ZR-3 was named for a city in southern California (NS02990330), the second-most populous city in the United States (as of 2018).

A previous Los Angeles was a merchant tanker, acquired by the Navy under bareboat charter, that retained her name.

(Map NS02990330 courtesy of HamsterMap.com.)

"Zeppelin - World Trips — Image No. 62. Postwar - Airships"

"The airship over Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance with Castle Church."

"Die Führergondel des Z.R.3." The control car of ZR-3. Presumably photographed in 1924 before delivery to the U.S.

Published by A. Gross, Berlin.

Airship LZ-126 (ZR-3 in the US Navy) over Berlin, 1924. Photo from the family archives of Norbert Radtke. Courtesy of Albert Radtke.

The future USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), August 1924.

Henry Cord Meyer Collection San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM), Bundes Archives.

"[A] photograph of the airship LZ 126 over Hamburg, Germany on September 25, 1924. The water in the foreground is the 'Binnenalster,' part of the large artificial lake in the center of the city. The photograph was made by the late Harold S. Meyer, who was studying in Hamburg at the time. The relatively low image quality stems in part from the fact that he printed the photograph himself in a makeshift amateur darkroom. He was 18 years old."

"This description comes from a letter that Harold's younger brother, Otto H. Meyer, 16, wrote on Sept. 30, 1924: 'Have you heard of the R III? It is a dirigible built by the Zeppelin Company for the United States. On the 25th, at five, it passed over Hamburg on its trial trip. It is a large thing and makes an awful noise. It did not land here; it just passed over. We each took several pictures of it, I three and Harold four. The films aren't developed yet, so we don't know whether they are good or not."

"Otto Meyer's reference to 'R III' is apparently based on Hamburg newspaper reports that slightly garbled the U.S. Navy designation ZR 3.

"By coincidence, after returning to the United States Harold Meyer would move to Akron, Ohio. He would have seen Los Angeles again during its visit to Akron when the Zeppelin company was engaged in its joint venture with Goodyear, which built the Navy airships Akron and Macon."

"1925—The dirigible ZR-3, built by the Zeppelin Company in Germany for America, starts her epoch making journey across the Atlantic. The great air cruiser is now the Los Angeles."

Airship LZ-126 in flight, probably over the eastern U.S. after her flight across the Atlantic from Germany, 15 October 1924. Following delivery to the U.S. Navy, she became USS Los Angeles (ZR-3).

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 98153).

Airship LZ-126 arrives at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, after her flight across the Atlantic from Germany, 15 October 1924. After delivery to the U.S. Navy, she became USS Los Angeles (ZR-3). Note that the airship has no markings.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the Collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command, # NH 42024.

Airship LZ-126 enters the airship hangar at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, for the first time after her flight across the Atlantic from Germany, 15 October 1924. Following delivery to the U.S. Navy, she became USS Los Angeles (ZR-3). Panoramic photograph by Clements.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 91149).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), after power car, 15 October 1924. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), # 80-G-460600.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) at Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey, undated.

National Archives and Records Administration, College Park (NARA II), photo # 165-WGZ-2H-1.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) at Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey, undated. Possibly US Navy dirigible ZMC-2 is at left.

National Archives and Records Administration, College Park (NARA II), photo # 165-WGZ-2H-10.

"THE PRIDE OF THE NAVY OVER THE CAPITOL—The great airship, which made the record breaking trip from Germany to the United States, sailing over the dome of the Capitol as it came to Washington from Lakehurst, N.J."

"WATCHING THE CHRISTENING—Ambassador Jusserand of France (right) and James R. Garfield, former member of the cabinet and son of President Garfield, at the christening ceremonies of the Los Angeles yesterday. Photo at right: The President and Mrs. Coolidge watching the attempts to land the dirigible."

"MRS. COOLIDGE CHRISTENS THE LOS ANGELES—The First Lady pulling the ribbons which released pigeons, christening the dirigible. The ship made four attempts to land before the christening finally took place."

"LANDED AS THE ZR-3, BUT WENT INTO THE SKIES AGAIN AS THE LOS ANGELES—Considerable trouble was experienced in the landing of the great dirigible, but just before darkness the ship settled to the ground and the christening took place. The ship sailed over Washington for about two hours before the landing was made."

