# Goodyear Getting Dirigibles



## WhoozOn1st (May 18, 2011)

Goodyear to trade up to zeppelins

"The Akron, Ohio, company said it would work with German manufacturer ZLT Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik to build three airships costing about $21 million each. Beginning in 2014, Goodyear will begin to swap out the three blimps, now based in Akron, Pompano Beach, Fla., and Carson [CA]."

"The company got into the blimp business in 1910. During World War II, the U.S. Navy maintained a fleet of more than 150 blimps built by Goodyear, and many were used to patrol the California coast. Some were even outfitted with .50-caliber machine guns.

"The region's blimp heritage still is visible at the two hangars at the defunct Tustin Marine Corps Air Station [which can be seen from passing Pacific Surfliners, west of the rail line]. The hangars are currently used to perform maintenance on the Goodyear blimp."


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## rrdude (May 18, 2011)

I've seen one of these in the San Fran area, and although WAY SMALLER than the original rigids (Hindenburg, Graf Zeppelin, etc.,) they are also MUCH BIGGER than the small Goodyear blimps, which (ready to be confused?) are much smaller than the US Navy's WW II blimps.........

Got that?

Either way, if you think you like rail travel, wait 'til you travel for a few hours in an airship. I've only flown in the small Goodyear blimps, but I can only image the luxury of flying 1,000 ABOVE the earth, and eating, and socializing, and sleeping.........

(father was a WW II Navy blimp pilot, K-Class)


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## had8ley (May 24, 2011)

I know I'll be accused of nipping the juice but I swear we saw a blimp in very rural south Texas on the Sunset. The SCA said it was a DEA surveillance device. I don't know if it had a gondola to carry pax but we passed it before I started passing the jug...anyone seen one ???


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## Bob Dylan (May 24, 2011)

had8ley said:


> I know I'll be accused of nipping the juice but I swear we saw a blimp in very rural south Texas on the Sunset. The SCA said it was a DEA surveillance device. I don't know if it had a gondola to carry pax but we passed it before I started passing the jug...anyone seen one ???


You DID Jay! (Although Id suspect you May have had a soothing Adult Drink to calm your nerves, that Sunset Route is a Looooooong,Dusty, Dry haul! :lol: ) These are very common in South and West Texas with the Thousands of Miles of Basically Wide Open Borders! The Largest Base is by Van Horn but there are also lots of others but Im sure that HLS has them Classifed, the one you saw is the One that's Closet to the SL Route! (They also use Drones but we dont get to see them , Ultra-Top Secret!)


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## leemell (May 24, 2011)

had8ley said:


> I know I'll be accused of nipping the juice but I swear we saw a blimp in very rural south Texas on the Sunset. The SCA said it was a DEA surveillance device. I don't know if it had a gondola to carry pax but we passed it before I started passing the jug...anyone seen one ???


They're known as the Tethered Aerostat Radar System. There are a lot of them all the way around to the east coast of Florida.


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