AIR SHIP HISTORY

Hokitika Guardian, 18 April 1933, Page 8

AIR SHIP HISTORY

DEVELOPMENTS AND DISASTER

PROGRAMMES OF CONSTRUCTION

Although flight by craft lighter than air as far older than lljglit by heavier--thiuirair machines, the development of airships, and in particular rigid craft, has progressed at a far slower rate than tile improvement of aeroplanes, while the progress made has been attended by disaster since the first days of flying these machines. While it is realised that each period of development of any new means of transport consists of five distinct stages—enthusiasm, building, successful flight, disaster and stagnation—the periods following each other in cycles,’ the disasters which have attended the building of large rigid airships have been so: great and have resulted in such heavy loss of life that it was only to be expected that building from time to time was suspended in different countries. That the loss of life generally has been greater than in aeroplane disasters is naturally due to the fact that airships commonly carry a greater complement-.

THE FIRST ZEPPELIN

Lighter-than-air craft date back to 1783, when Pilate de Rozier ascended in a Montgolfier balloon. The first Channel crossing was made by balloon in 1785, hut the modern type of aircraft did not appear until 1898, when Santos Dumont began building his airships. He built many, and experienced almost every type of accident with them.

The first Zeppelin was laid down in 1898, and was completed two years later. Immediately she was launched she met with a mishap, her hull being seriously damaged, while a series of slight accidents followed. The second Zeppelin, furnished with engines of greater power than those used in the first machine, was also severely damaged on its first flight. After being rapidly repaired, it was damaged on its second flight, and was finally lost in a gale. The third Zeppelin to be built did little flying, end was torn from its anchorage by a storm, during which it burst into flames and exploded. However, the Germans continued to show enthusiasm for the Zeppelin, and arter funds had been raised by public subscription more airships, each showing improvements on its predecessor, were built. By 1914 nearly 30 Zeppelin airships had been constructed.

ENTHUSIASM DEVELOPS

In 1910, when aeroplanes remained almost an unknown quantity, enthusiasm for airships reached its peak, and, while Zeppelins were being launched in Germany, two French models, the Lebaudy and the ClementBavardj took the air. The Lebaudy crashed twice and was destroyed, while two Zeppelins crashed in 1910 and one in 1911. About that time Great Britain also attempted to develop airships, and in 1909 a wave of interest resulted in the production of a vessel which did not fly. The first British rigid airship, the Mayfly, was completed in 1911, but she was destroyed before she had emerged fully from her hangar, and airship construction was temporarily suspended. There followed a period of stagnation in almost all countries except Germany. One machine was built in Britain, lmt it was : disappointing, anu nothing was done until the war caused a demand for aircraft. After one unsuccessful class had been attempted the German airship L 33 was shot down and sufficient whs left of her hull to form the foundation for the British airships R 33 and R 34, the first English dirigibles of' the modern type. R 34 made a successful return crossing of the Atlantic after the war, but was damaged beyond repair in 1921.

SETBACK TO BRITAIN

After another machine, which was never put in cervice, had been built R 33 was constructed and sold to the United States. When she broke up in the air in 1921, 44 persons were killed. A fert trial flights had been made with; R 33, at the conclusion of which she broke away from her mooring mast and return crippled, and in 1921 m period of interest in airships in England ended. There was a revival- of enthusiasm with the construction of the RIOO and RlOl, this ceasing with the crash of the RlOl at Beauvais, Fa nee, in 1930. At the conclusion of the war the French took over a Zeppelin, which was renamed the Dixnmde. This craft made a record flight, but in 1923, disappeared with heavy loss of life off Sicily. France which had been among tho pioneers of airship development, ceased building, another airship which had also been taken over from Germany beng laid up. ft has since never been used.

UNITED STATES’ ACTIVITIES

After the war the United States built the Shenandoah, which was designed co bo 30 per cent stronger than any previous rigid airship. She was destroyed in 1925, when she was- struck by a squall. The United States also lost the Roma, which had been bought from Italy and was burnt at Norfolk, Virginia. Italy, after losing the Italia, abandoned airship building, and has shown no signs of returning t 0 construction work. After the disaster, to the Shenandoah, airship development in America

remained in abeyance for some time, but was revived after the successful flights of the Graf Zeppelin. While this craft has been probably the most successful airship ever built and has made many fine flights, including one round the world in 21 days, she suffered many minor mishaps. On a flight across, the Atlantic fabric was ripped from a fin and had to be repaired in mid-air, while later she had engine trouble and drifted o ver France partially out of control. With the inception of a new interest in airships in the United States, a number of nob-rigid small craft ■ was constructed by the Goodyear Coroporation. which later turned to rigid vessels, building first the Akron and later the Macon, both of which were larger than ajny (other (Waft of their type in the world.