The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., Wednesday, 26 November 1924.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), date and location unknown.

Library of Congress photo (Call Number LC-B2- 6262-2). George Grantham Bain Collection.

Motor gondola of USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), date and location unknown.

Library of Congress photo (Call Number LC-B2- 6262-3). George Grantham Bain Collection.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), date and location unknown.

SS Manhattan, later USS Wakefield (AP-21), in merchant service for the United States Lines prior to World War II. Note USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) flying overhead.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) flying over southern Manhattan Island, New York City, circa 1924–1932 (1930?).

Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 944).

Aerial view of USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) in flight over the Chyrsler Building, New York City, New York. Undated but received in 1951.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photograph # 80-G-466343.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) on the ground at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, circa 1924–1932.

Naval History & Heritage Command (NH&HC), photo # NH 63068.

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore D. Robinson (in the window in right center) in the control car of USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), while the airship was at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, circa 1925.

Courtesy of Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., USN(SC)-Retired, 1969.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 67772).

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore D. Robinson (in the window in right center) in the control car of USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), while the airship was at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, circa 1925.

Courtesy of Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., USN(SC)-Retired, 1969.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 67773).

View of the airship's control car, taken while USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) was on the ground at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, circa 1925. Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore D. Robinson was on board the airship at the time.

Courtesy of Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., USN(SC)-Retired, 1969.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 67774).

View of the airship's control car, taken while USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) was resting in the airship hangar at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, circa 1925. Note sandbag weights used to keep the airship from lifting off the wooden supporting structure.

Photographed by Clements.

Courtesy of Commander Robert L. Ghormley, Jr., USN(SC)-Retired, 1969.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 67775).

"America's future airship fleet," circa 1925, showing the size difference between Los Angeles (ZR-3) and Akron (ZRS-4).

San Diego Air & Space Museum photo.

Passenger cabin of USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), 12 March 1925. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), # 80-G-460579.

Airship USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) moored to USS Patoka (AO-9), circa 1926–32, location unknown. A passenger ship is passing by at left.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 76379).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) moored to USS Patoka (AO-9), April 1927.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), # 80-G-460652.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) rising out-of-control to a near-vertical position, while moored at the high mast at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, shortly after 1:30 PM on 25 August 1927. This incident resulted from the sudden arrival of a cold air front that lifted the airship's tail, causing it to rise before she could swing around the mast parallel to the new wind direction. Los Angeles suffered only minor damage, but the affair demonstrated the risks involved with high mooring masts.

Courtesy of Richard K. Smith, author of the book The Airships Akron & Macon, 1974.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 84567).

Airship USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) in a near-vertical position, after her tail rose out-of-control while she was moored at the high mast at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 84568).

"(INFORMATIVELY, THIS PICTURE IS PRINTED IN THIS WEEK'S LIFE MAGAZINE)
(NY12-Feb. 28[, 1957]) EMBARRASSING MOMENT 31 YEARS AGO—This picture, now published for the first time, shows the U.S. Navy's giant dirigible Los Angeles standing on its nose at Lakehurst, N.J., in 192[7]. Picture was located by Author John Toland and put in his newly-published book (Ships in the Sky; Henry Holt). Navy is willing to concede one of its men made the picture Toland turned up, but 31 years later can't find any trace of it in Navy photo files. Turbulent breeze from the Atlantic flipped the 700-foot dirigible on its nose without serious damage or injury to crew of 126. Ship slowly righted itself. (AP Wirephoto)(whb50700ho)1957"

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) landing on USS Saratoga (CV-3), 27 January 1928.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 63067).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) landing on USS Saratoga (CV-3), 27 January 1928. Note lines used to walk the airship forward from the aircraft carrier's stern.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 44097).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) on the after flight deck of USS Saratoga (CV-3), 27 January 1928, after she had landed on board the carrier.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 44095).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, 1928. Photographed by Rell Clements Jr.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 98378).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) over Barro Colorado Is., Gatun Lake, Canal Zone, 28 February 1928. Print received from France Field, C.Z., 12 March 1928.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Record Group 18, Local Identifier 18-AA-106-49.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) near Balboa, C.Z., 28 February 1928. Print received from France Field, C.Z., 12 March 1928. (Unclassified per CAM 58-P-82 - Auth. Memo., 21 Dec. 1956 and 11 Feb. 1957 from AFOIN-1A2.)

