British Airships, Past, Present, and Future
by George Whale · English · Gutenberg #762 · 268,972 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: British Airships, Past, Present, and Future
Author: George Whale
Release date: December 1, 1996 [eBook #762]
Most recently updated: January 1, 2021
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BRITISH AIRSHIPS, PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE ***
Produced by Dianne Bean. HTML version by Al Haines.
British Airships: Past, Present and Future
by
George Whale
(Late Major, R.A.F.)
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER II
EARLY AIRSHIPS AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT TO THE PRESENT DAY
CHAPTER III
BRITISH AIRSHIPS BUILT BY PRIVATE FIRMS
CHAPTER IV
BRITISH ARMY AIRSHIPS
CHAPTER V
EARLY DAYS OF THE NAVAL AIRSHIP SECTION--PARSEVAL AIRSHIPS,
ASTRA-TORRES TYPE, ETC.
CHAPTER VI
NAVAL AIRSHIPS: THE NON-RIGIDS--
S.S. TYPE
COASTAL AND C STAR AIRSHIPS
THE NORTH SEA AIRSHIP
CHAPTER VII
NAVAL AIRSHIPS: THE RIGIDS
RIGID AIRSHIP NO. 1
RIGID AIRSHIP NO. 9
RIGID AIRSHIP NO. 23 CLASS
RIGID AIRSHIP NO. 23 X CLASS
RIGID AIRSHIP NO. 31 CLASS
RIGID AIRSHIP NO. 33 CLASS
CHAPTER VIII
THE WORK OF THE AIRSHIP IN THE WORLD WAR
CHAPTER IX
THE FUTURE OF AIRSHIPS
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Lighter-than-air craft consist of three distinct types: Airships, which
are by far the most important, Free Balloons, and Kite Balloons, which
are attached to the ground or to a ship by a cable. They derive their
appellation from the fact that when charged with hydrogen, or some
other form of gas, they are lighter than the air which they displace.
Of these three types the free balloon is by far the oldest and the
simplest, but it is entirely at the mercy of the wind and other
elements, and cannot be controlled for direction, but must drift
whithersoever the wind or air currents take it. On the other hand, the
airship, being provided with engines to propel it through the air, and
with rudders and elevators to control it for direction and height, can
be steered in whatever direction is desired, and voyages can be made
from one place to another--always provided that the force of the wind
is not sufficiently strong to overcome the power of the engines. The
airship is, therefore, nothing else than a dirigible balloon, for the
engines and other weights connected with the structure are supported in
the air by an envelope or balloon, or a series of such chambers,
according to design, filled with hydrogen or gas of some other nature.
It is not proposed, in this book, to embark upon a lengthy and highly
technical dissertation on aerostatics, although it is an intricate
science which must be thoroughly grasped by anyone who wishes to
possess a full knowledge of airships and the various problems which
occur in their design. Certain technical expressions and terms are,
however, bound to occur, even in the most rudimentary work on airships,
and the main principles underlying airship construction will be
described as briefly and as simply as is possible.
The term "lift" will appear many times in the following pages, and it
is necessary to understand what it really means. The difference
between the weight of air displaced and the weight of gas in a balloon
or airship is called the "gross lift." The term "disposable," or
"nett" lift, is obtained by deducting the weight of the structure,
cars, machinery and other fixed weights from the gross lift. The
resultant weight obtained by this calculation determines the crew,
ballast, fuel and other necessities which can be carried by the balloon
or airship.
The amount of air displaced by an airship can be accurately weighed,
and varies according to barometric pressure and the temperature; but
for the purposes of this example we may take it that under normal
conditions air weighs 75 lb. per 1,000 cubic feet. Therefore, if a
balloon of 1,000 cubic feet volume is charged with air, this air
contained will weigh 75 lb. It is then manifest that a balloon filled
with air would not lift, because the air is not displaced with a
lighter gas.
Hydrogen is the lightest gas known to science, and is used in airships
to displace the air and raise them from the ground. Hydrogen weighs
about one-fifteenth as much as air, and under normal conditions 1,000
cubic feet weighs 5 lb. Pursuing our analogy, if we fill our balloon
of 1,000 cubic feet with hydrogen we find the gross lift is as follows:
1,000 cubic feet of air weighs 75 lb.
1,000 cubic feet of hydrogen weighs 5 lb.
------
The balance is the gross lift of the balloon 70 lb.
It follows, then, that apart from the weight of the structure itself
the balloon is 70 lb. lighter than the air it displaces, and provided
that it weighs less than 70 lb. it will ascend into the air.
As the balloon or airship ascends the density of the air decreases as
the height is increased. As an illustration of this the barometer
falls, as everyone knows, the higher it is taken, and it is accurate to
say that up to an elevation of 10,000 feet it falls one inch for every
1,000 feet rise. It follows that as the pressure of the air decreases,
the volume of the gas contained expands at a corresponding rate. It
has been shown that a balloon filled with 1,000 feet of hydrogen has a
lift of 70 lb. under normal conditions, that is to say, at a barometric
pressure of 80 inches. Taking the barometric pressure at 2 inches
lower, namely 28, we get the following figures:
1,000 cubic feet of air weighs 70 lb.
1,000 cubic feet of hydrogen weighs 4.67 "
---------
65.33 lb.
It is therefore seen that the very considerable loss of lift, 4.67 lb.
per 1,000 cubic feet, takes place with the barometric pressure 2 inches
lower, from which it may be taken approximately that 1/30 of the volume
gross lift and weight is lost for every 1,000 feet rise. From this
example it is obvious that the greater the pressure of the atmosphere,
as indicated by the barometer, the greater will be the lift of the
airship or balloon.
Temperature is another factor which must be considered while discussing
lift. The volume of gas is affected by temperature, as gases expand or
contract about 1/500 part for every degree Fahrenheit rise or fall in
temperature.
In the case of the 1,000 cubic feet balloon, the air at 30 inches
barometric pressure and 60 degrees Fahrenheit weighs 75 lb., and the
hydrogen weighs 5 lb.
At the same pressure, but with the temperature increased to 90 degrees
Fahrenheit, the air will be expanded and 1,000 cubic feet of air will
weigh only 70.9 lb., while 1,000 cubic feet of hydrogen will weigh 4.7
lb.
The lift being the difference between the weight of the volume of air
and the weight of the hydrogen contained in the balloon, it will be
seen that with the temperature at 60 degrees Fahrenheit the lift is 75
lb. - 5 lb. = 70 lb., while the temperature, having risen to 90
degrees, the lift now becomes 70.9 lb. - 4.7 lb. = 66.2 lb.
Conversely, with a fall in the temperature the lift is increased.
We accordingly find from the foregoing observations that at the start
of a voyage the lift of an airship may be expected to be greater when
the temperature is colder, and the greater the barometric pressure so
will also the lift be greater. To put this into other words, the most
favourable conditions for the lift of an airship are when the weather
is cold and the barometer is high.
It must be mentioned that the air and hydrogen are not subject in the
same way to changes of temperature. Important variations in lift may
occur when the temperature of the gas inside the envelope becomes
higher, owing to the action of the sun, than the air which surrounds
it. A difference of some 20 degrees Fahrenheit may result between the
gas and the air temperatures; this renders it highly necessary that the
pilot should by able to tell at any moment the relative temperatures of
gas and air, as otherwise a false impression will be gained of the
lifting capacity of the airship.
The lift of an airship is also affected by flying through snow and
rain. A considerable amount of moisture can be taken up by the fabric
and suspensions of a large airship which, however, may be largely
neutralized by the waterproofing of the envelope. Snow, as a rule, is
brushed off the surface by the passage of the ship through the air,
though in the event of its freezing suddenly, while in a melting state,
a very considerable addition of weight might be caused. There have
been many instances of airships flying through snow, and as far as is
known no serious difficulty has been encountered through the adhesion
of this substance. The humidity of the air may also cause slight
variations in lift, but for rough calculations it may be ignored, as
the difference in lift is not likely to amount to more than 0.3 lb. per
1,000 cubic feet of gas.
The purity of hydrogen has an important effect upon the lift of an
airship. One of the greatest difficulties to be contended with is
maintaining the hydrogen pure in the envelope or gasbags for any length
of time. Owing to diffusion gas escapes with extraordinary rapidity,
and if the fabric used is not absolutely gastight the air finds its way
in where the gas has escaped. The maximum purity of gas in an airship
never exceeds 98 per cent by volume, and the following example shows
how greatly lift can be reduced:
Under mean atmospheric conditions, which are taken at a temperature of
55 degrees Fahrenheit, and the barometer at 29.5 inches, the lift of
1,000 cubic feet of hydrogen at 98 per cent purity is 69.6 lb. Under
same conditions at 80 per cent purity the lift of 1,000 cubic feet of
hydrogen is 56.9 lb., a resultant loss of 12.9 lb. per 1,000 cubic feet.
The whole of this statement on "lift" can now be condensed into three
absolute laws:
1. Lift is directly proportional to barometric pressure.
2. Lift is inversely proportional to absolute temperature.
3. Lift is directly proportional to purity.
AIRSHIP DESIGN
The design of airships has been developed under three distinct types,
the Rigid, the Semi-Rigid, and the Non-Rigid.
The rigid, of which the German Zeppelin is the leading example,
consists of a framework, or hull composed of aluminium, wood, or other
materials from which are suspended the cars, machinery and other
weights, and which of itself is sufficiently strong to support its own
weight. Enclosed within this structure are a number of gas chambers or
bags filled with hydrogen, which provide the necessary buoyancy. The
hull is completely encased within a fabric outer cover to protect the
hull framework and bags from the effects of weather, and also to temper
the rays of the sun.
The semi-rigid, which has been exploited principally by the Italians
with their Forlanini airships, and in France by Lebaudy, has an
envelope, in some cases divided into separate compartments, to which is
attached close underneath a long girder or keel. This supports the car
and other weights and prevents the whole ship from buckling in the
event of losing gas. The semi-rigid type has been practically
undeveloped in this country.
The non-rigid, of which we may now claim to be the leading builders, is
of many varieties, and has been developed in several countries. In
Germany the chief production has been that of Major von Parseval, and
of which one ship was purchased by the Navy shortly before the outbreak
of war. In the earliest examples of this type the car was slung a long
way from the envelope and was supported by wires from all parts. This
necessitated a lofty shed for its accommodation as the ship was of
great overall height; but this difficulty was overcome by the
employment of the elliptical and trajectory bands, and is described in
the chapter dealing with No. 4.
