LIGHTER THAN AIR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 February 1941, Page 6

LIGHTER THAN AIR

“BLIMPS” FOR U.S.A. NAVY

ORDER FOR SIX. BRITAIN'S DIFFERENT PROBLEM. I.ighter-than-air flight is to come back again into the American aviation picture. The new national defence programme is the cause. Akron. Ohio, for years the centre of the airship industry in the United States’, according to the aviation editor of the "Christian Science Monitor." is to see the construction of the familiar blunt-nosed, fabric-covered balloons through a 1.000.000-dollar contract for six new non-rigid ships which has been let the Navy Department to the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation, successor to the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation which built the naval dirigibles .Akron and Macon.

The initial order for six blimps is part of plans under the national defence programme to build 48 such ships. Construction of the 48 blimps. Navy authorities say will be spread over a two-year period at a total cost of approximately 8.600.000 dollars. Four of the ships are to be in the big "K-2" type and two are to be of the smaller "I" type. The "K-2” type have a gas capacity of 400.000 cubic feet, will be 246 feet long, and will have an overall height of 76.5 feet. The two “L" ships will have 120,000 cubic foot gas capacity and will resemble the blimps which were familiar to visitors to the New York World's Fair. Dr. Karl Arnstein. veteran builder of the dirigibles Los Angeles. Akron, and Macon, is in charge of the construction of the Naval order which has already begun. Working with Dr. Amstein in the huge airdock at Akron are a crow of veteran Zeppelin workers who have been kept on through the "lean years" of airship construction in the United Slates. Following the decline of the industry here, after the destruction of the "Macon" in 1935. a nucleus of the workers was kept employed on research. Commander Scott E. Peek, of the Navy, stationed at Akron as naval inspector. who will have charge of examining and passing upon every airship turned out explained the value of these new ships for the national defence programme, MILITARY VALUE CITED. "The value of the non-rigid ship is indisputable," Commander Peck said, "Many persons are of the opinion that airships arc vulnerable, and that is why the British are not using them. The reason for that, however, is because Britain's geographical set-up is entirely different. Enemy bases are located less than 30 miles from parts of Britain, whereas our nearest possible enemy base is several thousand miles away.

"Submarine and mine-laying operations can be successfully carried on at these distances, but hardly aircraft attacks."

These now airships. Commander Peck added, will not be as vulnerable as might be thought. Incendiary bullets cannot harm the envelope. he states, except to start very slight leaks. "Several thousand bullet holes might cause enough loss of life to bo noticeable, but only after several hours." he said. "And this would only result in the return of the airship to its base. The non-rigid ship will bo able to carry heavier guns than the average plant " he further stated. Meanwhile the Zeppelin dock hero is .dm teeming with hcavier-thnn-air activity. Strangely enough, the mon here whose allegiance has always been to lighlor-than-air. tiro now also engag-

ed in the manufacture <>f airplane parts for the Glenn Martin Company and will soon also go into production of •iinilar parts for the Douglas Aircraft Corporation, it has been announced. PNEUMATIC RAFTS. I Tail surfaces or “empennages" for thi big Army bombers have been con- ■ iructod here for several months in a "farming out" of part - programme now me. -.ny a* many ■>( the groat air- • Itmo i. in[..i!iii • v hrie spare inadepiao for die '•pceded up production in ■he defence emergency. ( ,ne < ntire ide of lhe do<4. is n.iW divided into live <!i | .irthx nts G>r the I I.etc fimimfactui ing Work These tnelude a wheel assembly department, where plane wheels of magnesium are ' heim: bmli *n large quantities, a doj;.** r.'.H.i material engineering and ;*■ • -llihh depat tlllelll Io addition to the air: hip ami nlane matild K ilire deft lire Work, the Good<ar Tvre and Rubber (’>> i building di. u and of d-.liars worth <•( pneumatic HR raft - for rtho Army and the Navy. ;md also groat rubber slabs to bo iiisuilk’d os giitantle hydraiiiie pros- ■. ■■ io form millo'Hs , f dioot metal I lane parts "ill i ullip.rliV t- .d O pl oiltii ilii l l.ltl ■ etui tr.u l; lfli.il. unil - for Army tanks :n ’rd er which must tie ready for <!<*- hvi r.’. io Man h 1 and a! <>. with other rubber i-.mt atiu 1- here > engaged in Ti-e <■ m.!< r- nr.- nil m ad.liti..n n* the l< ; .I l'lm ■ t’ lc at .1 till.her • i.io. :..,rt- v. 'ni. b tin- imtnpiihv G".-‘