6 Rare German Trade Cards: First Zeppelin Flight Germany to America, issd. 1927

Description

Offered here is a complete set of six German trade cards (Series 16) of the first visit of a German Zeppelin to the U.S. The cards were issued by the Erdal Shoe Polish Company in 1927. Pictured here are:
Picture 1
:
The Departure from Friedrichshafen.
The takeoff of the ZR-III zeppelin was scheduled for October 10, 1924. However, because of unfavorable air temperatures the airship did not take off until Sunday, October 12
th
. On take-off day, the hangar of the gigantic airship was only accessible to crew and passengers. At 6:30 am the command was given: “Airship out of the hangar!”, at which the ground crew pulled the zeppelin out of the hangar and into the thick October fog. The engines were then started and the giant airship then ascended into the sky as a band played the German national anthem. A few minutes later the ship disappeared from sight into the clouds as the excited audience on the ground looked on.
Picture 2:
Leaving the European Continent.
The commander and crew of the airship were well aware of the difficult task ahead of them. The was evident in the words of the pilot, Max Pruss: “Finally, we were underway. Thank God!” At a height of 350 meters the airship entered impenetrable fog. However, the reflection of the rising sun against the Swiss mountains gave the crew a point of orientation. At first, the flight followed the Rhine River north. They crossed the French border at around 8 am and traveled westward to Autun-Cognac. After the first onboard lunch was served the airship crossed the French coast at Bordeaux at 4:24 in the afternoon.
Picture 3: From the Bay of Biscay to the Azores.
The dangerous Bay of Biscay was crossed without incident. At 4 pm the clock was set back an hour. The sun set at 5:30 pm and the first night over the ocean arrived. By 6:15 pm the moon shone brightly and at 7:30 pm the lights of the Northern Spanish coast could be seen. At Cape Villano and Ortegal the airship was buffeted by strong winds. Shortly after 8 pm the ship steered over Cape Finisterre in the direction of the Azore Islands. Despite strong rainy headwinds the zeppelin was able to maintain a speed of 60 mph at a height of between 100 and 300 meters. The next morning at 11:30 am the Azores were sighted with the Pico Alto peak. The residents of the islands have never seen such a spectacle as this! Everyone gathered to watch the giant airship that was now steering westward to America.
Picture 4:
The Flight around the Statue of Liberty.
As the ZR III approached America it was able to establish radio contact with American observation ships on Monday, October 13
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at 5 am. From 10 pm to midnight the wind blew at 12 to 15 knots per hour and later grew to 18 knots. A strong storm and rain gales hindered the forward progress of the ship. Early on Tuesday the wind changed and now was pushing the ship forward. The ship’s fifth motor was put into action. At 11:30 pm the American coast came into view. Continuing westward the airship reached Boston at 3:50 am. The residents of this city were cheering the airship with great energy and the ship responded with its spotlight. Around 8 am the ZR-III reached New York and the majestic airship then flew a circle around the Statue of Liberty whose arm was raised in greeting.
Picture 5: Flying over the Skyscrapers of New York.
The ZR-III made two large circling flights over the city of New York. During these maneuvers the airship dropped off bags of mail from Europe. The superb airship paid respect to the skyscrapers of New York and hundreds of thousands of people below waved towels or hats at the passing airship. Looking from the airship down on the city, one had the impression that the ship was flying over a gigantic anthill. Many sirens and steam whistles sounded their greeting to the zeppelin. Despite all the storms, rain, winds and other difficulties on the trip across the Atlantic Ocean, the airship performed wonderfully. Proudly and nobly the airship, with the German trade flag flying underneath it, made its rounds over the sea of houses in the city of over a million residents. The people of this land of unlimited possibilities looked with admiration at this product of German diligence, German courage and German persistence.
Picture 6:
The Landing in Lakehurst, New Jersey.
Accompanied by countless private American airplanes, the airship followed the Hudson River south in the bright sunlight. Shortly before 9 am the ship could be seen from the Lakehurst landing site. Gradually, the airship flew lower and threw out its landing ropes which led it into the hangar at Lakehurst. Thus, it reached its goal on October 15
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, 1924 at 9:10 am (= 3:10 Central European time). The crossing of the ocean (some 7,500 kilometers) took 80 hours and 26 minutes. President Hoover said to Dr. Eckener: “For me and for the American people it is with great satisfaction that we note how peaceful relations have been restored between Germany and the United States. Navy Secretary Wilbur called the airship “a symbol of peace and friendship.”
Each card measures 4 and ¼ inches by 2 and ¾ inches.
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