Goodyear marks 100th anniversary of blimp history with special flights

Goodyear marked the 100th anniversary of its Goodyear Blimp this week with flights over the Ohio city that’s home to the tiremaker’s headquarters. 

Three of Goodyear’s well-known blimps flew “victory laps” together over Akron on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The flights were part of the company’s efforts to commemorate the centennial of its first-ever Goodyear-branded blimp’s inaugural flight. That blimp, called Pilgrim, first flew on June 3, 1925.

The three Goodyear Blimps that participated in the “victory lap” around Akron were Wingfoot One, Wingfoot Two and Wingfoot Three. Each measures 246 feet in length.

Photos showed the trio of Goodyear airships flying together over the city, including near the Canal Park stadium where the Akron RubberDucks minor league baseball team plays. 

Wingfoot One could be seen donning its new black-and-silver wrap inspired by Pilgrim.

GOODYEAR BLIMP GETS VINTAGE MAKEOVER IN HONOR OF ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY

The airship received that vintage wrap earlier in the year, with Goodyear Chief Communications Officer Laura Dude saying in April that Wingfoot One’s makeover “pays homage to the rich history” of the Goodyear Blimp.

The company held a party at its Wingfoot Lake Airship Hangar in the Akron area on Tuesday – the anniversary of Pilgrim’s inaugural flight – as part of its blimp centennial festivities, according to a press release.

Goodyear’s blimp fleet includes four airships in total. The fourth, called Europe Blimp, is based in Germany and part of a partnership with Zeppelin.