• Headofthebored @lemmy.world
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    20 hours ago

    Well, the Nazis were stupid and used hydrogen instead of helium. The Hindenburg, pride of Nazi Germany, was full of rich people when it blew up in New Jersey, so who really cares anyway?

    • Redredme@lemmy.world
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      14 hours ago

      The Nazis had to use hydrogen because that other gas was hoarded as a strategic reserve by another nation.

      But still Nazis. So…

      Anyway big flying things are cool. Still would be.

      its just that planes are faster, cheaper to build, less of a hassle to land and take off…

    • cynar@lemmy.world
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      16 hours ago

      It’s also worth noting that it wasn’t the hydrogen that caused the fire. The Hindenburg had an aluminium skin. It began having degradation issues, so they painted it. The paint was iron oxide based. Aluminium and iron oxide are the 2 main ingredients in thermite.

      Analysis of the video shows that it was the skin burning off. It would have gone up almost as badly, even if filled with helium.

      • Sneezycat@sopuli.xyz
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        14 hours ago

        Thermite is known for being freaking hard to ignite, even torching it is not enough sometimes. So I doubt that had anything to do with the fire.

      • joel_feila@lemmy.world
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        13 hours ago

        Not according to myth busters. Although some thermite reactions likely accured the blimp would have gone up without it

      • rmuk@feddit.uk
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        11 hours ago

        Yeah, but how were they to know the central reservation on the autobahns would need a barrier as well as earthworks?

    • ninjakttty@lemmy.world
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      18 hours ago

      Well they weren’t totally stupid, they couldn’t get helium because the US restricted them from getting it as the largest supplier. The plan was originally to use helium, but they went with the second best option.

    • Nalivai@lemmy.world
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      19 hours ago

      Helium is very finite and very leaky. If you want flying ships you need something else.

    • Gladaed@feddit.org
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      16 hours ago

      Hydrogen is awesome, for it is cheap. Just make it more expensive is not a good strategy.