Sunday, April 24, 2011
A Blimp Lands In Flushing
"When I was little my grandfather told me about a "Goodyear Blimp" that floated over his house on weekends. As I had not heard the word "blimp" before, and knew from TV commercials that Goodyear made automobile tires, I could only comprehend that he was describing some kind of a giant automobile tire floating above his house. Oh, that Grandpa - he was always pulling my leg.
Goodyear at that time had started using nearby Flushing Airport to dock it's aerial-broadcast blimp during the weekend games at Shea Stadium. For many local residents the big balloon was a new major attraction, and they'd visit the airport just to watch it come and go in it's amusingly lumbering fashion. Grandpa, of course, filmed it for posterity, and his movie cleared up any confusion I had over Goodyear blimps and tires.
Flushing Airport has been out of business since the 1980's. Half of it is now a swampy mess, while the other half has been developed into - what else? - a shopping complex." - Robert Martens, April, 2011
17 comments:
Flushing Airport has been out of business since the 1980's. Half of it is now a swampy mess, while the other half has been developed into - what else? - a shopping complex." - Robert Martens, April, 2011
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Awesome footage! However, as of this date, none of the former airport property has been developed (although I tried to make it into a blimpport several years ago). Two Goodyear blimps (the only ones operating in the world at the time) used Flushing Airport as a home base during the 1964-65 World's Fair. As a member of the Goodyear blimp ground crew during their Queens visits, I wore my uniform proudly throughout the neighborhood! The blimps' visits led to my lifelong obsession with those flying behemoths.
The Goodyear blimp introduced a new technology 4 color nightsign in the mid-60's. Goodyear brought the blimp to NYC to show it off. A professional cameraman saw my intense interest in the blimp and lent me a windup 8mm camera. I shot 3 rolls. I uploaded the footage to YouTube for all to enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Airshipal#p/u/32
/_A4O3kmQF0M
Ditto to Alan regarding the development of the airport into a shopping complex. That is simply untrue. The areas that have been developed there (NY Times and the building housing Toys R Us, the movie theater and currently Party City) were formerly an auto junkyard and the Adventurer's Inn amusement park.
For many local residents the big balloon was a new major attraction, and they'd visit the airport just to watch it come and go in it's amusingly lumbering fashion.
My gramps would walk me over to the airport and put me on his shoulders and tell me stories of the "big ones" that flew over Manhattan. He said he saw the Hindenburg just before it crashed in NJ. I wish my memories of the blimps were clearer but these films certainly helped. Thanks and Happy Easter.
I actually had an opportunity to take a ride on the Goodyear blimp back in those early days. My Dad was a commercial photographer and he was hired to take some aerial shots over Manhattan. We took off from Flushing airport, bounced around in the gusty winds for about two hours and returned to have local kids trying to throw rocks at us as we came in for a landing.
I just got back from Staples on 20 Ave. I looked over to where the airport used to be. I liked seeing those 1930's airplane hangars. Is it my imagination or have they been removed? Does anyone know anything about this?
When I first read the headline, "A Blimp lands in Flushing," I thought that the story was about Toby visiting downtown Flushing.
I heard that Flushing Airport had to be closed in order to develop the College Point Corporate Park. Any truth to the rumor?
I just posted a video on Facebook about the Flushing/College Point BlimpPort project. I hope you enjoy Mayor Bloomberg's remarks.
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1920508046105
Yes, the hangars have been removed. Bloomberg wanted to develop this area for the wholesale businesses that are located on the west side of Manhattan in the 20's, but fortunately community protests led by Avella put an end to that plan for the time being.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0DB153AF934A25753C1A9629C8B63
Back in '93 or '94 some neighborhood guys threw an illegal rave party in one of those hangars that was pretty cool with probably several hundred kids partying till after sunrise the next day. The mosquitoes were a bitch though.
I'd love to see the blimps return to Queens. So would my kids. I guess we'll have to wait until Mayor Bloombucks is deposed.
What an insensitve pig the mayor is. I can't believe those remarks to that guy at the town hall meeting. Let the airport remain as a protected wetlands and be done with it!
A blimp still lands in Flushing...Tubby Stavisky.
Anonymous said...
A blimp still lands in Flushing...Tubby Stavisky.
With all that hot air, what's keeping her anchored to the ground?
With all that hot air, what's keeping her anchored to the ground?
Depends. Overflowing adult diapers?!??!!??!!?!??!!?!
Back on topic, thanks to Bob and Allan for that historical footage. The airport was unique as it was located in the heart of a major metropolitan area. Watching all of the aircraft land and takeoff was always a thrill. I even saw biplanes at Flushing Airport!
I even saw biplanes at Flushing Airport!
Did you know that many of the aircraft seen in the film "Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines" were on display at Flushing Airport? Most were trucked in but some actually flew into the College Point field. Good times.
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