MYSTERY AIRSHIP

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 177, 22 April 1919, Page 6

MYSTERY AIRSHIP

R 33 READY FOR FLIGHT

. -r-i , fIIGH SPEED BATTLE-CRUISER

The largest airship in the world is to be launched Shortly. She is R 33, Britain's reply,-'to the-super-Zeppelins, and has ;been-:built ih seoret.lby. Sir W. 0. Arm. strong, Whitworth, and'Oo. to Admiralty design.--:

The ship haa been subjected to the most severe constructional tests Air Ministry, officials could devise, and has corns through triumphantly. All that remains to be determined is her flying speed andmanoeuvring capabilities. her. crew are now putting tho finishing touches to the arrangements, for there is to be an attempt to establish a world's speed record for this class of aircraft. That at the moment is held by the Hun, and is believed to be between 60 and 70 miles an hour.

As the R 33 rats in her huge shed she impresses one with a sense of-potential speed. Even now it is not fermissiblo to give details of her build, but it is generally admitted that the Zeppelins which fell into British hands, particularly that brought down near Colchester in tne autumn <jf 1910 (L 33) liavo'provided ,-useful data for British designer; but B 33 is a great adyance on L 33.., The R 33 is not' a commercial vessel. She has been designed and built as a v.-at airship—an aerial battle-cruiser—and is quite unsuited for any other purpose. Put what she can do other ships designed for the express purpose will be able to do as merchandise and passenger carriers, "ho 'passage'of the Atlantic will have no fears for her, and it is estimated that she will be'able to make that journey at an average speed of over CO miles an hour. But if, and when, the attempt is to bo made are matters yet to be decided by the authorities. On her trial flight the ship will can? a crew of 25 persons. Colonel Hicks, R.A.I\, will bo in charge as trial pilot, and will have with him in the forward observation and navigating car Major Thomas, R.A.]j\, as captain of the ship, and Captain Leatjiam, E.A.F.. as first lieutenant. Lieutenant James, R.A.F., will be the chief engineer. The fore .car is divided into three compartments, the navigating saloon, immc. diately behind which is the wireless room, and then comes the engine-room, providing motive power for one propeller. Beneath the centro of the ship are slung two more care, one on the port side, and the other _on the starboard side, and each contains an engine driving a sirgle propeller. A fourth car is dung aft, and in this are two engines driving a single propeller. The engines are Sunbeam "Maoris," each developing 250 li.p., giving a total horse-power for the ship of 1250. The Germans wore well aware of the situation of Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth's works, and on several occasions attacked the locality with Zeppelins. Bombs fell near the airship 6heds, which were never hit.

' Dr. Edgar JJewbery, assistant lecturer i in electro-chemistry at ilaiiclicster Uni-

!■ versity, has been appointed to the newly- ! . . established Chair of Physical Chemistry

| in Cope Town University. Dr. Newbery ( 'is a son of the parsonage, his father be- | fog rector of Byton in Herefordshire.