A GREAT AIRSHIP.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1924, Page 4

A GREAT AIRSHIP.

ITS IT 111) STATES SiJE.N'AJsDOAII. I'l,ailing majestically overhead, its stiuT sides gleaming against a blue white sky, the Shenandoah or /111 sailed recently over several eastern cities ol America on its maiden voyage. Quite apjirojn intely, il was christened "Daughter of the Stars," for that is the Imh an meaning ol the word ".Shenandoah.” This giani dirigible foretells an era of transportation whHi. by comparison, will make the wildest dream- of years ago. commonplace. The .Shenandoah was built at l.akelmr-l N.. 1.. by the ITS. Navy. Il is fist! feet long. 78 feet in diameter and from the bottom of its cars to the top of tile bag. it is ki> Icefr. WIDE curisixc HANOI-:.

It is powered by six IHIU horsepower specially built Packard motors 1 1800 h.p. in till) which, it is estimated, will give the huge craft a speed of 70 miles an hour, its o(M ! 0 gallons of file! is carried in tanks placed along a centre keel compartment. The cruising range is over 100(1 miles. instead of hydrogen which lias been used as the supporting gas for dirigibles and all other iighter-than-air craft for many years past, a new and very valuable gas known as helium has been used to inflate the Shenandoah.

Helium gas forms 1 per cent to S percent, certain natural gases found in the Texas and Kansas oil fields. Of this valuable gas 2,150,000 cubic feet of which are needed to fill the bag of the Shenandoah. Though nearly as buoyant, it has not the explosive finalities of the hydrogen gas. HAS TIVKXTV GAS HAGS.

Contrary to the general belief, the .Shenandoah's gas is enclosed in twenty gas cells within the outer covering, and not in one Pag. These individual gas cells are made from the intestines of nearly a million cattle. The sole purpose of the outer coverings is to give the ship a stream-like effect and to protect the interior gas cells from tile sun’s rnvs and from rain and

snou The metal framework is made of duralumin, a metal compound of aluminum, copper and manganese l . Tt is as strong as mild steel, weighs only <>ne-tliird ns much, but it-- cost is I about fifty times greater. In the outside cars are contained the six engines. The forward car is called the control car and. in addition to containing its engine, it is to the airship what the bridge is to the battleship. It contains the lift controls, steering controls, telegraphs, radio, gyroscopic and magnetic compasses, etc., and is the point from which the ship will be steered, piloted and navigated in the air. Special ] 2-volt E'xide Batteries are used to furnish current for engine ignition and running lights. These batteries in order to combine high capacity with light weight, have very thin bites assembled in bard rubber con-

tamers. One 'battery is located in each of the six engine ears. For radio, where the demand for current may require 200 amperes or more lor a few minutes, four Exido Batteries ol the same type its used for ignition and running light are used in series-parallel on a 21-volt circuit. The radio batteries are located, together, with all the radio equipments, in ihe control ear. All the batteries receive their charge from a generator system in much the same manner as an automobile starting and lighting battery receives its charge. The huge building in whiih the Shenandoah is housed cost approximately 2,000,000 dollars. It is 962 feet long. 3-18 feet wide and 200 feet high. The clear door opening is 2oc feet wide.