A second system is that of the Astra-Torres. This envelope is trilobe
in section, with internal rigging, which enables the car to be slung
very close up to the envelope. The inventor of these envelopes was a
Spaniard, Senor Torres Quevedo, who manufactured them in conjunction
with the Astra Company in Paris. This type of envelope has been
employed in this country in the Coastal, C Star, and North Sea
airships, and has been found on the whole to give good results. It is
questionable if an envelope of streamline shape would not be easier to
handle, both in the air and on the landing ground, and at present there
are partisans of both types.
Thirdly, there is the streamline envelope with tangential suspensions,
which has been adopted for all classes of the S.S. airship, and which
has proved for its purpose in every way highly satisfactory.
Of these three types the rigid has the inherent disadvantage of not
being able to be dismantled, if it should become compelled to make a
forced landing away from its base. Even if it were so fortunate as to
escape damage in the actual landing, there is the practical certainty
that it would be completely wrecked immediately any increase occurred
in the force of the wind. On the other hand, for military purposes, it
possesses the advantage of having several gas compartments, and is in
consequence less susceptible to damage from shell fire and other causes.
Both the semi-rigid and the non-rigid have the very great advantage of
being easily deflated and packed up. In addition to the valves, these
ships have a ripping panel incorporated in the envelope which can
easily be torn away and allows the gas to escape with considerable
rapidity. Innumerable instances have occurred of ships being compelled
to land in out-of-the-way places owing to engine failure or other
reasons; they have been ripped and deflated and brought back to the
station without incurring any but the most trifling damage.
Experience in the war has proved that for military purposes the large
rigid, capable of long hours of endurances and the small non-rigid made
thoroughly reliable, are the most valuable types for future
development. The larger non-rigids, with the possible exception of the
North Sea, do not appear to be likely to fulfil any very useful
function.
Airship design introduces so many problems which are not met with in
the ordinary theory of structures, that a whole volume could easily be
devoted to the subject, and even then much valuable information would
have to be omitted from lack of space. It is, therefore, impossible,
in only a section of a chapter, to do more than indicate in the
briefest manner a few salient features concerning these problems. The
suspension of weights from the lightest possible gas compartment must
be based on the ordinary principles of calculating the distribution
loads as in ships and other structures. In the non-rigid, the envelope
being made of flexible fabric has, in itself, no rigidity whatsoever,
and its shape must be maintained by the internal pressure kept slightly
in excess of the pressure outside. Fabric is capable of resisting
tension, but is naturally not able to resist compression. If the car
was rigged beneath the centre of the envelope with vertical suspensions
it would tend to produce compression in the underside of the envelope,
owing to the load not being fully distributed. This would cause, in
practice, the centre portion of the envelope to sag downwards, while
the ends would have a tendency to rise. The principle which has been
found to be most satisfactory is to fix the points of suspension
distributed over the greatest length of envelope possible proportional
to the lift of gas at each section thus formed. From these points the
wires are led to the car. If the car is placed close to the envelope
it will be seen that the suspensions of necessity lie at a very flat
angle and exert a serious longitudinal compression. This must be
resisted by a high internal pressure, which demands a stouter fabric
for the envelope and, therefore, increased weight. It follows that the
tendency of the envelope to deform is decreased as the distance of the
car from the gas compartment is increased.
One method of overcoming this difficulty is found by using the
Astra-Torres design. As will be seen from the diagram of the North Sea
airship, the loads are excellently distributed by the several fans of
internal rigging, while external head resistance is reduced to a
minimum, as the car can be slung close underneath the envelope.
Moreover, the direct longitudinal compression due to the rigging is
applied to a point considerably above the axis of the ship. In a large
non-rigid many of these difficulties can be overcome by distributing
the weight into separate cars along the envelope itself.
We have seen that as an airship rises the gas contained in the envelope
expands. If the envelope were hermetically sealed, the higher the ship
rose the greater would become the internal pressure, until the envelope
finally burst. To avoid this difficulty in a balloon, a valve is
provided through which the gas can escape. In a balloon, therefore,
which ascends from the ground full, gas is lost throughout its upward
journey, and when it comes down again it is partially empty or flabby.
This would be an impossible situation in the case of the airship, for
she would become unmanageable, owing to the buckling of the envelope
and the sagging of the planes. Ballonets are therefore fitted to
prevent this happening.
Ballonets are internal balloons or air compartments fitted inside the
main envelope, and were originally filled with air by a blower driven
either by the main engines or an auxiliary motor. These blowers were a
continual source of trouble, and at the present day it has been
arranged to collect air from the slip-stream of the propeller through a
metal air scoop or blower-pipe and discharge it into an air duct which
distributes it to the ballonets.
The following example will explain their functions:
An airship ascends from the ground full to 1,000 feet. The ballonets
are empty, and remain so throughout the ascent. By the time the
airship reaches 1,000 feet it will have lost 1/30th of its volume of
gas which will have escaped through the valves. If the ship has a
capacity of 300,000 cubic feet it will have lost 10,000 cubic feet of
gas. The airship now commences to descend; as it descends the gas
within contracts and air is blown into the ballonets. By the time the
ground is reached 10,000 cubic feet of air will have been blown into
the ballonets and the airship will have retained its shape and not be
flabby.
On making a second ascent, as the airship rises the air must be let out
of the ballonet instead of gas from the envelope, and by the time 1,000
feet is reached the ballonets will be empty. To ensure that this is
always done the ballonet valves are set to open at less pressure than
the gas valves.
It therefore follows in the example under consideration that it will
not be necessary to lose gas during flight, provided that an ascent is
not made over 1,000 feet.
Valves are provided to prevent the pressure in the envelope from
exceeding a certain determined maximum and are fitted both to ballonets
and the gaschamber. They are automatic in action, and, as we have
said, the gas valve is set to blow off at a pressure in excess of that
for the air valve.
In rigid airships ballonets are not provided for the gasbags, and as a
consequence a long flight results in a considerable expenditure of gas.
If great heights are required to be reached, it is obvious that the
wastage of gas would be enormous, and it is understood that the Germans
on starting for a raid on England, where the highest altitudes were
necessary, commenced the flight with the gasbags only about 60 per cent
full.
To stabilize the ship in flight, fins or planes are fitted to the after
end of the envelope or hull. Without the horizontal planes the ship
will continually pitch up and down, and without the vertical planes it
will be found impossible to keep the ship on a straight course. The
planes are composed of a framework covered with fabric and are attached
to the envelope by means of stay wires fixed to suitable points, in the
case of non-rigid ships skids being employed to prevent the edge of the
plane forcing its way through the surface of the fabric. The rudder
and elevator flaps in modern practice are hinged to the after edges of
the planes.
The airship car contains all instruments and controls required for
navigating the ship and also provides a housing for the engines. In
the early days swivelling propellers were considered a great adjunct,
as with their upward and downward thrust they proved of great value in
landing. Nowadays, owing to greater experience, landing does not
possess the same difficulty as in the past, and swivelling propellers
have been abandoned except in rigid airships, and even in the later
types of these they have been dispensed with.
Owing to the great range of an airship a thoroughly reliable engine is
a paramount necessity. The main requirements are--firstly, that it
must be capable of running for long periods without a breakdown;
secondly, that it must be so arranged that minor repairs can be
effected in the air; and thirdly, that economy of oil and fuel is of
far greater importance to an airship than the initial weight of the
engine itself.
HANDLING AND FLYING OF AIRSHIPS
The arrangements made for handling airships on the ground and while
landing, and also for moving them in the open, provide scope for great
ingenuity. An airship when about to land is brought over the aerodrome
and is "ballasted up" so that she becomes considerably lighter than the
air which she displaces. The handling party needs considerable
training, as in gusty weather the safety of the ship depends to a great
extent upon its skill in handling her. The ship approaches the
handling party head to wind and the trail rope is dropped; it is taken
by the handling party and led through a block secured to the ground and
the ship is slowly hauled down. When near the ground the handling
party seize the guys which are attached to the ship at suitable points,
other detachments also support the car or cars, as the case may be, and
the ship can then be taken into the shed.
In the case of large airships the size of the handling party has to be
increased and mechanical traction is also at times employed.
As long as the airship is kept head to wind, handling on the ground
presents little difficulty; on many occasions, however, unless the shed
is revolving, as is the case on certain stations in Germany, the wind
will be found to be blowing across the entrance to the shed. The ship
will then have to be turned, and during this operation, unless great
discretion is used, serious trouble may be experienced.
Many experiments have been and are still being conducted to determine
the best method of mooring airships in the open. These will be
described and discussed at some length in the chapter devoted to the
airship of the future.
During flight certain details require attention, and carelessness on
the pilot's part, even on the calmest of days, may lead to disaster.
The valves and especially the gas valves should be continually tested,
as on occasions they have been known to jam, and the loss of gas has
not been discovered until the ship had become unduly heavy.
Pressure should be kept as constant as possible. Most airships work up
to 30 millimetres as a maximum and 15 millimetres as a minimum flying
pressure. During a descent the pressure should be watched
continuously, as it may fall so low as to cause the nose to blow in.
This will right itself when the speed is reduced or the pressure is
raised, but there is always the danger of the envelope becoming
punctured by the bow stiffeners when this occurs.
HOUSING ACCOMMODATION FOR AIRSHIPS, ETC.
During the early days of the war, when stations were being equipped,
the small type of airship was the only one we possessed. The sheds to
accommodate them were constructed of wood both for cheapness and speed
of construction and erection. These early sheds were all of very
similar design, and were composed of trestles with some ordinary form
of roof-truss. They were covered externally with corrugated sheeting.
The doors have always been a source of difficulty, as they are
compelled to open for the full width of the shed and have to stand
alone without support. They are fitted with wheels which run on guide
rails, and are opened by means of winches and winding gear.
The later sheds built to accommodate the rigid airship are of much
greater dimensions, and are constructed of steel, but otherwise are of
much the same design.
The sheds are always constructed with sliding doors at either end, to
enable the ship to be taken out of the lee end according to the
direction of the wind.
