Not many modes of transport are as intriguing to the modern eye as the airship. These majestic flying vessels, often called blimps, represent a bygone era of travel, when the opportunities of aviation seemed endless and the sky limitless. From their humble beginnings to their dramatic decline, we take a look through the history of these incredible vessels and explore the possibility that they could stage a comeback today.

Click through this gallery to track the rise and fall of travel by airship...

One of the first descriptions of an airship-like vessel can be traced back to the 17th century, when Francesco Lana de Terzi – sometimes called 'the Father of Aeronautics' – put forward a concept design for a vehicle supported by four airless copper spheres. The earliest contender for 'first airship' took off in the mid-19th century when Frenchman Henri Giffard's steam-powered craft covered a distance of around 20 miles (30km) – sometimes cited as the first powered flight. A model of this vessel (pictured) remains on display at the London Science Museum.

Air travel had long fascinated inventors, and more designs followed. In 1872 Frenchman M. Dupuy de Lome swapped out steam for eight crew members, who powered this so-called 'navigable balloon' by using hand cranks to turn a large four-bladed propeller. The airship made just one flight. Advancements with materials like aluminium and rip-resistant fabrics also helped bring the airship dream closer to reality, and plans for an engine-powered vessel capable of proper navigation started taking shape soon after.

Another early pioneer, whose unwavering dedication helped airships develop at high speed, was Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. The German aristocrat became obsessed with the idea of a rigid airship – a vessel kept in shape by a solid framework rather than by gas – and his first prototype, the Zeppelin LZ1, ushered in a new era when it was unveiled in 1900.

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Von Zeppelin was a military man who served in several wars and dedicated his retirement to engineering a craft lighter than air. The LZ1's first flight in 1900 was short and only semi-successful but earned him public attention and funding from the German government. In 1906, a newer model completed a triumphant 24 hours in the air, earning von Zeppelin a government contract for a fleet of 100 models.

His invention consisted of a skeletal frame with a gas-filled envelope, or outer skin, filled with hydrogen gas. Since hydrogen is lighter than air, it provided buoyancy and ensured that the vessel stayed airborne. A gondola with passenger cabins and something of a cockpit could be added beneath, with a hermetic roof separating it from the hydrogen-filled body. Pictured is a diagram of the interior of the Hindenburg – a giant airship later built by Zeppelin's company that would become synonymous with airships everywhere.

Airships were used by the German army extensively during the First World War. Initially they provided reconnaissance, sailing safely above the range of British guns, but they were soon used to bomb British cities. The British were unprepared for this new threat, but by 1916 a combination of powerful searchlights, new ground guns and fighter aircraft turned the tables. The zeppelins were particularly vulnerable to explosive shells, which caused the hydrogen to ignite spectacularly. In 1917, with the war still raging, airship raids were called off.

The early 20th century saw rapid technological advances, and these graceful behemoths soon became symbols of luxury and progress, cruising between cities at altitudes of 1,000 feet (305m). It wasn't long before simple, small cabins carrying domestic passengers (pictured) transformed into luxurious long-haul journeys. For example, in the 1930s a journey from Germany to Brazil could take as little as three days, while travellers relaxed, socialised and indulged in lavish meals and drinking.

The German-built zeppelins – the man himself died in 1917, but the ships still bore his name – were the best-known airships of the era, dominating the skies. The first commercial passenger airship was the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin (pictured), launched in 1928. Measuring an impressive 776 feet (236m) in length, the airship could accommodate up to 50 people – 24 passengers and 36 crew.

The Graf Zeppelin regularly flew from Germany to destinations like Brazil, Argentina and the United States, as well as offering sightseeing tours (it's pictured here over Giza in 1931). The airship even circumnavigated the world in the summer of 1929, completing its journey in a leisurely 21 days and starting and ending in New Jersey. In 1931 there followed a seven-day polar flight carrying a team of scientists and around 120kg (260lbs) of mail. The expedition accurately mapped and photographed Franz Josef Land for the first time.

The popularity of airships in Europe and America reached such levels that Alfred E Smith, a leading investor in the Empire State Building, announced in 1929 that the building would be extended by 200 feet (61m) so that an airship mooring mast could be installed. German experts dismissed the plans, and only once did an airship ever dock at the skyscraper – a three-minute connection in 1931 in high winds. In 1930 International News Photos distributed a picture showing an airship tethered to the building's top (not this photo) but the image was manipulated.

Launched by the German company Luftschiffbau Zeppelin in 1936, another German zeppelin, the Hindenburg (pictured), quickly became the epitome of luxurious air travel. It featured spacious cabins and hardwood furnishings, and served its passengers gourmet cuisine. Airships offered a similar experience to that seen on grand ocean liners, with high-end amenities, elegant decor and attentive service.

