Goodyear-Zeppelin Corp. Prospectus for Passenger Service by Airship
Illustrated with Real Photographs
An elaborate photographically-illustrated prospectus for the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corp. This specially prepared business proposal volume describes with text and photographs the rigid airships designed by the company for commercial and luxury passenger service. Goodyear president Paul Litchfield dreamed of building luxury passenger airships beginning in the 1920s. The Goodyear firm was involved in several such proposals for airship transportation including the International Zeppelin Transport Company of 1929, the Pacific Zeppelin Transport Corporation, and American Zeppelin Transport, Inc.
Several of the photographed renderings are signed by Karl Huerttle, of Akron, Ohio, who was an early designer with the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corp. and took out several patents for various aspects of airship design. It is interesting to note that after World War I Goodyear would team up with the German Luftschiffbau Zeppelin Company to make zeppelins and dirigibles.
According to the introduction, the Zeppelin-type airship was nearing its thirtieth birthday at the time of the present publication. The first commercial application of Zeppelins was made in Germany in 1913. The text points out that passenger comfort had hitherto been neglected due to technical demands and erstwhile dominance of military applications. The Goodyear-Zeppelin sought to change this by offering luxury accommodations combined with technical improvements in the ride itself:
The pleasure of airship traveling is the result of more than spacious compartments; there is the element of steadiness. Modern design permits the building of ships stable enough to ride the severest storms with little or no disturbing motion. Dr. Bradenburg, director of German aviation and passenger on the Graf Zeppelin, emphasized in his New York address the absence of seasickness aboard in spite of the abnormally rough weather experienced in crossing. It is obvious that the American public, educated as it is to the best obtainable in transportation, will not be hesitant in accepting comfortable and luxurious airships.
A remarkable and richly illustrated proposal for innovative long-distance transoceanic luxury passenger service via zeppelin issued by America's premier airship manufacturer sometime shortly before the October 1929 Wall Street crash.
Photographs and diagrams
Graf Zeppelin over Philadelphia.
Proposed airship routes map. Based on Navy Department Hydrographic Map No. 1401a of the Pacific region, dated April 1929. Shows possible commercial airship routes between Los Angeles, Hawaii, Tokyo, Manila, and Guam.
Sectional view of hull structure.
Upper Promenade. Photograph of hand-drawn rendering of interior corridor. Dated 1928.
Smoking Room. Photograph of hand-drawn rendering of smoking room with furnishings. Dated 1929.
Dining Saloon. Photograph of hand-drawn rendering of well-appointed dining room. Dated 1928.
"A" Stateroom. Photograph of hand-drawn rendering of luxurious stateroom with berth and furnishings. Dated 1929.
Airship Kitchen - Graf Zeppelin. Photograph.
Proposal A. Passenger Airship. Dated 3-4-1929.
Foldout diagram of Proposal A Passenger Airship.
Foldout cross-section diagram of Proposal A Passenger Airship.
Passenger Stateroom. Photograph of original sketch by Karl Huerttle. Dated Nov. 5, 1928.
Pullman Type Stateroom. Photograph of hand-drawn rendering.
Proposal B. Passenger and Mail Airship. Photograph of rendering. Dated 1929.
Foldout diagram of Proposal B. Passenger and Mail Airship.
Foldout diagram cross-section of Proposal B Passenger and Mail Airship.
Foldout diagram of Proposal C. Passenger & Mail Airship.
Foldout diagram cross-section of Proposal C. Passenger & Mail Airship.
Proposed airship factory and dock. Photograph of rendering showing size of factory and dock superimposed over outline of the U.S. Capitol.
Foldout plan of the airship dock.
Foldout diagram of airship factory.
Rarity
Probably unique. No auction records for this title. No copies recorded on OCLC/WordCat. Such mimeograph typescript business prospectuses were usually issued in very limited numbers for distribution to a handful of potential investors.