniel Urrabieta Ortiz y Virgin, said, 1851-1904). Expedicion of Noche at Orleans Station.
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Two -winged semaphore, in the position "Drive gently", at the entrance to Södertälje from Saltskog. The locomotive stands on the track leading to the Lokstallet.
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Anefo photo collection. Landing balloon "Dutch Viking" successful flight Atlantic Ocean Polder near Almere; landed balloon Korenveld. September 2, 1986. Almere, Flevoland
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Aviation, 1910: German 'Parseval' type airship (dirigible), 1909.
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First and Last Flight of LaChauve-Souris. Artist: Jacques-Henri Lartigue, French, 1894-1986
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U.S "Flying Fortresses" Over New York -- Flying low over New York's famous skyscrapers are of the giant XIB-17 "Flying Fortresses" most modern of America's Army. April 4, 1938. (Photo by Keystone)
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Aviation in Britain Before the First World War A smiling Cody and two others next to the tail plane of Cody aircraft mark V. With the help of his family and friends Cody built the mark V mainly from the remains of the mark III in just four weeks, after both the aircraft that he intended to enter in the trials were written off. It was powered by the 120 hp Austro-Daimler engine which was relatively unscathed from the crashes it had been in. Note the triangular rudders similar to those on the monoplane. It was with this machine that Cody won both the International Division and the British Division (GBP5000 prize in total) of the 1912 military trials, a competition to find an aircraft for the army. 32 machines were entered from 21 companies in a series of tests. These tests covered areas such as rate of climb, speed (both fast and slow), glide angle, landing distance, time of assembly and ability to fly in a high wind. The aircraft had to meet certain other criteria such as having dual c
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The 'Queen Mary', then known as '534', under construction at John Brown's shipyard, Clydebank. Work on the massive liner had been halted between 1931 and 1934 due to lack of funds, but the merger of Cunard and White Star Line and a nine-and-a-half million pound government loan saved the vessel. She was launched in September 1934 by Queen Mary. Date: 1934
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Departure of the balloon Le Journal from the shipyard of La Villette in Paris, France, illustration from the magazine L'Illustration, year 55, no 2828, May 8, 1897.
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Martin bomber beginning its flight around the edge of the USA, 1919. Here in Washington, DC with the Washington Memorial in the background
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The First Glider To Cross the Atlantic, 28 June 1943 The Waco Hadrian glider 'Voo-Doo' the first Hadrian glider to be towed across the Atlantic being unloaded at Prestwick.
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Vintage photograph. NATIV, a North American Aviation guided missile leaving launching tower during test firing
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Aviation, 1910: French Military Dirigible (airship) 'Colonel Renard', 1909
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Elsevier photo collection. Ascending balloon "Neerlandia" scientific purposes. Dr. Cannegieter Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute Den Bit experienced journey. April 1921. Utrecht, Zeist
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Pennington & Cos. aerial steam ship or composite balloon / lith. of P.S. Duval, Philada. - digital file from original print | Library of Congress