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FEATURE PHOTO Once in awhile, we will post a special photo chosen by the NLHS Historian along with a description and history of the picture.
A photo of an average event often becomes extraordinary over time. This one was taken on Mooring Circle #1 at NAS Lakehurst, 1936 under the HINDENBURG as she was serviced amidst a turnaround on one of her transatlantic crossings. In this case, they are pumping lubricating oil for the diesel generator units and the four 1100-hp. Daimler-Benz LOF-6 V-16 diesel motors. Crew from the Tidewater Oil Co. has come down from Bayonne, NJ to assist in servicing one of the company's high-profile "flagship" accounts.......Tidewater, producers of Veedol Motor Oil and Tydol "Flying A" Gasoline (later known as Getty and now LUKOIL) was one of the many companies in the 1930's that practically gave their product away for the privilege of being able to say "Good enough for the Zeppelins that cross the seas, good enough for your car! " Other companies that vied for proud association with the Zeppelin phenomenon included Standard Oil-Esso Refineries ( Hydrogen and Fuel Oil,) Socony-Mobil Oil Co. (lubricating products,) Royal Dutch Shell ( Fuel Oil,) Sterling Marine Engines (Mooring Mast Power Equipment) Telefunken A.G. (Radio/Communications/Weather Receiving Equipment) and Carl Zeiss A.G. (Optical Instruments) among others. Naturally, it was considered desirable to have a photographer capture a good image of "the boys" in their smart "Veedol" coveralls working alongside the crew (and guests) of the famous German visitor. Wouldn't YOU have??? (PS: A little more than ten years later, Tydol became one of the very few oil companies ever to advertise with a blimp. Their "Tydol Flying A" airship was a war-surplus K-ship operated by Douglas Leigh Sky Advertising Co. other oil-blimp advertiser notables being Mobilgas and Gulf over the years.) |