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Record Group 18, Local Identifier 18-AA-108-30.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) near Darien radio station, C.Z., 28 February 1928. Print received from France Field, C.Z., 12 March 1928. (Unclassified per CAM-58-82 - Auth. Memo, 21 Dec. 1956 and 11 Feb. 1957 from AFOIN-1A2.)

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Record Group 18, Local Identifier 18-AA-108-48.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) over Panama City, Republic of Panama, (locks in background), 28 February 1928. Print received from France Field, C.Z., 12 March 1928. (Unclassified per CAM-58-P-82 - Auth. Memo, 21 Dec. 1956 and 11 Feb. 1957 from AFOIN-1A2.)

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Record Group 18, Local Identifier 18-AA-108-84.

Vought UO-1 observation airplane (Bureau # A-6615) attached to the trapeze of USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), during mating experiments in the airship hangar at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, 15 December 1928.

Courtesy of Richard K. Smith, author of the book The Airships Akron & Macon, 1974.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 80774).

Vought UO-1 observation airplane (Bureau # A-6615) parked at an airfield, 1929. This airplane was equipped for hook-on experiments with USS Los Angeles (ZR-3).

Courtesy of Richard K. Smith, author of the book The Airships Akron & Macon, 1974.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 80771).

Dirigible USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) over the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C. Occasion may be President Hoover's inauguration, 4 March 1929.

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Theodor Horydczak Collection. Reproduction Number: LC-H823-L05-030.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) and Army semi-rigid airship RS-1 in a hangar.

Photo © by R. Clements, 1929.

Same photo as above, cropped differently and showing a better view of the dirigibles, but badly curved.

German dirigible Graf Zeppelin (LZ-127) (at right) in the airship hangar at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey. Photo is dated 7 August 1929. Also in the hangar is USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), which had been built in Germany as Zeppelin airship LZ-126.

Courtesy of the San Francisco Maritime Museum, 1969. Naval History & Heritage Command (NH&HC) photograph collection (# NH 69168).

Airship USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) moored to USS Patoka (AO-9), circa 1930s, location unknown.

Photos by CWO4 Cecil Wood USMC.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) flying over USS Northampton (CL/CA-26), 1930–1932.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) flying over USS Pensacola (CL/CA-24), 1930–1932.

This manipulated photograph was distributed by International News Photos in 1930. It shows USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) "docking" at the Empire State Building. This never happened.

This photograph was part of the exhibition "Faking It: Manipulated Photography before Photoshop." (Info from "Docking on the Empire State Building", Air & Space Magazine.)

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) flies over ships of the U.S. Fleet, circa 1930. Photographed from on board the airship, with two of her engine cars in the foreground. Ships below are USS Patoka (AO-9), closest to the camera, and the aircraft carriers USS Lexington (CV-2) and USS Saratoga (CV-3).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (# 80-G-462136).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) flying over southern Manhattan Island, New York City, 9 May 1930. (Similar to Naval History & Heritage Command photo #NH 944.)

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-458211.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) flying over the Statue of Liberty, possibly on the same date as the photo above, 9 May 1930.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) photo, # 80-G-458214.

Watercolor of a Presidential review for President Hoover, 20 May 1930, along the Virginia Capes near Lynnhaven Roads. Crews line the rails of a Colorado-class (BB 45–48) battleship as the ships pass in line astern of the reviewing stand—aboard USS Salt Lake City (CL-25)—with the airship Los Angeles (ZR-3) piercing the clouds (or maybe the smoke from 21-gun salutes) accompanied by 9 biplanes.

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) operating with a Vought UO-1 airplane, over the Atlantic Ocean off the U.S. East Coast, 20 May 1930. Note the trapeze rigged below the airship for launching and recovering the airplane.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives (# 80-G-461642).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) equipped with a trapeze and a Vought UO-1 biplane for parasite fighter tests. The UO-1 (basically an improved VE-7/9) was the first airplane to be picked up on a hook in midair from Los Angeles in 1929.

Crewmember risks his life and limb to secure glider to USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), which became loose during flight, 29 May 1930.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), photo # 80-G-463537).