It has been the practice in this country to erect windscreens in order
to break the force of the wind at the mouth of the shed. These screens
are covered with corrugated sheeting, but it is a debatable point as to
whether the comparative shelter found at the actual opening of the shed
is compensated for by the eddies and air currents which are found
between the screens themselves. Experiments have been carried out to
reduce these disturbances, in some cases by removing alternate bays of
the sheeting and in other cases by substituting expanded metal for the
original corrugated sheets.
It must be acknowledged that where this has been done, the airships
have been found easier to handle.
At the outbreak of war, with the exception of a silicol plant at
Kingsnorth, now of obsolete type, and a small electrolytic plant at
Farnborough, there was no facility for the production of hydrogen in
this country for the airship service.
When the new stations were being equipped, small portable silicol
plants were supplied capable of a small output of hydrogen. These were
replaced at a later date by larger plants of a fixed type, and a
permanent gas plant, complete with gasholders and high pressure storage
tanks was erected at each station, the capacity being 5,000 or 10,000
cubic feet per hour according to the needs of the station.
With the development of the rigid building programme, and the
consequent large requirements of gas, it was necessary to reconsider
the whole hydrogen situation, and after preliminary experimental work
it was decided to adopt the water gas contact process, and plants of
this kind with a large capacity of production were erected at most of
the larger stations. At others electrolytic plants were put down.
Hydrogen was also found to be the bye-product of certain industries,
and considerable supplies were obtained from commercial firms, the
hydrogen being compressed into steel cylinders and dispatched to the
various stations.
Before concluding this chapter, certain words must be written on
parachutes. A considerable controversy raged in the press and
elsewhere a few months before the cessation of hostilities on the
subject of equipping the aeroplane with parachutes as a life-saving
device. In the airship service this had been done for two years. The
best type of parachute available was selected, and these were fitted
according to circumstances in each type of ship. The usual method is
to insert the parachute, properly folded for use, in a containing case
which is fastened either in the car or on the side of the envelope as
is most convenient. In a small ship the crew are all the time attached
to their parachutes and in the event of the ship catching fire have
only to jump overboard and possess an excellent chance of being saved.
In rigid airships where members of the crew have to move from one end
of the ship to the other, the harness is worn and parachutes are
disposed in the keel and cars as are lifebuoys in seagoing vessels.
Should an emergency arise, the nearest parachute can be attached to the
harness by means of a spring hook, which is the work of a second, and a
descent can be made.
It is worthy of note that there has never been a fatal accident or any
case of a parachute failing to open properly with a man attached.
The material embodied in this chapter, brief and inadequate as it is,
should enable the process of the development of the airship to be
easily followed. Much has been omitted that ought by right to have
been included, but, on the other hand, intricate calculations are apt
to be tedious except to mathematicians, and these have been avoided as
far as possible in the following pages.
CHAPTER II
EARLY AIRSHIPS AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT TO THE PRESENT DAY
The science of ballooning had reached quite an advanced stage by the
middle of the eighteenth century, but the construction of an airship
was at that time beyond the range of possibility. Discussions had taken
place at various times as to the practicability of rendering a balloon
navigable, but no attempts had been made to put these points of
argument to a practical test.
Airship history may be said to date from January 24th, 1784. On that
day Brisson, a member of the Academy in Paris, read before that Society
a paper on airships and the methods to be utilized in propelling them.
He stated that the balloon, or envelope as it is now called, must be
cylindrical in shape with conical ends, the ratio of diameter to length
should be one to five or one to six and that the smallest
cross-sectional area should face the wind. He proposed that the method
of propulsion should be by oars, although he appeared to be by no means
sanguine if human strength would be sufficient to move them. Finally,
he referred to the use of different currents of the atmosphere lying
one above the other.
This paper caused a great amount of interest to be taken in
aeronautics, with the result that various Frenchmen turned their
attention to airship design and production. To France must be due the
acknowledgment that she was the pioneer in airship construction and to
her belongs the chief credit for early experiments.
At a later date Germany entered the lists and tackled the problems
presented with that thoroughness so characteristic of the nation. It
is just twenty-one years ago since Count Zeppelin, regardless of public
ridicule, commenced building his rigid airships, and in that time such
enormous strides were made that Germany, at the outbreak of the war,
was ahead of any other country in building the large airship.
In 1908 Italy joined the pioneers, and as regards the semi-rigid is in
that type still pre-eminent. Great Britain, it is rather sad to say,
adopted the policy of "wait and see," and, with the exception of a few
small ships described in the two succeeding chapters, had produced
nothing worthy of mention before the outbreak of the great European
war. She then bestirred herself, and we shall see later that she has
produced the largest fleet of airships built by any country and, while
pre-eminent with the non-rigid, is seriously challenging Germany for
the right to say that she has now built the finest rigid airship.
FRANCE
To revert to early history, in the same year in which Brisson read his
paper before the Academy, the Duke of Chartres gave the order for an
airship to the brothers Robert, who were mechanics in Paris. This ship
was shaped like a fish, on the supposition that an airship would swim
through the air like a fish through water. The gas-chamber was
provided with a double envelope, in order that it might travel for a
long distance without loss of gas.
The airship was built in St. Cloud Park; in length it was 52 feet with
a diameter of 82 feet, and was ellipsoidal in shape with a capacity of
30,000 cubic feet. Oars were provided to propel it through the air,
experiments having proved that with two oars of six feet diameter a
back pressure of 90 lb. was obtained and with four oars 140 lb.
On July 6th in the same year the first ascent was made from St. Cloud.
The passengers were the Duke of Chartres, the two brothers Robert and
Colin-Hulin. No valves having been fitted, there was no outlet for the
expansion of gas and the envelope was on the point of bursting, when
the Duke of Chartres, with great presence of mind, seized a pole and
forced an opening through both the envelopes. The ship descended in
the Park of Meudon.
On September 19th the airship made a second ascent with the same
passengers as before, with the exception of the Duke. According to the
report of the brothers Robert, they succeeded in completing an ellipse
and then travelled further in the direction of the wind without using
the oars or steering arrangements. They then deviated their course
somewhat by the use of these implements and landed at Bethune, about
180 miles distant from Paris.
In those days it was considered possible that a balloon could be
rendered navigable by oars, wings, millwheels, etc., and it was not
until the last decades of the nineteenth century, when light and
powerful motors had been constructed, that the problem became really
practical of solution.
During the nineteenth century several airships were built in France and
innumerable experiments were carried out, but the vessels produced were
of little real value except in so far as they stimulated their
designers to make further efforts. Two of these only will be
mentioned, and that because the illustrations show how totally
different they were from the airship of to-day.
In 1834 the Compte de Lennox built an airship of 98,700 cubic feet
capacity. It was cylindrical in form with conical ends, and is of
interest because a small balloon or ballonet, 7,050 cubic feet
contents, was placed inside the larger one for an air filling. A car
66 feet in length was rigged beneath the envelope by means of ropes
eighteen inches long. Above the car the envelope was provided with a
long air cushion in connection with a valve. The intention was by
compression of the air in the cushion and the inner balloon, to alter
the height of the airship, in order to travel with the most favourable
air currents. The motive power was 20 oar propellers worked by men.
This airship proved to be too heavy on completion to lift its own
weight, and was destroyed by the onlookers.
The next airship, the Dupuy de Lome, is of interest because the
experiments were carried out at the cost of the State by the French
Government. This ship consisted of a spindle-shaped balloon with a
length of 112 feet, diameter of 48 1/2 feet and a volume of 121,800
cubic feet. An inner air balloon of 6,000 cubic feet volume was
contained in the envelope. The method of suspension was by means of
diagonal ropes with a net covering. A rudder in the form of a
triangular sail was fitted beneath the envelope and at the after part
of the ship. The motive power was double-winged screws 29 feet 6
inches diameter, to be worked by four to eight men.
On her trials the ship became practically a free balloon, an
independent velocity of about six miles per hour being achieved and
deviation from the direction of the wind of ten degrees.
At the close of the nineteenth century Santos-Dumont turned his
attention to airships. The experiments which he carried out marked a
new epoch and there arose the nucleus of the airship as we know it
to-day. Between the years 1898 and 1905 he had in all built fourteen
airships, and they were continually improved as each succeeding one
made its appearance. In the last one he made a circular flight;
starting from the aerodrome of the aero club, he flew round the Eiffel
Tower and back to the starting point in thirty-one minutes on October
19th, 1902. For this feat the Deutsch prize was awarded to him.
The envelopes he used were in design much nearer approach to a
streamline form than those previously adopted, but tapered to an
extremely fine point both at the both and stem. For rigging he
employed a long nacelle, in the centre of which was supported the car,
and unusually long suspensions distributed the weight throughout
practically the entire length of the envelope. To the name of
Santos-Dumont much credit is due. He may be regarded as the originator
of the airship for pleasure purposes, and by his success did much to
popularize them. He also was responsible to a large extent for the
development and expansion of the airship industry in Paris.
At a little later date, in 1902 to be precise, the Lebaudy brothers, in
conjunction with Julliot, an engineer, and Surcoup, an aeronaut,
commenced building an airship of a new type. This ship was a semirigid
and was of a new shape, the envelope resembling in external appearance
a cigar. In length it was 178 feet with a diameter of 30 feet and the
total capacity was 64,800 cubic feet. This envelope was attached to a
rigid elliptical keel-shaped girder made of steel tubes, which was
about a third of the length of the ship. The girder was covered with a
shirting and intended to prevent the ship pitching and rolling while in
flight. A horizontal rudder was attached to the under side of this
girder, while right aft a large vertical rudder was fixed.
A small car was suspended by steel rods at a distance of 17 feet 9
inches from the girder, with a framework built up underneath to absorb
the shock on landing.
A 35 horse-power Daimler-Mercedes motor, weighing some 800 lb. without
cooling water and fuel, drove two twin-bladed propellers on either side
of the car.
In the year 1903 a number of experimental flights were made with this
ship and various details in the construction were continually
introduced. The longest flight was 2 hours 46 minutes. Towards the
end of that year, while a voyage was being made from Paris to Chalais
Meudon, the airship came in contact with a tree and the envelope was
badly torn.
In the following year it was rebuilt, and the volume was slightly
increased with fixed and movable planes added to increase the
stability. After several trips had been made, the airship again on
landing came in contact with a tree and was burst.
The ship was rebuilt and after carrying out trials was purchased by the
French Army. The Lebaudy airship had at that time been a distinct
success, and in 1910 one was purchased for the British Government by
the readers of the Morning Post.
