Public Domain
The Dirigible Los Angeles
1924 · U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics
Germany was forbidden to rebuild after World War I, but the Zeppelin Company was allowed to make one for the U.S. Navy as partial war reparation. Filled with hydrogen and manned by a German crew, the ZR-3, later renamed Los Angeles, flew 5,000 miles in 82.5 hours to Lakehurst, New Jersey in October, 1924. During its life, it logged 4,398 hours and 331 successful flights. Still in good flying condition, the Los Angeles was decommissioned and scrapped in October 1939, after the longest career of any rigid airship.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'The Dirigible Los Angeles' (1924) is a documentary production created by the United States Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics. It depicts the construction and initial flights of the ZR-3 USS Los Angeles.
Under 17 U.S.C. § 105, copyright protection is not available for any work of the United States Government. Since this film was produced by a federal agency (the U.S. Navy) in the course of its official duties, it was never eligible for copyright and entered the public domain immediately upon creation. Furthermore, any work created or published in the United States prior to January 1, 1928, has reached the end of its statutory term and is now in the public domain regardless of authorship.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- 17 U.S.C. § 105
- National Archives and Records Administration (Record Group 71)
- Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division
- U.S. Copyright Office Circular 1: Copyright Basics
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.