End of an Era - Hate To See It Go!

[ocdart]

We've all seen it, either live or on TV, but now it's soon to be gone.
The iconic Goodyear blimp, Spirit of America, made its final flight yesterday over Southern California from its base in Carson alongside the 405 freeway to the World War II blimp hangar at the old Marine Corp base in Tustin. Next week the Spirit of America will be nothing more than 5 tons of museum exhibits (the gondola), spare parts and recycled rubber.
The last remaining Goodyear blimps are being replaced by newer semi-rigid Zeppelin NT models.
Here's a link to the story in todays Orange County Register:
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/blimp-676882-spirit-goodyear.html

View attachment nswleh-03.blimparrives.js.jpg

 

[diymirage]

does this mean chunky ladies can safely wear "goodyear" tops again?

 

[67Dart273]

I went to GCA RADAR school in one of the clones of those hangers, down at Glynco, GA. Wonder how old that old blimp is?

 

[ocdart]

Wonder how old that old blimp is?

The newspaper article says 13 years. It's first test flight was in 2002.
For a sense of how big that hangar is, the blimp is 192-feet long.

 

[68gtxman]

I went into one of the dirigible hangars at Lakehurst 20 years ago and the doors were closed. That was the darkest place I've ever been in my life! (There were no windows whatsoever in it.). Inside was a replica of Amelia Earhardt's plane and the myth that a woman whom looked like Amelia owned the plane and still maintained it.