"OVER THE BLUE DEEP—A view of the American monarch of the air, the Los Angeles flying over Chesapeake Bay during the International 1 Star Class Yacht Races. Directly below the huge airship is the Coast Guard Boat Apache."

"Chesapeake Bay Press photo (AMCE) 10/2/30"

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) with the Navy blimps J-2 and ZMC-2, flying over USS Raleigh (CL-7) and another light cruiser, during maneuvers off Atlantic City, New Jersey, 11 October 1930.

Donation of Franklin Moran, 1967.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, from the Collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 65298).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) seen over West Newton Street, South End, Boston, Massachusetts, October 1930.

Photo by ©Leslie Jones, photographer (1886–1967).

Engine gondola of USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) in the early 1930s.

Naval History and Heritage Command (NH&HC), photo catalog # UA 471.12, from the 32-photo Harding Reemsnyder Collection.

Navy Lighter-Than-Air Craft at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey, during what appears to be a demonstration, circa 1930–1931. Among the craft present are: a kite balloon (upper craft at left), five free balloons, USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) in the middle distance, two J-class blimps (among them J-4) in the center, and blimp ZMC-2 at right.

Photograph was received from the Navy Recruiting Bureau, New York, 1932.

Official U.S. Navy photograph, from the Collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 44075).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) moored to USS Patoka (AO-9), off Panama during Fleet Problem XII, February 1931.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 63069).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) moored to USS Patoka (AO-9), off Panama during Fleet Problem XII, February 1931.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 65301).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) moored to USS Patoka (AO-9), off Panama during Fleet Problem XII, February 1931.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 73285).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) (center distance) moored to USS Patoka (AO-9) off Panama during Fleet Problem XII, circa February 1931. USS Lexington (CV-2), at right, and a battleship are also present.

Donation of Franklin Moran, 1967.

U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command photograph (# NH 65300).

USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) over New York, July 1931.

Photo by ©Leslie Jones, photographer (1886–1967).

USS Akron (ZRS-4) flying over Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) in the distance, circa late 1931 or early 1932. The Schuykill River waterworks and the Philadelphia Art Museum are visible in the lower center of the photograph.

This photograph was received from the U.S. Navy Recruiting Bureau, New York, in 1932.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History & Heritage Command (# NH 42169).

A rare 1924 silver medal. "Amerikafahrt des LZ 126 (ZR III)" (America flight of the LZ 126 (ZR III)." Dr. Hugo Eckener was in command of the airship for its transatlantic delivery flight.

Advertising, 1920s vintage:.

"Whenever low temperatures bring
freezing hazards, the motors of the
'Los Angeles'
are protected with
Eveready Prestone"

Rare postcard, 24 August 1924.

A modern day Bermuda postage stamp depicting USS Patoka (AO-9) with USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) attached to her mooring mast, 1925.

"This souvenir post card of the rigid airship
Los Angeles
Comes to you from the 48th
Exhibition of the
Rubber City Stamp
Akron, Ohio
Photograph courtesy of
The Wingfoot Lighter-Than-Air Society"

"The airship (German LZ-126, Navy ZR-3) was
built by the Zeppelin Company in 1924 and
flown to the U.S. from October, 12 to 15. It
was there turned over to the Navy as part
of German WWI reparations. The Navy flew
it officially until decommissioning in June,
1932, and unofficially until 1938. It was
broken up about 1939. Specifications were:
Length 658 feet
Diameter 92 feet
Gas volume 70,000 cubic meters
It is shown flying over the uncompleted
dock at Akron airport in December, 1929.
The dock is 1175 feet long, 325 feet wide
and 211 feet high without interior support."

"ZR-3 arriving at U.S.N. Air Station, Lakehurst, N. J."

"Now the Los Angeles."

International Newsreel, NYC.

Set of six German postcards related to rigid airship LZ-126/USS Los Angeles (ZR-3). Produced in 1927.

NS02990331: The airship leaves Germany.

NS02990331a: The airship leaves the European Continent.

NS02990331c: Bay of Biscay (??).

NS02990331b: The airship at New York, with Lady Liberty.

NS02990331d: New York Skyscraper.

NS02990331e: The airship at Lakehurst.

Postcard, 1974, commemorating 50 years of Zeppelin USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) flight to America. Postally used and canceled in Germany, 14 September 1974.