Zeppelin Pool

When the Graf Zeppelin flew the world last summer, air-minded U. S. financiers blinked interested eyes at the potentialities in lighter-than-air travel. Foremost among the blinkers was Charles Edwin Mitchell, board chairman of National City Bank. While public excitement died down after the accomplishment of the Graf, he kept the financial pot simmering, aroused potent protagonists. In October 1929, International Zeppelin Transport Corp. was incorporated under the laws of Delaware.

Last week the Grafs commander, busy Dr. Hugo Eckener, arrived in Manhattan from Germany. He was closeted with Banker Mitchell. They signed an agreement, announced the result of the financial potboiling: under the guidance of National City, such companies as Union Carbide & Carbon Corp., Aluminum Co. of America, Goodyear-Zeppelin Corp., United Aircraft & Transport Corp., subscribed for stock in International Zeppelin Transport Corp. Paul Weeks Litchfield, president of Goodyear-Zeppelin, was re-elected president of International Zeppelin. Col. Edward Andrew Deeds, chairman of the executive committee of United Aircraft & Transport, was made chairman of the board. Commander Jerome Clarke Hunsaker was made vice president.

Significant was the inclusion of United Aircraft & Transport, profitably enterprising merger of plane, motor and transport companies (TIME, March 31). Said Dr. Eckener: "This is of particular importance. It means that the airplane and the airship, long regarded as competitors ... are joining in a cooperative enterprise. I can say that the Dornier interests (likewise) are with us in this project."

Dr. Eckener left for Washington with Commander Hunsaker to spend several days in search of permanent hangar and airport sites between Baltimore and Richmond. Weather conditions would render useless any site north of Baltimore, he was convinced. At Lakehurst, preparations were being made to welcome the Graf on her proposed triangular trip from Germany to South America to the U. S. this May.*

In Washington, Dr. Eckener received the medal of the National Geographic Society, "for his work in furthering the progress of airships, and to commemorate the first around-the-world flight of the Graf Zeppelin." In 42 years, only ten men before Eckener were awarded this medal: Peary, Amundsen, Shackleton, Bartlett, Goethals, Stefansson, Gilbert, Bennett, Lindbergh, Byrd.

* At Rio de Janeiro, the Graf Zeppelin will make her first South American landfall, but probably will not stop. She will proceed to Pernambuco, Brazil, where a mooring mast is being erected. To refuel the Graf, no facilities exist at present in South America.

Hydrogen generating apparatus, 140 tons of crude chemicals, and a kite balloon capable of holding 35,000 cu. ft. of hydrogen (while it is being pumped into the Grafs gas cells), pyrofax (65%) and hydrogen (35%) to be mixed and stored in the Graf's ballonets as motor fuel, all were shipped last week to Pernambuco from Lakehurst.

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