AIR-SHIP HISTORY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 95, 8 May 1937, Page 6

AIR-SHIP HISTORY

Germany the Pioneer of Zeppelins BRITISH EXPERIENCE Tbe history of lighter-than-bir craft bas been one of great hopes and great disasters. Germany was first in tbe field in tbe building of giant sbips, eommencing witb tbe first Zeppelin, wbicb was launcbed from the floating balloon shed on Lake Constance on Jiily 2, 1910, but tbere bad been much experimenting witb smaller airships before that first real success. Between 1910 and tbe outbreak of war Count von Zeppelin carried the people of Germany along witb bim in bis entbusiasm, and in tbose four years his sbips flew 90,000 miles and carried 37,250 passengers witbout accident. Then came the war and for a time tbe development of commercial airships ceased. During . tbe early war years tbo Zeppelins were regarded by tbe German air arms of tbe army and navy as possessing great striking power upon tbe arch-enemy, England, but tbe [Zeppelin terror passed altogefber wben, (hoavier-tban-air craft so rapidly de'vcloped as to be a greater tbreat to 'the airship tban tbe airship was .to English cities. Apart from tbe airships brought down, a large number met disaster tbrougb structural defects or 'explosions, but, • nevcrtheless, somei amazing long-distance performances. were put up by German airship com-' manders and crews and tbe method of construetion was greatly advanced under tbe impetus of war. Most of tbe Zeppelins still in commission at tbe end of tbe war were destroyed or purposely wrecked by hangar explosions, but. a number were banded over to tbe Allios under the terms of tbe Armistice. Most of tbese met witb disaster, major or minor. Early Efforts. In August, 1919, tbe Bodensee, Germany 's first post-war airship, took the air, and made 100 successful fligbts, but sbe was tben ordered to be baniftd over to Italy and a second airship of similar type, tbe Nordstern, was banded to Prance; botb the Italian and Frencb attempts to operate airships ended disastrously. America and Britain were ao more fortunate in tbe bandling ot craft wbicb, thougb possessing characteristics in range and load capacity beyond wbat could be foreseen ±or heavier-tban-air macbines, yet also possessed fatal weaknesses, cbief among tbem tbe terrible danger of explosion of tbe hydrogen witb wbicb tbe gas bags were filled, and tbe ever-present risk of failure of tbe enormous structure designed to save tho last pound and ounce in every great mamber. America was fortunate among nations wbicb experimented witb airship operation, in that sbe alone bad sufficient supplies of inert gas helium for tbe inflation of gas bags and for some time guarded tbose supplies jealously, but after tbe loss . of tbe greatest o'f the British airships, tbe B101, tbe world .and America turned against that policy and discussions were opened rtwards an agrcement whereby otber nations could obtain supplies of tbe safe gas, helium. Britisli Attitude. After the 101 disaster, one of a series in wbicb in the total many lives were lost, Britain abandoned airship conatruction and tbe Empire-wide plan for airship communication was placed on one side, probably for all time. Tbe American Navy continued witb its investigations into airship co-operation and, beeause helium is a considerably Sbeavier gas than hydrogen, built bei !two last sbips of buge size, tbe Akron and tbe Macon. Helium bad removed tbe danger of fire disaster, but the extreme problems of building strength into enormous structures of minimum weigbt remained. Tbe Akron was lost |in a storm off tbe New Jersey coast in |1933 witb beavy loss of life. Germany alone persisted and appeared to bave solved tbe double secret ofi ;fire and structural safety in tbe won•derful Graf Zeppelin, wbicb made her |first trans-Atlantic crossing in 1928 and jhas sinc^. shuttled between the two icontinents witb nnbroken regularity. jTbe success of the Graf Zeppelin led to Ithe construetion of tbe Hindenburg and ithe double success of tbese two sbips |to tbe building of a tbird great comjmercial airship, LZ 130, a sister to the [Hindenburg, still under construetion at ! Friedricbsbaf en and due to be launcbJed for tbe trans-Atlantic service wilfe iin a few months.