Graf Zeppelin 1929 Circumnavigation

Fabulous film this!

This one and a half hour documentary by the BBC chronicles the 1929 circumnavigation of the world by the Graf Zeppelin.



Funded partly by American industrialists and Newspaper Magnates, the journey officially started at Lakehurst New Jersey on August 7, 1929, but actually started the week before when the Graf Zeppelin left Friedrichshafen in Germany. The Graf flew across the Atlantic to pick up all the dignitaries then proceeded to fly East again and continued around the World ending back in Lakehurst.

You can see maps of the route and lots of detailed info of the trip at the Airships: The Hindenburg and other Zeppelins website here:

Maps of the route of the Graf Zeppelin’s Round-the-World flight:

The story presented is based on the journals and reports of the sole female reporter aboard, Lady Grace Drummond Hay.  While a bit "soap operish" in parts, there is still a lot of good information here. If the storyline/angst becomes too frustrating turning the sound off gives the film a classic silent film look.


The film has lots of great images of the Graf Zeppelin in flight as well as very rare motion pictures of the interiors.  The opening sequence showing the Graf Zeppelin under construction is fascinating. This is also a great look back at the world as it was on the eve of the Great Depression.

Well worth the time if you are a fan of the great rigid airships.

Keep Your sightglass full, your firebox trimmed and your water iced.
KJ

P.S. I have given this post a Flight Engineer tag due to the amazing amount of info contained here.