In the ten-ton Lebaudy the length of the keel framework was greatly
extended, and ran for very nearly the full length of the envelope. The
disadvantage of this ship was its slowness, considering its size and
power, and was due to the enormous resistance offered by the framework
and rigging.
Airships known as the "Clement-Bayard" were also built about this time.
They were manufactured by the Astra Company in conjunction with
Monsieur Clement, a motor engineer.
In later days vessels were built by the Astra Company of the peculiar
design introduced by Senor Torres. These ships, some of which were of
considerable size, were highly successful, and we became purchasers at
a later date of several.
The Zodiac Company also constructed a number of small ships which were
utilized during the war for anti-submarine patrol. It cannot be said,
however, that the French have fulfilled their early promise as airship
designers, the chief reason for this being that the airship is
peculiarly suitable for work at sea and the French relied on us to
maintain the commerce routes on the high seas and concentrated their
main efforts on defeating the Germans in the field, in which as all the
world acknowledges they were singularly successful and hold us under an
eternal obligation.
GERMANY
The progress and development of the airship in Germany must now be
considered; it will be seen that, although the production of
satisfactory ships was in very few hands, considerable success attended
their efforts in the early days of the twentieth century.
In 1812, Leppig built an airship at the cost of the State at Woronzowo
in Russia. This was of the shape of a fish with a rigid framework
beginning at the height of the longitudinal axis.
The lower keel-shaped part of the same formed the car. Two fans were
attached to the sides and a tail piece was provided behind to act as a
rudder. The ship was inflated, but structural damage occurred during
this operation and rendered it incapable of flight.
In 1836, Georg Rebenstein, of Nurnburg, was considering the use of the
fall of inclined planes to obtain horizontal motion.
Nothing of importance was produced until a much later date, when in
1885 M. Wolf constructed an envelope of 26,500 cubic feet. An engine
and propeller were fixed in a triangular framework in front of the
airship, supported by the steam pipe of a steam engine fixed under the
body of the envelope. The framework lacked rigidity, and the envelope
tore during inflation and the airship failed to ascend.
In the following year Dr. Woelfert, of Berlin, produced a cigar-shaped
envelope, to which was attached rigidly a long bamboo framework
containing the car. An 8 horse-power benzine Daimler motor drove a
twin-bladed aluminium propeller, and another propeller for vertical
movement was provided beneath the car. Four trial flights were
attempted, but on each occasion the motor gave unsatisfactory results,
and Woelfert sought to improve it with a benzine vaporizer of his own
pattern. This improvement was not a success, as during the last flight
an explosion took place and both Woelfert and an aeronaut named Knabe,
who was accompanying him, were killed.
In 1906, Major von Parseval experimented, in Berlin, with a non-rigid
type of airship. His first ship had a volume of 65,200 cubic feet, but
owing to his system of suspensions, the car hung 27 feet 6 inches below
the envelope. A Daimler engine was used, driving a four-bladed
propeller. Owing to the great overall height of this ship, experiments
were made to determine a system of rigging, enabling the car to be
slung closer to the envelope, and in later types the elliptical rigging
girdle was adopted. His later ships were of large dimensions and proved
very satisfactory. About the same time Major Gross also built airships
for the German aeronautical battalion.
It is, however, the rigid airship that has made Germany famous, and we
must now glance at the evolution of these ships with which we became so
familiar during the war.
The first rigid airship bearing any resemblance to those of the present
day was designed by David Schwartz, and was built in St. Petersburg in
1893. It was composed of aluminium plates riveted to an aluminium
framework. On inflation, the frame-work collapsed and the ship was
unusable.
In 1895 he designed a second rigid airship, which was built in Berlin
by Messrs. Weisspfennig and Watzesch. The hull framework was composed
of aluminium and was 155 feet long, elliptical in cross section, giving
a volume of 130,500 cubic feet. It was pointed in front and rounded
off aft. The car, also constructed of the same material, was rigidly
attached to the hull by a lattice framework, and the whole hull
structure was covered in with aluminium sheeting. A 12 horse-power
Daimler benzine motor was installed in the car, driving through the
medium of a belt twin aluminium screw propellers; no rudders were
supplied, the steering being arranged by means of a steering screw
placed centrally to the ship above the top of the car. Inflation took
place at the end of 1897 by a method of pressing out air-filled fabric
cells which were previously introduced into the hull. This operation
took three and a half hours. On the day of the first flight trials
there was a fresh wind of about 17 miles per hour. The airship
ascended into the air, but, apparently, could make little headway
against the wind. During the trip the driving-belt became disengaged
from the propellers and the ship drifted at the mercy of the wind, but
sustained little damage on landing. After being deflated, the hull
began to break up under the pressure of the wind and was completely
destroyed by the vandalism of the spectators.
In 1898 Graf F. von Zeppelin, inspired by the example of Schwartz, and
assisted by the engineers Kober and Kubler, conceived the idea of
constructing a rigid airship of considerable dimensions. For this
purpose a floating shed was built on Lake Constance, near to
Friedrichshafen. The hull was built of aluminium lattice-work girders,
and had the form of a prism of twenty-four surfaces with arch-shaped
ends. In length it was 420 feet, with a diameter of 38 feet 6 inches,
and its capacity was 400,000 cubic feet. The longitudinal framework
was divided by a series of rings, called transverse frames, into
seventeen compartments containing fabric gasbags. The transverse
frames were fitted with steel wire bracings, both radial and chord, and
to strengthen the whole a triangular aluminium keel of lattice work was
used. A vertical and horizontal rudder were fitted to the forward
portion of the ship, and aft another vertical rudder. The whole
exterior of the ship was fitted with a fabric outer cover.
Two aluminium cars, each about 20 feet long, were rigidly attached to
the framework of the hull. Each car was furnished with a 16
horse-power Daimler engine, driving two four-bladed screw propellers of
aluminium sheeting. These propellers were situated on the side of the
hull at the centre of resistance. The transmission was supplied by
steel tubes with universal cross joints through the medium of bevel
gears. Reversible driving arrangements were installed in the cars in
order that the ship could be driven backwards and forwards. Electric
bells, telegraphs, and speaking tubes were also fitted, and it can be
seen that for general arrangements this airship was a long way ahead of
any built at that date.
The first flight was made on July 2nd, 1900. The ship attained a speed
of 17 per hour, and the numerous technical details stood the tests
well. The stability was considered sufficient, and the height of
flight could be altered by the horizontal rudder. The landing on the
water was accomplished without difficulty, and could be regarded as
free from danger. The faults requiring remedy were, firstly, the upper
cross stays, which buckled in flight owing to insufficient strength for
the length of the hull; secondly, the gasbags were not sufficiently
gastight and, thirdly, the power of the engines were not sufficient for
such a heavy ship.
This airship was broken up in 1902.
In 1905 the second ship of the series was completed. She was of nearly
the same size as the previous ship, but the workmanship was much
superior. Increased engine-power was also supplied, as in this
instance two 85 horse-power Mercedes engines were fitted. This ship was
destroyed by a storm while landing during the next year.
The third ship, which was completed in 1906, was the first Zeppelin
airship acquired by the Government, and lasted for a considerable time,
being rebuilt twice, first in 1908 and again in 1911. She was slightly
larger than the previous two.
The building was continued, and up to the outbreak of war no fewer than
twenty-five had been completed. It is impossible, in the space at our
disposal, to trace the career of all of them. Several came to an
untimely end, but as the years went by each succeeding ship proved more
efficient, and the first ship which was delivered to the Navy performed
the notable flight of thirty-one hours.
To revert, for a moment, once more to the earlier ships--the fourth was
wrecked and burned at Echterdingen in the same year in which she was
completed. The fifth, which was the second military airship, was fitted
with two 110 horse-power engines and also came to a tragic end, being
destroyed by wind at Weilberg in 1910, and the following ship was burnt
at Baden in the same year.
The seventh ship was the first passenger airship of the series, and was
known as the Deutschland. By this time the capacity had increased to
536,000 cubic feet, and she was propelled by three 120 horse-power
engines. She also fell a victim to the wind, and was wrecked in the
Teutoberg Forest in 1910; and yet another was destroyed in the
following year at Dusseldorf.
The tenth ship to be completed was the passenger ship Schwaben; her
capacity was 636,500 cubic feet, and she had three 150 horse-power
engines. This ship carried out her first flight in June, 1911, and was
followed four months later by the Victoria Luise. The fourth passenger
airship was known as the Hansa. These three ships were all in
commission at the outbreak of war.
The first naval airship, L 1, mentioned above, was larger than any of
these. The total length was 525 feet, diameter 50 feet, and cubic
contents 776,000 cubic feet. Her hull framework in section formed a
regular polygon of seventeen sides, and was built up of triangular
aluminium girders. The gasbags were eighteen in number. This ship was
fitted with three 170 horse-power Maybach engines, which were disposed
as follows--one in the forward car, driving two two-bladed propellers;
two in the after car, each driving a single four-bladed propeller. For
steering purposes she had six vertical and eight horizontal planes.
The total lift was 27 tons, with a disposable lift of 7 tons. Her
speed was about 50 miles per hour, and she could carry fuel for about
48 hours. Her normal crew consisted of fourteen persons, including
officers.
It will probably be remembered that the military Zeppelin Z III was
compelled to make a forced landing in France. This ship was of similar
construction to L 1, but of smaller volume, her capacity being 620,000
cubic feet. A trial flight was being carried out, and while above the
clouds the crew lost their bearings. Descending they saw some French
troops and rose again immediately. After flying for four hours they
thought they must be safely over the frontier and, running short of
petrol, made a landing--not knowing that they were still in France
until too late. The airship was taken over by the French authorities.
Until the year 1916 the Zeppelin may be considered to have passed
through three stages of design. Of the twenty-five ships constructed
before the war, twenty-four were of the first type and one of the
second. Each type possessed certain salient features, which, for
simplicity, will be set out in the form of a tabulated statement, and
may be useful for comparison when our own rigid airships are reviewed.
Stage 1.
Long parallel portion of hull with bluff nose and tail.
External keel with walking way.
Box rudders and elevators.
Two cars.
Four wing propellers.
Stage 2.
Long parallel portion of hull with bluff nose, tail portion
finer than in Stage I
Internal keel walking way.
Box rudders and elevators.
Three cars, foremost for control only.
Four wing propellers.
Stage 3.
Shorter parallel portion of hull framework, bluff nose and
tapering tail.
