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Posters Stamps, Illustrations, and more
ZEPPELIN GRAPHICS
A graphics intensive site!
I have been coming across graphics commemorating the golden age
of airships - real and imaginary - which I find quite interesting.
I'm trying to gather some of them here and hope I'm not stepping
on anyone's copyright. If I am, please let me know and I will
rectify the situation. In the meantime, I hope to post some of
what I find here and as much references to the work as I can find.
Russia
I find it fascinating that the Soviet Union had serious intentions
on building a fleet of Zeppelin-like airships. They were never
built. I have come across illustrations of paintings, drawings,
posters, and stamps depicting various USSR/CCCP dirigibles.
Some are illustrated below.
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| Artist |
Wassili Kupzow |
| Title |
ZEPPELIN |
| Date |
1933 |
| Media |
Ol auf Leinwand |
| Dimensions |
280 x 130 cm |
| Location |
Zentrales Museum der Streitkrafte
(Armeemuseum) -- Moscow |
| Reference |
Berlin-Moscow: 1900-1950
Munchen&New York--Prestel--1995
ISBN: 3791314882 |
This splendid-looking painting depicts a Hindenburg-sized
CCCP dirigible flying above land and clouds escorted by
conventional Soviet aircraft. The colors are quite vibrant!
I wish I could view this painting firsthand or find a
poster of this one so I could make out the detail. The
next time you're in Moscow, visit the Museum and see if
one is available. It would be marvelous if some museum
would assemble a traveling exhibit of airship graphics! |
| 
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| Artist |
Anonymous |
| Title |
LET'S REVIVE OUR AIR TRANSPORT. OUR
FIRST AIRSHIP, THE VLADIMIR LENIN |
| Date |
Not dated. c1930s? |
| Media |
Poster |
| Dimensions |
37 x 44 cm (14 1/2 x 17 1/2 in) |
| Location |
Leningrad |
| Reference |
? |
There was no such airship as the "Lenin." The first Soviet
(as distinguished from pre-WWI Russian) airship was semi-rigid,
designed by Italian Gen. Umberto Nobile.
Although the illustration is tiny, it seems to show a
German design (Stalin's airship envy?) The poster's wording
(or its translation) is vague, so the reference may not
necessarily be to an actual airship as depicted. I tend
to think it's one of those "5-year plan" projects that
never materialized -- despite the propaganda. (The Soviets
allegedly started construction on a large, rigid airship
in the late 1930s, but there has NEVER been any proof
that it was anywhere near finished. Stalin was busy purging
his aviation design bureaus about that time, and Nobile
had returned to Italy, so there may not have been anyone
to build such a ship.) The USSR did build some smallish
blimps in WWII and odd-ball prototypes thereafter, but
nothing like a huge Zeppelin for the Proletariat! -- Eric
Brothers
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| Artist |
? |
| Title |
[Graf Zeppelin over Moscow] |
| Date |
1991 |
| Media |
Stamp |
| Dimensions |
? |
| Location |
? |
| Reference |
? |
My interest in airships has led me to stamps. In the
philatelic world the Zeppelin stamps are a most interesting
topical pursuit. I confess to owning only three of the
Russian stamps and two are not good specimens. I came
across this one in a stamp advertisement and hope to track
it down at a stamp exhibit the next time one comes to
the Denver area.
The Soviets issued a series of stamps in the late 20s
& early 30s depicting unbuilt Soviet airships as well
as the globe-trotting Graf Zeppelin. This 1991 commemorative
depicts the Graf Zeppelin flying over the Kremlin during
its 1929 visit. Any information about this and any other
Russian stamp would be most welcome.
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