On Feb. 12, 1935, a sudden squall lashed into the U.S. Navy dirigible Macon as it plied the skies off Northern California. The storm ripped off the upper tail fin of the 785-ft. craft, which plunged slowly toward the waters of the Pacific "like a big old hen settling down on a nest," in the words of one officer. All but two of the Macon's 83-man crew managed to survive by climbing onto life rafts. The Macon's demise abruptly ended the Navy's interest in huge rigid airships.
Last week a 32-ft. Navy submarine, the Sea Cliff, found the Macon's collapsed frame...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