Internal keel walking way.
Balanced monoplane rudders and elevators.
Three cars, foremost for control only.
Two foremost cars close together and connected by
a canvas joint to look like one car.
Four engines and four propellers. One engine in forward
car driving pusher propeller. Three engines in after
car driving two wing and one pusher propeller.
To the second stage belongs naval airship L 2, which was destroyed by
fire a month after completion in 1913. In 1916 a fourth stage made its
appearance, of which the first ship was L 30, completed in May, and to
which the ill-fated L 33 belonged. This type is known as the
super-Zeppelin, and has been developed through various stage until L
70, the latest product before the armistice. In this stage the
following are its main features:
Stage 4.
Short parallel portion of hull, long rounded bow and
long tapering stern. In all respects a good
streamline shape.
Internal keel walking way.
Balanced monoplane rudders and elevators.
Five cars. Two forward (combined as in Stage 3),
one aft, and two amidships abreast.
Six engines and six propellers. The after one of the
forecar and the sidecars each contain one engine
driving direct a pusher propeller. The after car
contains three engines, two of which drive two wing
propellers; the third, placed aft, drives direct a
pusher propeller.
In this stage the type of girders was greatly altered.
A company known as the Schutte-Lanz Company was also responsible for
the production of rigid airships. They introduced a design, which was
a distinct departure from Zeppelin or anyone else. The hull framework
was composed of wood, the girders being built up of wooden sections.
The shape of these ships was much more of a true streamline than had
been the Zeppelin practice, and it was on this model that the shape of
the super-Zeppelin was based. These ships proved of use and took part
in raids on this country, but the Company was taken over by the
Government and the personnel was amalgamated with that engaged on
Zeppelin construction during the war.
ITALY
In 1908, Italy, stimulated by the progress made by other continental
nations, commenced experimental work. Three types were considered for
a commencement, the P type or Piccolo was the first effort, then
followed the M type, which signifies "medium sized," and also the
semirigid Forlanini.
In the Forlanini type the envelope is divided into several compartments
with an internal rigid keel and to-day these ships are of considerable
size, the most modern being over 600,000 cubic feet capacity. During
the war, Italian airships were developed on entirely dissimilar lines
to those in other countries. Both we and our Allies, and to a great
extent the Germans, employed airships exclusively for naval operations;
on the other hand, the Italian ships were utilized for bombing raids in
conjunction with military evolutions.
For this reason height was of primary importance and speed was quite a
secondary consideration, owing to the low velocity of prevailing winds
in that country. Flights were never of long duration compared with
those carried out by our airships. Height was always of the utmost
importance, as the Italian ships were used for bombing enemy towns and
must evade hostile gunfire. For this reason weight was saved in every
possible manner, to increase the height of the "ceiling."
In addition to the types already mentioned, three other varieties have
been constructed since the war--the Usuelli D.E. type and G class. The
G class was a rigid design which has not been proceeded with, and, with
this single exception, all are of a semirigid type in which an
essentially non-rigid envelope is reinforced by a metal keel. In the
Forlanini and Usuelli types the keel is completely rigid and assists in
maintaining the shape of the envelopes, and in the Forlanini is
enclosed within the envelope. In the other types the keel is in
reality a chain of rigid links similar to that of a bicycle. The form
of the envelope is maintained by the internal pressure and not by the
keel, but the resistance of the latter to compression enables a lower
pressure to be maintained than would be possible in a purely non-rigid
ship.
The M type ship is of considerable size, the P smaller, while the D.E.
is a small ship comparable to our own S.S. design. The review of these
three countries brings the early history of airships to a conclusion.
Little of importance was done elsewhere before the war, though
Baldwin's airship is perhaps worthy of mention. It was built in
America in 1908 by Charles Baldwin for the American Government. The
capacity of the envelope was 20,000 cubic feet, she carried a crew of
two, and her speed was 16 miles per hour. She carried out her trial
flight in August, 1908, and was accepted by the American military
authorities. During the war both the naval and military authorities
became greatly interested in airships, and purchased several from the
French and English. In addition to this a ship in design closely
resembling the S.S. was built in America, but suffered from the same
lack of experience which we did in the early days of airship
construction.
We must now see what had been happening in this country in those
fateful years before the bombshell of war exploded in our midst.
CHAPTER III
BRITISH AIRSHIPS BUILT BY PRIVATE FIRMS
It has been shown in the previous chapter that the development of the
airship had been practically neglected in England prior to the
twentieth century. Ballooning had been carried out both as a form of
sport and also by the showman as a Saturday afternoon's sensational
entertainment, with a parachute descent as the piece de resistance.
The experiments in adapting the balloon into the dirigible had,
however, been left to the pioneers on the Continent.
PARTRIDGE'S AIRSHIP
It appears that in the nineteenth century only one airship was
constructed in this country, which proved to be capable of ascending
into the air and being propelled by its own machinery. This airship
made its appearance in the year 1848, and was built to the designs of a
man named Partridge. Very little information is available concerning
this ship. The envelope was cylindrical in shape, tapering at each
end, and was composed of a light rigid framework covered with fabric.
The envelope itself was covered with a light wire net, from which the
car was suspended. The envelope contained a single ballonet for
regulating the pressure of the gas. Planes, which in design more
nearly resembled sails, were used for steering purposes. In the car,
at the after end, were fitted three propellers which were driven by
compressed air.
Several trips of short duration were carried out in this airship, but
steering was never successfully accomplished owing to difficulties
encountered with the planes, and, except in weather of the calmest
description, she may be said to have been practically uncontrollable.
HUGH BELL'S AIRSHIP
In the same year, 1848, Bell's airship was constructed. The envelope
of this ship was also cylindrical in shape, tapering at each end to a
point, the length of which was 56 feet and the diameter 21 feet 4
inches. A keel composed of metal tubes was attached to the underside
of the envelope from which the car was suspended. On either side of
the car screw propellers were fitted to be worked by hand. A rudder
was attached behind the car. It was arranged that trials should be
carried out in the Vauxhall Gardens in London, but these proved
fruitless.
BARTON'S AIRSHIP
In the closing years of the nineteenth century appeared the forerunners
of airships as they are to-day, and interest was aroused in this
country by the performances of the ships designed by Santos-Dumont and
Count Zeppelin. From now onwards we find various British firms turning
their attention to the conquest of the air.
In 1903 Dr. Barton commenced the construction of a large non-rigid
airship. The envelope was 176 feet long with a height of 43 feet and a
capacity of 235,000 cubic feet; it was cylindrical in shape, tapering
to a point at each end. Beneath the whole length of the cylindrical
portion was suspended a bamboo framework which served as a car for the
crew, and a housing for the motors supplying the motive power of the
ship. This framework was suspended from the envelope by means of steel
cables. Installed in the car were two 50 horse-power Buchet engines
which were mounted at the forward and after ends of the framework. The
propellers in themselves were of singular design, as they consisted of
three pairs of blades mounted one behind the other. The were situated
on each side of the car, two forward and two aft. The drive also
include large friction clutches, and each engine was under separate
control.
To enable the ship to be trimmed horizontally, water tanks were fitted
at either end of the framework, the water being transferred from one to
the other as was found necessary.
A series of planes was mounted at intervals along the framework to
control the elevation of the ship.
This ship was completed in 1905 and was tried at the Alexandra Palace
in the July of that year. She, unfortunately, did not come up to
expectations, owing to the difficulty in controlling her, and during
the trial flight she drifted away and was destroyed in landing.
WILLOWS No. 1
From the year 1905 until the outbreak of war Messrs. Willows & Co. were
engaged on the construction of airships of a small type, and
considerable success attended their efforts. Each succeeding ship was
an improvement on its predecessor, and flights were made which, in
their day, created a considerable amount of interest.
In 1905 their first ship was completed. This was a very small
non-rigid of only 12,500 cubic feet capacity. The envelope was made of
Japanese silk, cylindrical in shape, with rather blunt conical ends. A
long nacelle or framework, triangular in section and built up of light
steel tubes, was suspended beneath the envelope by means of diagonally
crossed suspensions.
A 7 horse-power Peugeot engine was fitted at the after end of the
nacelle which drove a 10-feet diameter propeller. In front were a pair
of swivelling tractor screws for steering the ship in the vertical and
horizontal plane. No elevators or rudders were fixed to the ship.
WILLOWS No. 2
The second ship was practically a semi-rigid. The envelope was over
twice the capacity of the earlier ship, being of 29,000 cubic feet
capacity. This envelope was attached to a keel of bamboo and steel,
from which was suspended by steel cables a small car. At the after end
of the keel was mounted a small rudder for the horizontal steering.
For steering in the vertical plane two propellers were mounted on each
side of the car, swivelling to give an upward or downward thrust. A 30
horse-power J.A.P. engine was fitted in this case. Several successful
flights were carried out by this ship, of which the most noteworthy was
from Cardiff to London.
WILLOWS No. 3
No. 2, having been rebuilt and both enlarged and improved, became known
as No. 3. The capacity of the envelope, which was composed of rubber
and cotton, was increased to 32,000 cubic feet, and contained two
ballonets. The gross lift amounted to about half a ton. As before, a
30 horse-power J.A.P. engine was installed, driving the swivelling
propellers. These propellers were two-bladed with a diameter of 61
feet. The maximum speed was supposed to be 25 miles per hour, but it
is questionable if this was ever attained.
This ship flew from London to Paris, and was the first British-built
airship to fly across the Channel.
WILLOWS No. 4
The fourth ship constructed by this firm was completed in 1912, and was
slightly smaller than the two preceding ships. The capacity of the
envelope in this instance was reduced to 24,000 cubic feet, but was a
much better shape, having a diameter of 20 feet, which was gradually
tapered towards the stern. A different material was also used,
varnished silk being tried as an experiment. The envelope was attached
to a keel on which was mounted the engine, a 35 horse-power Anzani,
driving two swivelling four-bladed propellers. From the keel was
suspended a torpedo-shaped boat car in which a crew of two was
accommodated. Originally a vertical fin and rudder were mounted at the
stern end of the keel, but these were later replaced by fins on the
stern of the envelope.
This ship was purchased by the naval authorities, and after purchase
was more or less reconstructed, but carried out little flying. At the
outbreak of war she was lying deflated in the shed at Farnborough. As
will be seen later, this was the envelope which was rigged to the
original experimental S.S. airship in the early days of 1915, and is
for this reason, if for no other, particularly interesting.
