Watch Full Movie Online. Part of the Airship History Series. The 1920's saw bold innovations in aeronautics. The Italians perfected their semi-rigid airships, exploring the Artic. The British sought to build an "Empire in the Air," by starting their own fleet. The Germans rose from the ashes of World War I with the most successful airship ever built: the LZ-127, Graf Zepplin. The Americans began by trying to purchase airships overseas. Two proved disastrous. Building a new industry, the US Navy built a copy of a Zepplin and christened her, USS Shenandoah, the ZR-1. This documentary covers the history of US airships.