South Weymouth NAS – August 13, 1943

South Weymouth Naval Air Station – August 13, 1943   

     On the morning of August 13, 1943, the navy airship K-69, (Bu. No. 30191), was being removed from its hangar at the South Weymouth Naval Air Station when a gust of wind pushed the tail section against the side of the hanger causing a rip in the fabric.  The ship began rapidly deflating as it began to then swing away from the building.  The pilot quickly shut off all switches and abandoned the airship, along with nine other crewmen aboard.  After all hands had left the ship, the ground-handling officer ordered the forward rip paned to be pulled so the rest of the envelope would deflate.  There were 57 men in the ground handling party.   

     The K-69 was repaired and put back in service.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated August 13, 1943

South Weymouth NAS – February 13, 1960

South Weymouth Naval Air Station – February 13, 1960

 

     On the morning of February 13, 1960, the U.S. Navy blimp, ZPG-3W, reportedly the largest blimp in the world, was being towed by a tractor to its hangar at the South Weymouth Naval Air Station when a strong gust of wind lifted the rear of the blimp which caused the tow-tractor to flip on its side.  (The three man crew on the tractor were not injured.)  When the tractor flipped over the tow line broke and the blimp was driven by the wind into the door of the hangar which caused a large rip in the fabric, allowing 1.5 million cubic feet of helium gas to escape.  As the blimp began to settle, the lone crewman aboard had to scramble out of the gondola before it was buried under the weight of the deflating fabric. 

     The $12 million dollar blimp was reported to be a total loss.   

     The ZPG-3-W was 403 feet long, and 118 feet tall.   

     Sources:

     Boston Advertiser, “Biggest Blimp Ripped Open”, February 14, 1960

     Sunday News, (N.Y.), Biggest Blimp, $12 Million Job, Gone With The Wind”, February 14, 1960

     New York Daily News, “Huge Blimp Rips Skin, Deflates”, February 27, 1960

 

South Weymouth, MA. – September 14, 1944

South Weymouth, MA – September 14, 1944

 

U.S. Navy PV-1 Ventura

     On September 14, 1944, a U. S. Navy PV-1 Ventura, (Bu. No. 33280), with seven crewmen aboard, left Groton, Connecticut, bound for the South Weymouth Naval Air Station.  While landing at South Weymouth, the hydraulic system for the brakes failed, causing the aircraft to go off the end of the runway.  The airplane was damaged beyond repair, but nobody aboard was hurt.

     The aircraft was assigned to VB-128

     Source: U. S. Navy Accident Report dated September 14, 1944.   

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