Hindenburg and its sister ship , the LZ 130 Graf Zeppelin II ( launched in September 1938 ) , were the only two airships ever purpose - built for regular commercial transatlantic passenger operations .
The latter never entered passenger service before being scrapped in 1940 .
Hindenburg and its sister ship , the LZ 130 Graf Zeppelin II ( launched in September 1938 ) , were the only two airships ever purpose - built for regular commercial transatlantic passenger operations , although the latter never entered passenger service before being scrapped in 1940 .