A ride in the Goodyear Blimp rendered Austin in miniature, a peaceful blend of greens and blues spiked with shimmering steel ...

For just about two years, the USS Macon served as a futuristic aircraft carrier. The Navy believed that the airship could aid in scouting—flying ahead of a fleet to identify an enemy.

Wind blasts dislodged the aircraft from its moorings in South Padre. The blimp drifted all the way to the Dallas area, where it crashed into power lines. By Alexandra E. Petri Strong winds ...