U-boat Archive - U-134 - Photographs of airship operations

The photos in this series were taken of Fleet Airship Wing One (later Headquarters Squadron One) operations in Lakehurst, New Jersey in November 1942

1 L- and 3 K-type airships on patrol off the New Jersey coast

View through the cockpit of K-type airship on convoy anti-submarine patrol, ship in background

K-type airship on patrol, from above

K-type airships inside the hangar at NAS Lakehurst

K-type airships inside the hangar at NAS Lakehurst - handling crew musters below the tail

Handling crew moves a K-type airship from the hangar at NAS Lakehurst

Servicing K-type airships inside the hangar at NAS Lakehurst

The photos in this series were taken between October 8 and 14, 1943 when K-84 of Headquarters Squadron 4 Detachment 41 deployed from Lakehurst New Jersey to Pici Field at Fortaleza Brazil which, at the time, was longest flight ever for a K Series blimp

Crew works on K-84 after flight from Lakehurst NJ to Fortaleza Brazil

Crew works on K-84 at Pici Field Fortaleza Brazil

Adding Helium from cylinders in truck

Refueling

Blimp passes over escort ship

Blimp passes convoy

Interior of gondola

Navigator at work

Observer at work

Bombardier scans horizon

Mechanic records readings at engine panel

Temporary mooring at Pici Field - The first mast south of the Equator was made from local trees.

Officer instructs ground crew

K-84 takes off on first AS patrol in the South Atlantic by blimp

Gondola of K-84

The photographs in the next series were taken on December 7, 1943 during Headquarters Squadron 4 Detachment 42 operations from Santa Cruz, Brazil

K-84 lands at Santa Cruz, Brazil - The Santa Cruz hangar was built by the Zeppelin company and once housed the Hindenberg and Graf Zeppelin. It is still standing today.