Researchers explore giant U.S. Navy dirigible 1,000 feet below the sea [audio 5min]

At 785 feet long, the dirigible USS Macon was so big, it could hold as many as five fighter planes in its belly. The U.S. Navy airship crashed in 1935 during a violent storm off the coast of California, killing two members of its 83-man crew. This week, researchers are exploring the Macon's remains more than 1,000 feet below the ocean surface using a remotely operated vehicle. The Macon, four times as long as today's Goodyear blimps, had a capacity of 6.5 million cubic feet of helium, and a top speed of 80 miles per hour. It was large enough to launch and retrieve five small F9C-2 Sparrowhawk airplanes. ~Website offers photos, video.