WILLOWS No. 5
This ship was of similar design, but of greater capacity. The
envelope, which was composed of rubber-proofed fabric, gave a volume of
50,000 cubic feet, and contained two ballonets. A 60 horsepower engine
drove two swivelling propellers at an estimated speed of 38 miles per
hour. She was constructed at Hendon, from where she made several short
trips.
MARSHALL FOX'S AIRSHIP
In the early days of the war an airship was constructed by Mr. Marshall
Fox which is worthy of mention, although it never flew. It was claimed
that this ship was a rigid airship, although from its construction it
could only be looked upon as a non-rigid ship, having a wooden net-work
around its envelope. The hull was composed of wooden transverse frames
forming a polygon of sixteen sides, with radial wiring fitted to each
transverse frame. The longitudinal members were spiral in form and
were built up of three-ply lathes. A keel of similar construction ran
along the under side of the hull which carried the control position and
compartments for two Green engines, one of 40 horse-power, the other of
80 horse-power, together with the petrol, bombs, etc.
In the hull were fitted fourteen gasbags giving a total capacity of
100,000 cubic feet. The propeller drive was obtained by means of a
wire rope. The gross lift of the ship was 4,276 lb., and the weight of
the structure, complete with engines, exceeded this.
It became apparent that the ship could never fly, and work was
suspended. She was afterwards used for carrying out certain
experiments and at a later date was broken up.
Apart from the various airships built under contract for the Government
there do not appear to be any other ships built by private firms which
were completed and actually flew. It is impossible to view this lack
of enterprise with any other feelings than those of regret, and it was
entirely due to this want of foresight that Great Britain entered upon
the World War worse equipped, as regards airships, than the Central
Empires or any of the greater Allied Powers.
CHAPTER IV
BRITISH ARMY AIRSHIPS
The French and German military authorities began to consider airships
as an arm of the Service in the closing years of the nineteenth
century, and devoted both time and considerable sums of money in the
attempt to bring them to perfection. Their appearance in the British
Army was delayed for many years on account of the expense that would be
incurred in carrying out experiments. In 1902, Colonel Templer, at
that time head of the Balloon Section, obtained the necessary sanction
to commence experiments, and two envelopes of gold-beaters skin of
50,000 cubic feet capacity were built. With their completion the funds
were exhausted, and nothing further done until 1907.
NULLI SECUNDUS I
In 1907 the first complete military airship in England was built, which
bore the grandiloquent title of Nulli Secundus. One of the envelopes
constructed by Colonel Templer was used: it was cylindrical in shape
with spherical ends. Suspended beneath the envelope by means of a net
and four broad silk bands was a triangular steel framework or keel from
which was slung a small car. A 50 horsepower Antoinette engine was
situated in the forward part of the car which drove two metal-bladed
propellers by belts. At the after part of the keel were fitted a rudder
and small elevators, and two pairs of movable horizontal planes were
also fitted forward. It is remarkable that no stabilizing surfaces
whatsoever were mounted. The envelope was so exceedingly strong that a
high pressure of gas could be sustained, and ballonets were considered
unnecessary, but relief valves were employed. The first flight took
place in September and was fairly successful. Several were made
afterwards, and in October she was flown over London and landed at the
Crystal Palace. The flight lasted 3 hours and 25 minutes, which
constituted at the time a world's record. Three days later, owing to
heavy winds, the ship had to be deflated and was taken back to
Farnborough.
NULLI SECUNDUS II
In 1908 the old ship was rebuilt with several modifications. The
envelope was increased in length and was united to the keel by means of
a covering of silk fabric in place of the net, four suspension bands
being again used. A large bow elevator was mounted which made the ship
rather unstable. A few flights were accomplished, but the ship proved
of little value and was broken up.
BABY
This little airship made its first appearance in the spring of 1909.
The envelope was fish-shaped and composed of gold-beater's skin, with a
volume of 21,000 cubic feet. One ballonet was contained in the
envelope which, at first, had three inflated fins to act as
stabilizers. These proved unsatisfactory as they lacked rigidity, and
were replaced after the first inflation by the ordinary type. Two 8
horse-power 3-cylinder Berliet engines were mounted in a long car
driving a simple propeller, and at a later date were substituted by a
R.E.P. engine which proved most unsatisfactory. During the autumn
permission was obtained to enlarge the envelope and fit a more powerful
engine.
BETA
Beta was completed in May, 1910. The envelope was that of the Baby
enlarged, and now had a volume of 35,000 cubic feet. The car was
composed of a long frame, having a centre compartment for the crew and
engines, which was the standard practice at that time for ships
designed by the Astra Company. A 35 horse-power Green engine drove two
wooden two-bladed propellers by chains. The ship was fitted with an
unbalanced rudder, while the elevators were in the front of the frame.
This ship was successful, and in June flew to London and back, and in
September took part in the Army manoeuvres, on one occasion being in
the air for 7 3/4 hours without landing, carrying a crew of three.
Trouble was experienced in the steering, the elevators being situated
too near the centre of the ship to be really efficient and were
altogether too small.
In 1912, Beta, having been employed regularly during the previous year,
was provided with a new car having a Clerget engine of 45 horse-power.
In 1913 she was inflated for over three months and made innumerable
flights, on one occasion carrying H.R.H. the Prince of Wales as
passenger. She had at that time a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour,
and could carry fuel for about eight hours with a crew of three.
GAMMA
In 1910 the Gamma was also completed. This was a much bigger ship with
an envelope of 75,000 cubic feet capacity, which, though designed in
England, had been built by the Astra Company in Paris. The car, as in
Beta, was carried in a long framework suspended from the envelope.
This portion of the ship was manufactured in England, together with the
machinery. This consisted of an 80 horse-power Green engine driving
swivelling propellers, the gears and shafts of which were made by Rolls
Royce. The engine drove the propeller shafts direct, one from each
end of the crankshaft.
Originally the envelope was fitted with inflated streamline stabilizers
on either side, but at a later date these were replaced by fixed
stabilizing planes. At the same time the Green engine was removed and
two Iris engines of 45 horse-power were installed, each driving a
single propeller. There were two pairs of elevators, each situated in
the framework, one forward, the other aft. In 1912, having been rigged
to a new envelope of 101,000 cubic feet capacity, the ship took part in
the autumn manoeuvres, and considerable use was made of wireless
telegraphy.
In a height reconnaissance the pilot lost his way, and running out of
petrol drifted all night, but was safely landed. When returning to
Farnborough the rudder controls were broken and the ship was ripped.
In this operation the framework was considerably damaged. When repairs
were being carried out the elevators were removed from the car
framework and attached to the stabilizing fins in accordance with the
method in use to-day.
CLEMENT-BAYARD
In 1910 it was arranged by a committee of Members of Parliament that
the Clement-Bayard firm should send over to England a large airship on
approval, with a view to its ultimate purchase by the War Office, and a
shed was erected at Wormwood Scrubs for its accommodation. This ship
arrived safely in October, but was very slow and difficult to control.
The envelope, moreover, was of exceedingly poor quality and consumed so
much gas that it was decided to deflate it. She was taken to pieces and
never rebuilt.
LEBAUDY
About the same time, interest having been aroused in this country by
the success of airships on the Continent, the readers of the Morning
Post subscribed a large sum to purchase an airship for presentation to
the Government. This was a large ship of 350,000 cubic feet capacity
and was of semi-rigid design, a long framework being suspended from the
envelope which supported the weight of the car. It had two engines of
150 horse-power which developed a speed of about 32 miles per hour.
The War Office built a shed at Farnborough to house it, and in
accordance with dimensions given by the firm a clearance of 10 feet
was allowed between the top of the ship and the roof of the shed.
Inconceivable as it may sound, the overall height of the ship was
increased by practically 10 feet without the War Office being informed.
The ship flew over and was landed safely, but on being taken into the
shed the envelope caught on the roof girders, owing to lack of
headroom, and was ripped from end to end. The Government agreed to
increase the height of the shed and the firm to rebuild the ship. This
was completed in March, 1911, and the ship was inflated again. On
carrying out a trial flight, having made several circuits at 600 feet,
she attempted to land, but collided with a house and was completely
wrecked. This was the end of a most unfortunate ship, and her loss was
not regretted.
DELTA
Towards the end Of 1910 the design was commenced of the ship to be
known as the Delta, and in 1911 the work was put in hand. The first
envelope was made of waterproofed silk. This proved a failure, as
whenever the envelope was put up to pressure it invariably burst.
Experiments were continued, but no good resulting, the idea was
abandoned and a rubber-proofed fabric envelope was constructed of
173,000 cubic feet volume. This ship was inflated in 1912. The first
idea was to make the ship a semi-rigid by lacing two flat girders to
the sides of the envelope to take the weight of the car. This idea had
to be abandoned, as in practice, when the weight of the car was
applied, the girders buckled. The ship was then rigged as a non-rigid.
A novelty was introduced by attaching a rudder flap to the top
stabilizing fin, but as it worked somewhat stiffly it was later on
removed. This ship took part in the manoeuvres of 1912 and carried out
several flights. She proved to be exceedingly fast, being capable of a
speed of 44 miles per hour. In 1913 she was completely re-rigged and
exhibited at the Aero Show, but the re-designed rigging revealed
various faults and it was not until late in the year that she carried
out her flight trials. Two rather interesting experiments were made
during these flights. In one a parachute descent was successfully
accomplished; and in another the equivalent weight of a man was picked
up from the ground without assistance or landing the ship.
ETA
The Eta was somewhat smaller than the Delta, containing only 118,000
cubic feet of hydrogen, and was first inflated in 1913. The envelope
was composed of rubber-proofed fabric and a long tapering car was
suspended, this being in the nature of a compromise between the short
car of the, Delta and the long framework gear of the Gamma. Her
engines were two 80 horse-power Canton-Unne, each driving one propeller
by a chain. This ship proved to be a good design and completed an
eight-hour trial flight in September. On her fourth trial she
succeeded in towing the disabled naval airship No. 2 a distance of
fifteen miles. Her speed was 42 miles per hour, and she could carry a
crew of five with fuel for ten hours.
On January 1st, 1914, the Army disbanded their Airship Section, and the
airships Beta, Gamma, Delta and Eta were handed over to the Navy
together with a number of officers and men.
