[FlyMoreRockets]

What was the mass of the Hindenburg without the lift gas? Doubtless modern composites could significantly reduce that mass, which could go directly into increased payload.

Alternatively, an airship of the same mass of the Hindenburg could be made significantly larger, and since payload scales with the lifting gas volume, payload would also increase.

Oh, and throw the Hindenburg's aluminum piano over the side.

I note with interest that you say the Hindenburg would have had a greater payload with Helium rather than Hydrogen. Why do you say that?

[TylerE]

> I note with interest that you say the Hindenburg would have had a greater payload with Helium rather than Hydrogen. Why do you say that?

I did not say that. Note the negative.

[FlyMoreRockets]

I saw the dash, but didn't understand it. If the payload with hydrogen is 21,000lbs and it is -34,000 pounds with helium, then it seems like it wouldn't even get off the ground. But clearly, it did get off the ground with passengers using helium, it was designed to fly with helium.

[TylerE]

No it wasn't. The German Zeppelin's always run hydrogen. At the time the US had the only real supply of helium and they wouldn't sell to Germany.

[FlyMoreRockets]

Okay, I stand corrected about it flying on helium, thank you for correcting me, +1. However, the Hindenburg was designed to fly using helium as the lift gas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindenburg-class_airship#Lift_...

The article goes on to say the difference in lift between hydrogen and helium is only 8%.

Edit: drop the apostrophe on zeppelins

[TylerE]

8% of 500,000lbs is....