Cardington, England.

On Saturday, October 4th, 1930 the R101 Airship, set off from Cardington England on it's first ever passenger flight. Hopes were high that this craft would help change the face of global travel.

Yet the following morning, this majestic and epic ship would be a smouldering wreck, strewn across a field in France, killing 48 men.

It was a disaster that would put an end to airship production in the UK, but what led to the crash, and could it have been avoided?

Today on Hometown Histories: Europe, we take to the skies for The Hopeful Rise (and the Tragic Fall) of the R101 Airship.

Includes an interview with Airship historian, David Fowler.

Help support our show through Patreon: patreon.com/peterlaws

Check out our other podcasts: itsarclightmedia.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy