The world’s largest airships were the 213.9 tonne (471,500 lb) German Hindenburg (LZ 129) and Graf Zeppelin II (LZ 130), each of which had a length of 245 m (803 ft 10 in) long with a hydrogen gas capacity capacity of 200,000 m³ (7,062,100 ft³).

The Hindenburg first flew in 1936, exploding and crashing on 6 May 1937, Lakehurst, New Jersey, USA and the Graf Zeppelin II in 1938.