{"version": "1.0", "type": "rich", "title": "why is this so goddamn funny", "author_name": "kontextmaschine", "author_url": "https://kontextmaschine.com", "provider_name": "kontextmaschine", "provider_url": "https://kontextmaschine.com", "url": "https://kontextmaschine.com/post/692013837507035136/", "html": "

biggest-gaudiest-patronuses:

yeetusyeetus-selfdeletus:

biggest-gaudiest-patronuses:

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pixellecutie:

zagreus:

diabolicalfiend:

countesspetofi:

biggest-gaudiest-patronuses:

biggest-gaudiest-patronuses:

ok but have you ever seen a parked blimp?

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why is this so goddamn funny

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they are absolutely not supposed to do this btw, this happened because of unexpected wind conditions. blimps are intended\u00a0to be docked horizontally. It\u2019s still quite a sight to see.

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the metal tower is called a mooring mass. the tallest mooring mast ever designed was the Empire State Building spire, which was originally built to allow airships to dock.

(this was mostly a publicity stun that never actually, ahem, got off the ground)

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Dammit, the old future was so cool.

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@zagreus

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(deep breath of pedantic annoyance at special interest)

NONE OF THESE ARE BLIMPS.

\u201cblimp\u201d means a nonrigid airship without a metal frame, like this

much smaller and very different from rigid airships like the ones above, which have sturdy but lightweight metal frames supporting them

ANYWAY otherwise yeah this is basically true, if oversimplified

On August 25th, 1927, the USS Los Angeles did fall foul of extreme wind conditions while (improperly imo) secured at the tall mooring mast in Lakehurst, New Jersey* and was blown vertical, standing briefly on its nose and causing some very minor damage as tools and equipment fell forward through the ship. No one was hurt as far as I can remember.\u00a0

And as far as I know, there were never any SERIOUS practical plans to use the empire state building as a mooring mast, nor was it ever used as such. the picture above is a primitive photocomposite, think 1930s photoshop. not just a publicity stunt but a straight-up fantasy in practical terms, it wouldn\u2019t have worked well. at that altitude the Lakehurst incident being repeated would have been inevitable and probably a lot worse

*(which they replaced with a shorter, more secure one as a result of this incident because no it was very definitely not supposed to happen)\n\n

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DON\u2019T let airships do this!!!

ITS NOT CUTE OR FUNNY


A VERTICALLY PARKED AIRSHIP IS IN EXTREME DISTRESS

they only dock vertically when they are VERY STRESSED!! make sure to secure them PROPERLY to their mooring posts at appropriate altitudes, and give them plenty of water and hubristic design flaws.

this has been a PSA thank you!!

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the goodyear blimp is the Official Bird of the city of Redondo Beach

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Blimps are\u2026 real?

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so a fun consequence of this post is I have heard from multiple people who were under the impression that blimps are fictional

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