WORLD’S LARGEST AIRSHIP.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4309, 26 August 1921, Page 4

WORLD’S LARGEST AIRSHIP.

The largest airship constructed ill Great Britain is the largest in the world—materially larger than .the biggjest rigid German airship. While i.ts predecessors were modelled more or less on the lines of Zeppelins, this new one is entirely British in design as well as in construction. As it is intended- for naval purposes, it has been made as light as/possible in or- / der to enable it to ascend to a very ■ great height. The utmost height attained by a German airship was 24,-

000 feet, but the new British one will

go to about 25,000 feet, Thef.e are .11 gas-bags with a total capacity of 2,700,000 cubic feet, and at full speed the ship will travel at 70 miles ?>er hour. Its length is close on 700 feet, and it will carry a crew o? 28 or 30 men. Everything possible has been done to save'weight. For example, in the sleeping quarters there is nothing bet.ween the sleepers and 'the deep sea but a layer 'of canvas. Experience in building and operating this record airship is expected to be very useful in connection with the development of long-distance transport, by air on a commercial basis. It is reckoned that a similar airship, adopted for ordinary work, could be built for about a quarter of a million, and would accommod.ate 40 passengers and .two 'tons of freight. Thus loaded it could do a non-stop run to Egypt in/about 48 hours. Huge as this vessel is, however, it is far from representing the limit of British enterprise in airship design. Plans have been prepared for an improved type with a gas capacity of four million cubic feet. This vessel will be able to carry fifty passengers and ...tons 'of freight on. a non-stop fligh.t to Egypt in about 40 hours.