Montgolfier Brothers
Joseph-Michel and Jaques-Etienne Montgolfier of France are widely held to have flown the first balloon capable of useful lift.
Henri Giffard
The French inventor of the first dirigible using a steam injection engine.
Dr. Solomon Andrews
An American inventor who created the “Aereon” dirigible that succeeded in sustainable controlled flight simply by using air movements passing over the airship as it raised or lowered.
Alberto Santos Dumont
A Brazillian airship pioneer who built and flew many airships in Paris and demonstrated their legitimacy.
Count Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin
Inventor of his own namesake, the zeppelin rigid airship.
Ludwig Dürr
He worked with Count von Zeppelin from the beginning and designed every airship built by the Zeppelin Company.
Dr. Hugo Eckener
He is the most successful airship commander in history. He ran the Zeppelin Company and circumnavigated the globe in the Graf Zeppelin among many other feats.
Ernst Lehmann
Senior German Airship Captain and member of the Zeppelin Company.
Lady Grace Drummond Hay
A British journalist who was the first woman to circumnavigate the world by air on the Graf Zeppelin.
Charles Rosendahl
A highly experienced American Airship Commander and strong proponent of rigid airships.