Hullwebs History of Hull

The following extract of the final flight of the R38 and its death in the Humber was taken from the Airship Heritage Trust website. For a full history of the R38, pictures and a video clip, simply follow this link.

At approximately 17.00 on the 24th August 1921 Disaster struck on a test flight during a tight turn over the Humber near Hull. Eyewitness reports confirmed that the ship seemed to crumple along mid section and then the front section broke away and detonated. The nose section detonating in two explosions killing 44 crew. Five members of the crew in the tail section were saved from the wreckage as it did not catch fire. The tail section tilted and fell towards the Humber estuary, but was not alight. The official report attributes structural weakness as the cause of the crash. The Ship Plans and Gondola Plans can be viewed at the Airship Heritage Trust site.

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