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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Photo # NH 51492: USS Shenandoah flying in the vicinity of New York City, circa 1923

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY AIRCRAFT -- LIGHTER-THAN-AIR --

USS Shenandoah (ZR-1), Airship 1923-1925

USS Shenandoah, a 2,115,000 cubic foot rigid airship, was fabricated at the Naval Aircraft Factory, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and assembled at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey. She first flew in early September 1923 and was placed in commission slightly over a month later. During the final four months of 1923 and the first weeks of 1924 Shenandoah made several flights around the eastern United States, giving the American people their first view of a U.S. owned rigid airship and providing valuable training to her as yet inexperienced crew. Following storm damage in mid-January 1924, she was repaired and overhauled, returning to service in May. In August 1924 the airship conducted the first of many moorings to a ship, the specially-converted oiler Patoka.

In October 1924 Shenandoah made a round-trip voyage to the West Coast, flying by way of Texas, and was briefly based at San Diego, California. She was laid up at Lakehurst upon her return in late October, thus freeing scarce and expensive helium for use in the new dirigible Los Angeles, and was not back in active service until June 1925. That summer she carried out tactical exercises with the Fleet, her only real employment with the Navy's "mainstream" operating forces. On 3 September 1925, during the first leg of a publicity flight to the Midwest, USS Shenandoah encountered violent weather over southern Ohio, broke up in flight and was a total loss. Fourteen of her complement lost their lives in this tragedy.

This page features all the views we have of USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) in flight, and provides links to all our other pictures related to this airship.

For further views related to USS Shenandoah, see:

  • USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) -- Ground Views at Lakehurst, New Jersey;
  • USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) -- Ground Views at other locations;
  • USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) -- Landing on and Moored to Ships;
  • Storm Damage to USS Shenandoah, 16 January 1924;
  • Loss of USS Shenandoah, 3 September 1925;
  • USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) -- Construction and Christening, 1922-1923; and
  • USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) -- Miscellaneous Views.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 51492

    USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)


    Flying in the vicinity of New York City, circa 1923.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 110KB; 740 x 615 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-428443

    USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)


    In flight, circa 1924.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: NH 705

    USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)


    Flying off the entrance to San Diego harbor, California, 16 October 1924.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 615 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 90257

    USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)


    In flight near the Golden Gate, off San Francisco, California, in October 1924.

    Photograph from the collection of Vice Admiral T.T. Craven. Courtesy of Lieutenant Rodman DeKay, Jr., USNR (Retired), 1979.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 590 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 90262

    USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)


    In flight, possibly in the San Francisco Bay area, California, in October 1924.

    Photograph from the collection of Vice Admiral T.T. Craven. Courtesy of Lieutenant Rodman DeKay, Jr., USNR (Retired), 1979.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 80547

    USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)


    In flight during operations with the U.S. Fleet, circa 1924. Photographed from USS Tennessee (BB-43).

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Captain Frank Brooks Upham.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 47KB; 650 x 675 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 80546

    USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)


    In flight during operations with the U.S. Fleet, circa 1924. Photographed from USS Tennessee (BB-43).

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Captain Frank Brooks Upham.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 49KB; 740 x 590 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 80545

    USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)


    In flight, circa 1924, during operations with the U.S. Fleet.
    Photographed by Browne, from the foredeck of USS Tennessee (BB-43).
    Note fire control arrangements on the battleship, among them the rangefinder atop the pilothouse and the foremast concentration dial.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Captain Frank Brooks Upham.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 490 pixels

     


    In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold at least one other view of USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) in flight. The following list features this image:

    The image listed below is NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections.
    DO NOT try to obtain it using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".


  • Photo #: 80-G-427120
    USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) flying over Bristol, Rhode Island, on 8 August 1924.
    Aerial starboard quarter view, taken from an airplane flying at a higher altitude than Shenandoah. The city of Bristol is seen below.

    Reproductions of this image should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center.

    The image listed in this box is NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain it using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".


  • For further views related to USS Shenandoah, see:

  • USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) -- Ground Views at Lakehurst, New Jersey;
  • USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) -- Ground Views at other locations;
  • USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) -- Landing on and Moored to Ships;
  • Storm Damage to USS Shenandoah, 16 January 1924;
  • Loss of USS Shenandoah, 3 September 1925;
  • USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) -- Construction and Christening, 1922-1923; and
  • USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) -- Miscellaneous Views.


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 1 December 2002