The iconic Goodyear airships are taking a victory lap over the skies of an Ohio city this week. The Akron-based tire company is celebrating the 100th…
The iconic Goodyear airships are taking a victory lap over the skies of an Ohio city this week.
The Akron-based tire company is celebrating the 100th anniversary of “Pilgrim,” its first blimp to take flight just outside of the city on June 3, 1925.
Goodyear began experimenting with vessels that would be lighter than aircraft in the early 1900s, and the dirigibles have since become a lasting and iconic symbol of the corporate brand. For some, it evokes nostalgia, while for others it offers a glimpse into a larger-than-life part of advertisement history.
Here is a by-the-numbers look at Goodyear airships over time:
Goodyear establishes an Aeronautics Department to build lighter-than-air aircrafts, and by 1912 the company had built its first balloon.
In 1930, the “Defender” blimp became the first airship in the world to carry a lit neon sign so the company’s name could be seen after dark.
Goodyear began making airships for the U.S. Navy in 1917, and its first blimp — the first commercial non-rigid airship flown using helium — launched years later, becoming a marketing tool.
From 1942 to 1944, the company built more than 150 airships for the Navy to serve in World War II, flying patrol over warships on the seas with zero reported loss of ships when a blimp was on watch.
