The Hindenburg did carry a "special lightweight piano", most
likely aluminum, during her first season, but according to the book
"Hindenburg" it was removed during her remodeling and was not aboard
during her ill-fated landing attempt at Lakehurst NJ. Must be quite
a collector's item for whoever has it now.
Larry Smith
[ Editor's note:
[
[ Researchers at UCLA now say that the Hindenburg fire was not
[ related to the hydrogen, but to the doped coating of the skin.
[
[ "The substance used to coat the cotton skin -- a process known as
[ 'doping' which makes the fabric taut and more durable -- was ex-
[ tremely flammable. A combination of iron oxide, cellulose acetate
[ and aluminum powder, 'the total mixture might well serve as a
[ respectable rocket propellant,' Van Vorst said."
[
[ See http://www.uclanews.ucla.edu/Docs/DB269.html
[
[ -- Robbie
|