On this day in 1923 the USS Shenandoah, America's first rigid airship, made its maiden voyage. Based on a German design from World War I, the Shenandoah was intended to conduct fleet reconnaissance for the US Navy. Unlike the case with previous airships, the Shenandoah's airbags were filled with inert helium rather than inflammable hydrogen. After several successful trials, the airship undertook a promotional tour across the US. On 3 September 1925 the Shenandoah encountered a thunderstorm that lofted it above the pressure limit of its airbags, which burst. The ensuing crash killed 14 crew members; 23 survived.
