These days, riding the LA skies in the Goodyear Blimp is strictly by invitation (which doesn’t prevent it from being a bucket-list item for me!) but back when this photo was taken “somewhere in Southern California” in 1931, that sign on the side of the blimp – “RIDE WITH US – VOLUNTEER” – suggests they were begging for passengers. Granted, in the early 1930s, things may have been a little less safe than they are nowadays, but I’d still have taken my chances. What about you?
The Goodyear Blimp parked in an open field somewhere in Southern California, 1931
Speaking of riding in a blimp:
https://www.goodyearblimp.com/passenger-guide/
Anybody know where this field is?
No way!!!!!! “Oh, the humanity!!!”
The late date of 1931 makes me doubt it, but, could it be south of Santa Monica Boulevard just east of La Brea (Highland would be out of view to the right)? The gas tank was up by then and the white building would sit right about where the lumberyard facility had been…a large white block structure does show up in later photos of that yard. And the other one near it could be the curved front building which was said to be a medical related thingy. (This might even be the blimp ride which left us the aerial photo of that sector. I have to go back through the image files and see if that one matches the dating.)
This apparently would be Volunteer II. Seems to have lasted only a couple of years before Volunteer III replaced it. The patent was on the gondola and suspension system, so they could just replace the air bag and re-use the rest. Volunteer I was a smaller capacity and was quickly replaced. Doesn’t seem there’s any other shots that have “Come Ride With Us” on this 2nd non-rigid airship.
Ah! The “Ride With Us” might only have been an advertising slogan about using their tires. There’s nothing in the shot to suggest that there might be passengers (beyond select guests) boarding here. And without a collapsible or permanent mooring mast this might have been a one-time only landing in the field which drew spectators to the event.
Blimp Landing Field…Below 3rd Street, west of S. La Brea, east of Fairfax. And that would be within view of the gasometer with the studio complex to the left of it.
I’m pretty sure we can see palm trees up by that white block building beyond the nose section of the blimp. Squint!