LAKEHURST U.S. NAVAL AIR FORCE STATION NEW JERSEY AIRSHIPS & BLIMPS 33884

Made in the 1950s, “This is Lakehurst” explains the history of this famous air station. Lakehurst is the US Naval Air Force's station in Ocean County, New Jersey (:45). Commissioned in 1921, it is best known for being the base for airship training, development and operation (:54). It rests 75 miles south of New York and 50 miles east of Philadelphia (1:04). A facet of it's many varied missions is the Naval Air Technical Training Unit (1:13). In the phase nicknamed “flying the weather” students will learn and observe weather conditions encountered in flight and will stress the importance of low ceiling, visibility and turbulence (2:08). It will be especially relevant to students assigned to weather squadrons (2:27). The information collected will be reported to Navy weather centers for ship and air craft operations (2:43).
In Parachute Rigger School, pupils learn the techniques of parachute rigging and packing (2:57). They will be proficient in operations and management of oxygen breathing equipment used in Naval Aircrafts as well as the care and use of floatation and survival gear (3:30). All of the preparations will be conducted to complete a test in packing and then using their own parachute in a free fall jump (4:06). Consisting of Air Ship Squadron 3 and Helicopter Squadron 2, is the Fleet Air Detachment (4:24). They provide helicopter support for the Atlantic Fleet and are present in Korea evacuating the wounded, among other missions (4:36). Squadron 3 and Naval Air ships play a vital role in the discovery and destruction of enemy submarines (6:03). In WW2, blimps escorted a total of 89,000 ships and completed some 55,000 flights (6:52). Previously, in pilot school recruits for the Lighter Than Air operations had come from surface ships and submarines (8:16), yet to cut training time from 8 months to 4, already qualified airplane pilots were used (8:34). Free balloon flights prepared pilots for occasions when they may be faced with a dead engine (8:47). The majority of training is conducted in the Fleet Type K airship (9:47) which is 250 feet long and 70 feet wide (10:49). The larger “M” Type has remained in flight for over 170 hours (11:16). The largest is the Nan type (11:29). Operation and maintenance checks are required every 30, 60, 90 and 120 hours and at the end of 24 months will under go a thorough reconditioning (11:52). Here the envelope is completely deflated, and car is striped to its skeleton while technitions perform various checks and repairs (12:19). It will require 225,000 man hours and will then have to be reconstructed (12:50). After the Hindenburg burning in 1937, only inflammable helium is used to fill envelopes (13:26). As the film nears it's conclusion, the craft is nearly fully restored after eights days and thorough checks (14:43). It then returns to the skies and it's duty in the fleet (15:29).
Lakehurst Maxfield Field's history begins as a munitions-testing site for the Imperial Russian Army in 1916. It was then acquired by the United States Army as Camp Kendrick during World War I. The United States Navy purchased the property in 1921 for use as an airship station and renamed it Naval Air Station Lakehurst (NAS Lakehurst). The United States Navy's lighter-than-air program was conducted at Lakehurst from its inception through the 1930s. NAS Lakehurst was the center of airship development in the United States and housed three of the U.S. Navy's four rigid airships, (ZR-1) Shenandoah, (ZR-3) Los Angeles, and (ZRS-4) Akron. A number of the airship hangars built to berth these ships still survive. Hangar One, in which the Shenandoah was built, held the record for the largest "single room" in the world. According to an article in the January, 1925 issue of National Geographic Magazine, the airship hangar "could house three Woolworth Buildings lying side by side." The base also housed many Navy non-rigid airships, otherwise knowns as "blimps," in several squadrons before, during, and after World War II. This included the U.S. Navy's ZPG-3W (EZ-1C), which was deactivated in September 1962. In 2006, after a 44-year hiatus, the U.S. Navy resumed airship operations at Lakehurst with the MZ-3. The installation is probably most famous as the site of the LZ 129 Hindenburg disaster on 6 May 1937.
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[@WilliamParmley]

This was fantastic, really enjoyed it! My father trained at Lakehurst. He told me that for the free balloon flights they had two instruments: a compass and a roll of toilet paper. After I got done laughing he explained the toilet paper: tear off a sheet and throw it out of the basket. If the sheet went up it meant you were descending; if it went down you were ascending. I'll never forget that story!

[@ercost60]

Love that ZMC-2 setting the pace at 4:19

[@Modeltnick]

Growing up at the Jersey Shore, I saw lots of these patrolling the coast line. It was an awesome sight to see them go by just beyond the breakers when we were at the beach. I remember the distinctive sound of the engines. They even had one painted with dazzle paint.

[@georgepoirier9014]

Thank you.

[@jerrydiver1]

I went to weather observer school there 10/73-12/73. Fond memories. My class commander was a Viet vet warrant turned AG2 who flew helos in combat while we were still in the Nam.

[@bobbyd6680]

I remember the dirigibles flying over when I was kid in NJ. They looked so huge.

[@stevesmith5807]

This is awesome. I really appreciate the historical significance of this piece. Since my grandfather served there, it's especially interesting to me!

[@jimtownsend7899]

After I retired from the Navy as an Aircrewman, I worked for a contractor for 3 1/2 years in Hangar 1. Whole lot of history in that old building. But not the first airship hangar I ever worked in, because I had 2 tours of duty in squadrons at NAS Moffett Field, CA, in one of the three airship hangars there. P.S. Thanks, PRs! Never needed to use my parachute, but I was confident that if I had to and it didn't work, I could bring it back and you'd give me another one!

[@WilliamParmley]

My father was an LTA pilot. I remember him talking about one of the blimp hangers that had "orange peel" doors, but I can't recall if that was at Lakehurst, Moffett, or Glynco, but from the pictures I don't think it was Lakehurst. If you have any idea about that I'd appreciate hearing from you. He did take me out one night to watch them close the hanger doors, which must have been at either Lakehurst or Glynco. All I can remember is that it took a long time.

[@jimtownsend7899]

@@WilliamParmley Hangar One at Moffett Field had the “orange peel” or “clam shell” doors.. Hgr 1 was an all steel hangar, whereas Hangars 2 and 3 were built during the war, so they were wood. Lots and lots of wood! They had the straight doors like Hangar 1 at Lakehurst.

[@WilliamParmley]

@@jimtownsend7899 Wow, thanks for the info! It's great to finally fill in the gap in my knowledge. I know my father was at Moffett but I don't know if my mother and I were with him or not, I would have been too young to remember. I definitely recall living in Toms River, NJ and St. Simons Island, GA. Thanks so much!

[@daveperala4723]

I went through PR "A" school there in 78/79. Did my first jump there too. My room in Casey Hall overlooked hanger 1. On a clear night when everything is right, you can still smell the smoke and faintly hear the alarm bells. Stood watch in hanger 1 once, eerie doesn't begin to describe it. Swear I saw someone in the upper catwalks, next day was told about the Ens. that committed suicide up there.

[@navret1707]

I have a cousin who used to fly in air ships out of Lakehurst. He said he knew the days of airship ASW were numbered when all the subs had to do was surface and then outran the airship.

[@georgemason8521]

Attending school in this building was a privledge.

[@jimshorts589]

I was stationed there in 1973 parachute rigging School. Smoked a lot of pot did a lot of LSD and the beer dispensing machines in the barracks were always empty, No problem though the liquor store was 25 feet away. I only enlisted because I didn't want to get drafted. The Navy was a cool place to party in.