Mooring Mast Collection

Lord Thomson of Cardington (HM Secretary of State for Air) seen here at the Royal Airship Works, Cardington about to board the R101 airship for the Imperial Conference in India. 4th October 1930

Top of the Mooring Mast, Empire State Building (1931), 1931; 1939 (gelatin silver print)
991497 Top of the Mooring Mast, Empire State Building (1931), 1931; 1939 (gelatin silver print) by Hine, Lewis Wickes (1874-1940); 34.29x26.67 cm; Private Collection; (add.info)

Floating at the Mast Head, A Mighty Envelope of Invisible Power, c1935. R 101 airship at its mooring. Royal Airship Works, Cardington, Bedfordshire

The US airship Macon being moored to the mobile mast at Lakehurst, New Jersey, c1935 (c1937). The USS Macon (ZRS-5) was a rigid airship built and operated by the US Navy as a flying aircraft carrier

British rigid airship R101 riding at her mooring mast at Cardington, Bedfordshire, c1929 (c1937). The R101 was one of a pair of British rigid airships completed in 1929 as part of a government

Airship LZ127 Graf Zeppelin moored at Loewental, Germany, 1933. The Graf Zeppelin was the most successful airship ever built

Just a few moments before the airship Shenandoah sailed away for its transcontinental trip. An usual picture of the giant Shenandoah, showing it attached to its mooring mast at Lakehurst, New Jersey

Ship with first mooring mast for airship. The mooring mast of the USS Patoka, naval airship tender, to which the great airship " Shenandoah " was moored for the first time at Rhode Island

USS Shenandoah airship and tender, 1924 C017 / 7838
USS Shenandoah airship moored to its tender the newly-converted USS Patoka during tests in 1924. The Shenandoah was the first rigid airship used by the US Navy

USS Shenandoah, 1920s C016 / 4325
USS Shenandoah at her mooring mast in Tacoma, Washington State, USA. This US Navy rigid airship was built from 1922 to 1923, and operated until it crashed in 1925

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"Mooring Mast: Tethering the Skies in a Bygone Era" In the early 20th century, towering structures known as mooring masts emerged as symbols of human ingenuity and aviation prowess. These colossal beacons stood tall, ready to embrace airships that defied gravity and captured imaginations. Atop the iconic Empire State Building in 1931, a mooring mast reached for the heavens, beckoning airships like an outstretched hand. Gelatin silver prints from 1939 immortalize this breathtaking sight, showcasing a time when humans dared to conquer the skies. One captivating image titled "Floating at the Mast Head: A Mighty Envelope of Invisible Power" transports us back to circa 1935. It captures the awe-inspiring presence of Germany's two mighty airships – Graf Zeppelin and Hindenburg – gracefully tethered to their respective mooring masts. These floating giants embodied both elegance and power. Across the Atlantic Ocean in Lakehurst, New Jersey, another photograph from around 1935 depicts the US airship Macon being skillfully secured to a mobile mast. This engineering marvel allowed for safe docking and maintenance while preserving its majestic allure. Further across British shores lies Cardington, Bedfordshire – home to yet another remarkable spectacle. The rigid airship R101 majestically rides at her mooring mast in a scene frozen in time between 1929 and 1937. Here too stands witness to humanity's quest for dominance over celestial realms. The year is now 1933; we find ourselves transported once more—this time witnessing Airship LZ127 Graf Zeppelin gently anchored at Loewental in Germany—a testament to mankind's unwavering determination amidst turbulent times. Notably capturing Lord Thomson of Cardington (HM Secretary of State for Air), an evocative moment unfolds just before Shenandoah embarks on her transcontinental journey—an airship poised to traverse vast distances with grace and grandeur.