1930's - two Goodyear blimps and either the Navy's USS AKRON or the USS MACON rigid airship over downtown Miami photo


Early 1930's	From a J. C. Jacks postcard

Thank you to Mark Lincoln for the correction regarding the Navy's USS AKRON or USS MACON and the approximate year the image was made.

other sizes: small medium original auto

Unless otherwise noted under the right bottom of the photo, all images are copyrighted by Don Boyd

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Don Boyd		16-Oct-2016 02:51
Stan Barfield, thank you for posting your comments and memories. Most people, especially those with aviation in their blood, remember Barfield Instrument Corp. You certainly had a great career with National, Pan Am and United. If you have any old photos I would sure like to put the scans on this site. Mark Lincoln, thank you for the correction on the Navy rigid airship. I should have caught that but erred in haste. I will change the date since it is obviously a decade later than reality. Don .

Mark Lincoln		14-Oct-2016 18:53
Don the one to the right is not a blimp. It is either the USS Akron or USS Macon. A Rigid Airship. Quite out of scale as the Akron and Macon were almost 800 feet long. They used to moor at Opa Locka. The mooring circle was still visible at Opa Locka airport in the late 1960s. The post card might date to the 40s, but Akron was lost off the New Jersey coast in 1933 and Macon was lost off California in 1935.

Stan Barfield		05-Apr-2014 17:46
Stan Barfield My father started Barfield Instrument Corp. on 36th Street in 1947. He moved to the new National Airlines hangar on LeJeune Road a few years later at the urging of George T. Baker and eventually into the current Barfield building South of the former NAL hangar. After college, I was blessed with a job as a L-188 co-pilot for National Airlines in 1965 and became a Captain on the 727 in the latter part of "68". Over my career with Pan Am, I flew DC-10's L-1011's and 747's for Pan Am, and retired from United Airlines after flying the DC-8, DC-10, and 777. It was a great 37 year career even with all of the strikes. Miami was my birthplace and I remember as a young fellow having picnics on Sundays in front of the old Pan Am Seaplane facility located at Dinner Key. The Aviation Building on 27th Avenue energized me in my younger years to be involved in the aviation industry in some capacity.

Don Boyd		29-Oct-2013 16:09
Joyce, congratulations on your fine purchase of the great historical postcard and providing us with the information from the reverse side of the card. This postcard is interesting because there are two Goodyear blimps plus the Navy blimp in the scene. We currently have two Goodyear Blimps in South Florida (Pompano Air Park) which hasn't happened in a long time. After the winter season the Akron-based blimp ("The Spirit of Goodyear") will be retired because Goodyear is replacing the GZ-20A's with Goodyear NT's which will be larger, faster and have aluminum and carbon fiber trusses for a frame. A compairson of the GZ-20A's and the NT's is at: http://www.goodyearblimp.com/cfmx/web/blimp/basics/comparison.cfm Don .

Joyce Farnell		29-Oct-2013 13:42
Hi, I bought the blimp postcard Sunday Oct 27th in Hamilton Ontario Canada. It was mailed and the hand written date is Feb 17th 1935. It has a postal cancellation stamp dated Feb 18th 1935. It says: These zeppelins sail over the city advertising all kinds of things. Sun tan oil is a favorite. Yours with love Mother It was mailed to Toronto. Thanks for the wonderful web site. Joyce Farnell

Don Boyd		14-Mar-2011 00:56
Lee and Mary Anne, thank you, I've changed it to 1940's. Don

Mary Anne C		12-Mar-2011 05:26
I agree with Lee- this postcard is pre-1950. Check out the bandstand in Bayfront Park- the bandshell was built in 1950.

Betsy Peacock		12-Oct-2010 23:03
I'm trying to pick out a bank, here! I've recently learned that my biological mother was employed at a Miami Bank in 1953. She was a tiny, beautiful brunette. Wish I had a name! Florida is a closed adoption state, so that's ALL I know! Please contact me at Boodles1953@aol.com if you can help me solve this mystery! You can look me up at Classmates.com or Facebook, as well. Betsy Peacock Boodles1953@aol.com

Betty (Lawrence) Jolley		27-Jul-2010 17:56
I went up in the Goodyear blimp in the 50's. My dad took us and I still remember that ride in Miami. Betty Jolley

Lee Martines MEHS '57		03-Feb-2010 06:56
Don, I suspect that this photo is much earlier than the fifties. Just looking at Flagler Street south to Second Street along Biscayne Blvd there are many buildings missing that should be there during that time frame. I would guess that the correct decade would actually be in the thirties.

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