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But Congress passed a law prohibiting the sale of [[helium]] to Germany in the 1930s, and the Hindenburg was filled with the flammable [[hydrogen]] to make its flights to the [[United States]].  On May 6, 1937, the Hindenburg caught fire while landing at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in [[Manchester]], [[New Jersey]]. About one third of those on board, 35 passengers, died not from the [[fire]] but by jumping to the ground the below.  Those who stayed calm and rode the aircraft to its landing survived unharmed.

But Congress passed a law prohibiting the sale of [[helium]] to Germany in the 1930s, and the Hindenburg was filled with the flammable [[hydrogen]] to make its flights to the [[United States]].  On May 6, 1937, the Hindenburg caught fire while landing at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in [[Manchester]], [[New Jersey]]. About one third of those on board, 35 passengers, died not from the [[fire]] but by jumping to the ground the below.  Those who stayed calm and rode the aircraft to its landing survived unharmed.

The tragedy was caught on film, radio and pictures.  The bad publicity destroyed the future of this type of aircraft.  Scientists debate whether the fire was actually due to the hydrogen or the flammable skin of the aircraft. The cause remains undetermined to this day.

The tragedy was caught on film, radio and pictures.  The bad publicity destroyed the future of this type of aircraft.  The cause of the fire was the skin of the '''Hindenburg''' which was waterproofed with cellulose acetate, very flammable, and coated with the aluminium powder that is used as a rocket fuel today. Hydrogen burns with a blue flame, however the '''Hindenburg''' burned with a bright red flame. The hydrogen would have escaped upwards when the bladders opened and did not contribute to the disaster.

The Hindenburg was named after the President of Germany, [[Paul von Hindenburg]], who served from 1925 to 1934.

The Hindenburg was named after the President of Germany, [[Paul von Hindenburg]], who served from 1925 to 1934.