"THE EMPRESS OF THE CLOUDS"

US NAVY'S DIRIGIBLE ZR-1 FLIES LOW OVER NATIONAL CAPITAL

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On September 22, 1923, ZR-1* visited the Nation's Capital "flying over the Capitol, White House, Mount Vernon and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington."

Thousands of Washingtonians "lined the streets and crowded the tops of buildings to see her."

The Evening Star reports the great airship flew so low "that the whirling blades of the propellers of her six motors could be seen."

*ZR-1, USS Shenandoah, "The Empress of the Clouds," was the 1st of 4 USN rigid airships built 1922-1923 at Lakehurst, NJ.  ZR-1 made the 1st crossing of North America by an airship on her 57th flight.

SOURCE

"ZR-1, Flying High Above Clouds, Defies Rain to Reach Capital," The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., September 22, 1923, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/ 

 

 

USS Shenandoah Commander McCrary

1923

Photo by Kadel & Herbert

"THE SUN GLEAMED ON HER SLEEK GRAY SIDES"

DIRIGIBLE ZR-1 PAYS VISIT TO THE BIG APPLE

New York City (JFK+50) On September 11, 1923 "the giant airship ZR-1*...flew up from her hanger in Lakehurst, New Jersey to visit New York."

The Evening Star reports rooftops miles from Woolworth Tower "were crowded with spectators."

The front-page story in the Star states...

"The sun gleamed on the dirigible's sleek gray sides, and her rudder, with its streaks of red, white, and blue, glistened in the sun."

*ZR-1, a.k.a. USS Shenandoah, was the 1st of 4 rigid airships built for the US Navy.  ZR-1 was built 1922-23 at Lakehurst Naval Station and 1st flew in Sept 1923.  

ZR-1 made the 1st crossing by an airship of North America before being destroyed in a storm over Ohio in Sept 1925.

SOURCE

"Giant Ship Flies Over Manhattan," The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., September 11, 1923, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/ 

 USS Shenandoah

San Diego, California

October 1924

Fred Wallace Special Collection

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