New Film of Hindenburg Disaster Discovered
New footage of the Hindenburg explosion was shown to a wide audience for what is believed to be the fist time during the week of disaster that took place 77 years ago last week at Lakehurst Naval Air Station.
The footage shows the German airship, the world's largest, coming in "off balance" as it attempted to land on May 6, 1937 at the Ocean County facility that is now the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. As the hydrogen inside the zeppelin ignites flames can be seen from the side rather than just the front.
“It does get us a few seconds closer to the actual point when it did happen,” Kevin Pace of the Navy Lakehurst Historical Society told NBC 10.
Rick Zitarosa, vice president of the Navy Lakehurst Historical Society, told the Asbury Park Press there were some copyright and ownership issues with the film which was first shown at an event in 1987 commemorating the disaster's 50th anniversary but then was put aside.
Ocean County Freeholders last week unveiled a refurbished marker showing where the airship's control car landed after the explosion and fire according to the Asbury Park Press.
On May 6, 1937, at around 7:25pm, the German airship burst into flames and crashed 35 people aboard the dirigible died, along with one ground crew member.
Megan Madison contributed to this report
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