Inducted 2006

Ferdinand von Zeppelin conceived and developed the first rigid dirigible, a lighter-than-air vehicle, known as the zeppelin.

Invention Impact

By 1910, Zeppelin had created the first commercial air service for passengers using his airship, which traveled more than 40 miles per hour. The zeppelin was extremely useful during World War I, providing additional aviation presence for patrols and bombing runs. After the war, the zeppelin was widely used in commercial flights. Although safety concerns eventually led to decreased popularity, the zeppelin was one of the first aircraft to provide commercial transports and establish principles of lighter-than-air craft.

Inventor Bio

Born in Milford, Connecticut, Sprague graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1878. After the Academy, he developed a number of significant inventions. The first was a constant-speed, non-sparking motor with fixed brushes, the first motor to maintain constant revolutions per minute under different loads. Sprague's company sold 250 motors in two years.