CHAPTER V
EARLY DAYS OF THE NAVAL AIRSHIP SECTION--PARSEVAL AIRSHIPS,
ASTRA-TORRES TYPE, ETC.
The rapid development of the rigid airships in Germany began to create
a considerable amount of interest in official circles. It was realized
that those large airships in the future would be invaluable to a fleet
for scouting purposes. It was manifest that our fleet, in the event of
war, would be gravely handicapped by the absence of such aerial scouts,
and that Germany would hold an enormous advantage if her fleet went to
sea preceded by a squadron of Zeppelin airships.
The Imperial Committee, therefore, decided that the development of the
rigid airship should be allotted to the Navy, and a design for Rigid
Airship No. 1 was prepared by Messrs. Vickers in conjunction with
certain naval officers in the early part of 1909.
As will be seen later this ship was completed in 1911, but broke in two
in September of that year and nothing more was done with her. In
February, 1912, the construction of rigid airships was discontinued,
and in March the Naval Airship section was disbanded.
In September, 1912, the Naval Airship section was once more
reconstituted and was stationed at Farnborough. The first requirements
were airships, and owing to the fact that airship construction was so
behindhand in this country, in comparison with the Continent, it was
determined that purchases should be made abroad until sufficient
experience had been gained by British firms to enable them to compete
with any chance of success against foreign rivals.
First a small non-rigid, built by Messrs. Willows, was bought by the
Navy to be used for the training of airship pilots. In addition an
Astra-Torres airship was ordered from France. This was a ship of
229,450 cubic feet capacity and was driven by twin Chenu engines of 210
horse-power each. She carried a crew of six, and was equipped with
wireless and machine guns. The car could be moved fore and aft for
trimming purposes, either by power or by hand. This was, however, not
satisfactory, and was abandoned.
In April 1918, Messrs. Vickers were asked to forward proposals for a
rigid airship which afterwards became e known as No. 9. Full details of
the vicissitudes connected with this ship will be given in the chapter
devoted to Rigid Airships.
In July, approval was granted for the construction of six non-rigid
ships. Three of these were to be of the German design of Major von
Parseval and three of the Forlanini type, which was a semi-rigid design
manufactured in Italy. The order for the Parsevals was placed with
Messrs. Vickers and for the Forlaninis with Messrs. Armstrong.
The Parseval airship was delivered to this country and became known as
No. 4; a second ship of the same type was also building when war broke
out; needless to say this ship was never delivered. At a later date
Messrs. Vickers, who had obtained the patent rights of the Parseval
envelope, completed the other two ships of the order.
The Forlanini ship was completing in Italy on the declaration of war
and was taken over by the Italians; Messrs. Armstrong had not commenced
work on the other two. These ships, although allocated numbers, never
actually came into being.
PARSEVAL AIRSHIP No. 4
This airship deserves special consideration for two reasons; firstly,
on account of the active-service flying carried out by it during the
first three years of the war, and, secondly, for its great value in
training of the officers and men who later on became the captains and
crews of rigid airships.
The Parseval envelope is of streamline shape which tapers to a point at
the tail, and in this ship was of 300,000 cubic feet capacity. The
system of rigging being patented, can only be described in very general
terms. The suspensions carrying the car are attached to a large
elliptical rigging band which is formed under the central portion of
the envelope. To this rigging band are attached the trajectory bands
which pass up the sides and over the top of the envelope, sloping away
from the centre at the bottom towards the nose and tail at the top.
The object of this is to distribute the load fore and aft over the
envelope. These bands, particularly at the after end of the ship,
follow a curved path, so that they become more nearly vertical as they
approach the upper surface of the envelope. This has the effect of
bringing the vertical load on the top of the envelope; but a greater
portion of the compressive force comes on the lower half, where it
helps to resist the bending moment due to the unusually short
suspensions. A single rudder plane and the ordinary elevator planes
were fitted to the envelope. A roomy open car was provided for this
ship, composed of a duralumin framework and covered with duralumin
sheeting. Two 170 horse-power Maybach engines were mounted at the after
end of the car, which drove two metal-bladed reversible propellers.
These propellers were later replaced by standard four-bladed wooden
ones and a notable increase of speed was obtained.
Two officers and a crew of seven men were carried, together with a
wireless installation and armament.
This airship, together with No. 3, took part in the great naval review
at Spithead, shortly before the commencement of the war, and in
addition to the duties performed by her in the autumn of 1914, which
are mentioned later, carried out long hours of patrol duty from an east
coast station in the summer of 1917. In all respects she must be
accounted a most valuable purchase.
PARSEVAL AIRSHIPS 5, 6 and 7
Parseval No. 5 was not delivered by Germany owing to the war, so three
envelopes and two cars were built by Messrs. Vickers on the design of
the original ship. These were delivered somewhat late in the war, and
on account of the production of the North Sea airship with its greater
speed were not persevered with. The dimensions of the envelopes were
somewhat increased, giving a cubic capacity of 325,000 cubic feet.
Twin Maybach engines driving swivelling propellers were installed in
the car, which was completely covered in, but these ships were slow in
comparison with later designs, and were only used for the instruction
of officers and men destined for the crews of rigid airships then
building.
An experimental ship was made in 1917 which was known as Parseval 5; a
car of a modified coastal pattern with two 240 horse-power Renault
engines was rigged to one of envelopes. During a speed trial, this
ship was calculated to have a ground speed of 50 to 53 miles per hour.
The envelope, however, consumed an enormous amount gas and for this
reason the ship was deflated and struck off the list of active ships.
This digression on Parseval airships has anticipated events somewhat,
and a return must now be made to earlier days.
Two more Astra-Torres were ordered from France, one known as No. 8,
being a large ship of 4,00,000 cubic feet capacity. She was fitted
with two Chenu engines of 240 horse-power, driving swivelling
propellers. This ship was delivered towards the end of the year 1914.
The second Astra was of smaller capacity and was delivered, but as will
be seen later, was never rigged, the envelope being used for the
original coastal ship and the car slung to the envelope of the ex-army
airship Eta.
On January 1st, 1914, an important event took place: the Army disbanded
their airship service, and the military ships together with certain
officers and men were transferred to the Naval Air Service.
Before proceeding further, it may be helpful to explain the system by
which the naval airships have been given numbers. These craft are
always known by the numbers which they bear, and the public is
completely mystified as to their significance whenever they fly over
London or any large town. It must be admitted that the method is
extremely confusing, but the table which follows should help to
elucidate the matter. The original intention was to designate each
airship owned by the Navy by a successive number. The original
airship, the rigid Mayfly, was known as No. 1, the Willows airship No.
2, and so on. These numbers were allocated regardless of type and as
each airship was ordered, consequently some of these ships, for example
the Forlaninis, never existed. That did not matter, however, and these
numbers were not utilized for ships which actually were commissioned.
On the transfer of the army airships, four of these, the Beta, Gamma,
Delta and Eta, were given their numbers as they were taken over,
together with two ships of the Epsilon class which were ordered from
Messrs. Rolls Royce, but never completed. In this way it will be seen
that numbers 1 to 22 are accounted for.
In 1915 it was decided to build a large number of small ships for
anti-submarine patrol, which were called S.S.'s or Submarine Scouts.
It was felt that it would only make confusion worse confounded if these
ships bore the original system of successive numbering and were mixed
up with those of later classes which it was known would be produced as
soon as the designs were completed. Each of these ships was
accordingly numbered in its own class, S.S., S.S.P., S.S. Zero,
Coastal, C Star and North Sea, from 1 onwards as they were completed.
In the case of the rigids, however, for some occult reason the old
system of numbering was persisted in. The letter R is prefixed before
the number to show that the ship is a rigid. Hence we have No. 1 a
rigid, the second rigid constructed is No. 9, or R 9, and the third
becomes R 23. From this number onwards all are rigids and are numbered
in sequence as they are ordered, with the exception of the last on the
list, which is a ship in a class of itself. This ship the authorities,
in their wisdom, have called R 80--why, nobody knows.
With this somewhat lengthy and tedious explanation the following table
may be understood:
No. Type. Remarks.
1. Rigid Wrecked, Sept. 24, 1911.
2. Willows Became S.S. 1.
3. Astra-Torres Deleted, May 1916.
4. Parseval Deleted, July, 1917.
5. Parseval Never delivered from Germany.
(Substitute ship built by Messrs. Vickers).
6. Parseval Built by Messrs. Vickers.
7. Parseval Built by Messrs. Vickers.
8. Astra-Torres Deleted, May, 1916.
9. Rigid Deleted, June, 1918.
10. Astra-Torres Envelope used for C 1.
11. Forlanini Never delivered owing to war.
12. Forlanini Never delivered owing to war.
13. Forlanini Never delivered owing to war.
14. Rigid Never built.
15. Rigid Never built.
16. Astra-Torres See No. 8.
17. Beta Transferred from Army.
Deleted, May, 1916.
18. Gamma Deleted, May, 1916.
19. Delta Deleted, May, 1916.
20. Eta Transferred from the Army.
Fitted with car from No. 10.
Deleted May, 1916.
21. Epsilon Construction cancelled May, 1916.
22. Epsilon Construction cancelled May, 1916.
23. Rigid 23 Class.
24. Rigid 23 Class.
25. Rigid 23 Class.
26. Rigid 23 Class.
27. Rigid 23x Class.
28. Rigid 23x Class. Never completed.
29. Rigid 23x Class.
30. Rigid 23x Class. Never completed.
31. Rigid 31 Class.
32. Rigid 31 Class, building.
33. Rigid 33 Class.
34. Rigid 33 Class.
35. Rigid Cancelled.
36. Rigid Building.
37. Rigid Building.
38. Rigid Building.
39. Rigid Building.
40. Rigid Building.
80. Rigid Building.
In August, 1914, Europe, which had been in a state of diplomatic
tension for several years, was plunged into the world war. The naval
airship service at the time was in possession of two stations,
Farnborough and Kingsnorth, the latter in a half-finished condition.
Seven airships were possessed, Nos. 2, 3 and 4, and the four ex-army
ships--Beta, Gamma, Delta and Eta--and of these only three, Nos. 3, 4
and the Beta, were in any condition for flying. Notwithstanding this,
the utmost use was made of the ships which were available.