The Hindenburg is still the largest rigid airship ever built, and was surely the most impressive flying machine ever constructed when it was made. Measuring an eye-opening 803 feet (245m) in length, it had a maximum diameter of 135 feet (41m) and a total gas capacity of more than seven million cubic feet. The airship could accommodate up to 72 passengers in luxurious private cabins.

The Hindenburg boasted several distinct passenger areas, including a dining room, a lounge area, an observation deck and, perhaps surprisingly since hydrogen is a flammable gas, a smoking room. The dining room was set up to the highest standards of the time with fine linens and crystal glassware, while the original 25 twin-berth cabins resembled those on luxury long-distance trains in Europe and elsewhere.

The Hindenburg was in production before the Nazi party came to power in Germany, but the Nazis quickly began using it as a symbol of German ingenuity and power. Minister for Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, ensured that the Hindenburg's first large-scale public flight was part of a propaganda tour in support of German reoccupation of the Rhineland and the airship blared patriotic music and pro-Hitler statements while dropping leaflets on the cities below. Later in 1936, the airship played a star role in the opening of the Berlin Olympic Games.

In the lounge area, guests could relax in armchairs and sofas, socialise, play cards or enjoy the onboard library. The observation deck, usually located at the front of the airship, offered breathtaking vistas of the surrounding clouds and the landscapes unfurling below. A Bauhaus-inspired design helped the ship be as light as possible, with fabric-covered foam walls, plastic washbasins and tubular furniture made from lightweight aluminium.

When it came to dining, no expense was spared. Europe's finest chefs (Xaver Maier, the chef on the Hindenburg's final trip, had been head chef at the Ritz in Paris) created menus that wouldn't have felt out of place in the world's finest hotels. There was a strong emphasis on German cuisine and drinks – a deliberate strategy by Joseph Goebbels to demonstrate German culture on an international stage.

The day's dining usually began at 8am with a breakfast of eggs, Frankfurter sausages, ham, salami, cheese and bread rolls, as well as fruit, honey, butter, preserves and tea or coffee. Later meals often included luxury ingredients such as caviar and featured many classic French haute cuisine dishes, like clam soup, beef in Madeira sauce and ice cream bombe.

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An airship's most popular space was usually its bar. The Hindenburg's cellar was typically stocked with 250 bottles of fine German wines as well as a selection of mixed drinks. A testament to the revelry on board was the presence on the cocktail menu of prairie oysters – a drink made with hot sauce and raw egg that was a popular hangover cure at the time. The bar also featured the world's first aluminium alloy piano, made specifically to match the lightweight requirements of the ship. 

Tickets weren't cheap, but airships definitely weren't lacking customers. For the upper classes it was a status symbol and a transatlantic crossing – the Hindenburg's most popular route – cost around $400 (around $7,500 today). The airship could complete the journey in less than two days – much quicker than the typical seven-day transatlantic cruise liner journey from Southampton to New York.

Despite their popularity, the era of airships was short, brought to a tragic end by a series of high-profile disasters – most famously the Hindenburg disaster. On 6 May 1937, while mooring at Lakehurst in New Jersey, the airship caught fire and exploded, killing 35 of the 97 people on board. Exactly why this happened is still debated. The disaster was caught on camera and immortalised by Herb Morrison's radio commentary ("Oh, the humanity!"), and by 1940 plans for further Hindenburg-class models had been scrapped.

The Second World War brought advancements in fixed-wing aircraft, and by the time the war had ended the once-thriving airship industry had faded into obscurity. The much-publicised Hindenburg disaster dealt a devastating blow to public confidence, and since then the industry has consisted mostly of unmanned blimps used for aerial surveys or advertising purposes.

The last decade, however, has seen a bit of a comeback. Companies like Lockheed Martin and Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) have been re-imagining what an airship means and how it looks in the modern era, developing concepts and prototypes for cargo transport, humanitarian aid, surveillance and even tourism. Modern airships are filled with lightweight helium gas, instead of flammable hydrogen, making them significantly safer than their historic counterparts.

The HAV vessel, named the Airlander, is an efficient and quiet aircraft with a fuel consumption that's a mere 10% of an average helicopter's. The airship can stay airborne for up to five days at a time and there are plans to convert it into a zero-carbon aircraft. The interiors, admittedly, are less luxurious than those of airships in days gone by. The passenger compartments range in size from a first-class plane cabin to a 90-seat standard train carriage.

Although no operational passenger airship services exist at present, HAV and aviation design consultants Design Q have generated renderings showing what a journey aboard the Airlander might look like, and this image shows travellers gliding above the Grand Canyon. Spanish airline Air Nostrum has also signed up for delivery of 20 blimps from 2026 onwards – probably for use on regional flights. It seems the story of airships may not be quite finished yet...

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