On the very first night of the war, Nos. 3 and 4 carried out a
reconnaissance flight over the southern portion of the North Sea, and
No. 4 came under the fire of territorial detachments at the mouth of
the Thames on her return to her station. These zealous soldiers
imagined that she was a German ship bent on observation of the dockyard
at Chatham.
No. 3 and No. 4 rendered most noteworthy service in escorting the
original Expeditionary Force across the Channel, and in addition to
this No. 4 carried out long patrols over the channel throughout the
following winter.
No. 17 (Beta) also saw active service, as she was based for a short
period early in 1915 at Dunkirk, and was employed in spotting duties
with the Belgian artillery near Ostend.
The Gamma and the Delta were both lying deflated at Farnborough at the
outbreak of the war, and in the case of the latter the car was found to
be beyond repair, and she was accordingly deleted. The Gamma was
inflated in January, 1915, and was used for mooring experiments.
The Eta, having been inflated and deflated several times owing to the
poor quality of the envelope, attempted to fly to Dunkirk in November,
1914. She encountered a snowstorm near Redhill and was compelled to
make a forced landing. In doing this she was so badly damaged as to be
incapable of repair, and at a later date was deleted.
No. 8, which was delivered towards the end of 1914, was also moored out
in the open for a short time near Dunkirk, and carried out patrol in
the war zone of the Belgian coast.
So ends the story of the Naval Airship Service before the war.
With the submarine campaign ruthlessly waged by the Germans from the
spring of 1915 and onwards, came the airship's opportunity, and the
authorities grasped the fact that, with development, here was the
weapon to defeat the most dangerous enemy of the Empire. The method of
development and the success attending it the following chapters will
show.
CHAPTER VI
NAVAL AIRSHIPS.--THE NON-RIGIDS--S.S. TYPE
The development of the British airships of to-day may be said to date
from February 28th, 1915. On that day approval was given for the
construction of the original S.S. airship.
At this time the Germans had embarked upon their submarine campaign,
realizing, with the failure of their great assaults on the British
troops in Flanders, that their main hope of victory lay in starving
Great Britain into surrender. There is no doubt that the wholesale
sinking of our merchant shipping was sufficient to cause grave alarm,
and the authorities were much concerned to devise means of minimizing,
even if they could not completely eliminate the danger. One proposal
which was adopted, and which chiefly concerns the interests of this
book, was the establishment of airship stations round the coasts of
Great Britain. These stations were to be equipped with airships
capable of patrolling the main shipping routes, whose functions were to
search for submarines and mines and to escort shipping through the
danger zones in conjunction with surface craft.
Airship construction in this country at the time was, practically
speaking, non-existent. There was no time to be wasted in carrying out
long and expensive experiments, for the demand for airships which could
fulfil these requirements was terribly urgent, and speed of
construction was of primary importance. The non-rigid design having
been selected for simplicity in construction, the expedient was tried
of slinging the fuselage of an ordinary B.E. 2C aeroplane, minus the
wings, rudder and elevators and one or two other minor fittings,
beneath an envelope with tangential suspensions, as considerable
experience had been gained already in a design of this type.
For this purpose the envelope of airship No. 2, which was lying
deflated in the shed at Farnborough, was rushed post haste to
Kingsnorth, inflated and rigged to the fuselage prepared for it. The
work was completed with such despatch that the airship carried out her
trial flight in less than a fortnight from approval being granted to
the scheme. The trials were in every way most satisfactory, and a large
number of ships of this design was ordered immediately. At the same
time two private firms were invited to submit designs of their own to
fulfil the Admiralty requirements. One firm's design, S.S. 2, did not
fulfil the conditions laid down and was put out of commission; the
other, designed by Messrs. Armstrong, was sufficiently successful for
them to receive further orders. In addition to these a car was
designed by Messrs. Airships Ltd., which somewhat resembled a Maurice
Farman aeroplane body, and as it appeared to be suitable for the
purpose, a certain number of these was also ordered.
About this period the station at Farnborough was abandoned by the Naval
Airship Service to make room for the expansion of the military
aeroplane squadrons. The personnel and airships were transferred to
Kingsnorth, which became the airship headquarters.
The greatest energy was displayed in preparing the new stations, which
were selected as bases for the airships building for this
anti-submarine patrol. Small sheds, composed of wood, were erected
with almost incredible rapidity, additional personnel was recruited,
stores were collected, huts built for their accommodation and that of
the men, and by the end of the summer the organization was so complete
that operations were enabled to commence.
The S.S., or submarine scout, airship proved itself a great success.
Beginning originally with a small programme the type passed through
various developments until, at the conclusion of the war, no fewer than
150 ships of various kinds had been constructed. The alterations which
took place and the improvements effected thereby will be considered at
some length in the following pages.
S.S.B.E. 2C
The envelope of the experimental ship S.S. 1 was only of 20,500 cubic
feet capacity; for the active-service ships, envelopes of similar shape
of 60,000 cubic feet capacity were built. The shape was streamline,
that is to say, somewhat blunt at the nose and tapering towards the
tail, the total length being 143 feet 6 inches, with a maximum diameter
of 27 feet 9 inches.
The gross lift of these ships with 98% pure gas at a temperature of 60
degrees Fahrenheit and barometer 30 inches, is 4,180 lb. The net lift
available for crew, fuel, ballast, armament, etc., 1,434 lb., and the
disposable lift still remaining with crew of two on board and full
tanks, 659 lb.
The theoretical endurance at full speed as regards petrol consumption
is a little over 8 hours, but in practice it is probable that the oil
would run short before this time had been reached. At cruising speed,
running the engine at 1,250 revolutions, the consumption is at the rate
of 3.6 gallons per hour, which corresponds to an endurance of 16 1/2
hours.
With the engine running at 1,800 revolutions, a speed of 50.6 miles per
hour has been reached by one of these ships, but actually very few
attained a greater speed than 40 miles per hour.
The envelopes of S.S. airships are composed of rubber-proofed fabric,
two fabrics being used with rubber interposed between and also on the
inner or gas surface. To render them completely gastight and as
impervious to the action of the weather, sun, etc., as possible, five
coats of dope are applied externally, two coats of Delta dope, two of
aluminium dope and one of aluminium varnish applied in that order.
One ripping panel is fitted, which is situated on the top of the
envelope towards the nose. It has a length of 14 feet 5 inches and a
breadth of about 8 inches. The actual fabric which has to be torn away
overlaps the edge of the opening on each side. This overlap is sewn
and taped on to the envelope and forms a seam as strong and gastight as
any other portion of the envelope. Stuck on this fabric is a length of
biased fabric 8 1/4 inches wide. These two strips overlap the opening
at the forward end by about three feet. At this end the two strips are
loose and have a toggle inserted at the end to which the ripping cord
is tied. The ripping cord is operated from the car. It is led aft from
the ripping panel to a pulley fixed centrally over the centre of the
car, from the pulley the cord passes round the side of the envelope and
through a gland immediately below the pulley.
The nose of the envelope is stiffened to prevent it blowing in. For
this purpose 24 canes are fitted in fabric pockets around the nose and
meet at a point 2 1/4 inches in front of the nose. An aluminium
conical cap is fitted over the canes and a fabric nose cap over the
whole.
Two ballonets are provided, one forward and one aft, the capacity of
each being 6,375 cubic feet. The supply of air for filling these is
taken from the propeller draught by a slanting aluminium tube to the
underside of the envelope, where it meets a longitudinal fabric hose
which connects the two ballonet air inlets. Non-return fabric valves
known as crab-pots are fitted in this fabric hose on either side of
their junction with the air scoop. Two automatic air valves are fitted
to the underside of the envelope, one for each ballonet. The air
pressure tends to open the valve instead of keeping it shut and to
counteract this the spring of the valve is inside the envelope. The
springs are set to open at a pressure of 25 to 28 mm.
Two gas valves are also fitted, one on the top of the envelope, the
other at the bottom. The bottom gas valve spring is set to open at 30
to 35 mm. pressure, the top valve is hand controlled only.
These valves are all very similar in design. They consist of two
wooden rings, between which the envelope is gripped, and which are
secured to each other by studs and butterfly nuts. The valve disc, or
moving portion of the valve, is made of aluminium and takes a seating
on a thin india rubber ring stretched between a metal rod bent into a
circle of smaller diameter than the valve opening and the wooden ring
of the valve. When it passes over the wooden ring it is in contact
with the envelope fabric and makes the junction gastight. The disc is
held against the rubber by a compressed spring.
The valve cords are led to the pilot's seat through eyes attached to
the envelope.
The system of rigging or car suspension is simplicity itself and is
tangential to the envelope. On either side there are six main
suspensions of 25 cwt. stranded steel cable known as "C" suspensions.
Each "C" cable branches into two halves known as the "B" bridles, which
in turn are supported at each end by the bridles known as "A." The
ends of the "A" bridles are attached to the envelope by means of Eta
patches. These consist of a metal D-shaped fitting round which the
rigging is spliced and through which a number of webbing bands are
passed which are spread out fanwise and solutioned to the envelope. It
will thus be seen that the total load on each main suspension is
proportionally taken up by each of the four "A" bridles, and that the
whole weight of the car is equally distributed over the greater part of
the length of the envelope. Four handling guys for manoeuvering the
ship on the ground are provided under the bow and under the stem. A
group of four Eta patches are placed close together, which form the
point of attachment for two guys in each case. The forward of these
groups of Eta patches forms the anchoring point. The bridle,
consisting of 25 cwt. steel cable, is attached here and connected to
the forepart of the skids of the car. The junction of this bridle with
the two cables from the skids forms the mooring point and there the
main trail rope is attached. This is 120 feet long and composed of
2-inch manilla. This is attached, properly coiled, to the side of the
car and is dropped by a release gear. It is so designed that when the
airship is held in a wind by the trail rope the strain is evenly
divided between the envelope and the car. The grapnel carried is
fitted to a short length of rope. The other end of the rope has an
eye, and is fitted to slide down the main trail rope and catch on a
knot at the end.
For steering and stabilizing purposes the S.S. airship was originally
designed with four fins and rudders, which were to be set exactly
radial to the envelope. In some cases the two lower fins and rudders
were abandoned, and a single vertical fin and rudder fitted centrally
under the envelope were substituted. The three planes are identical in
size and measure 16 feet by 8 feet 6 inches, having a gross stabilizing
area of 402 1/2 square feet.
They are composed of spruce and aluminium and steel tubing braced with
wire and covered by linen doped and varnished when in position.
The original rudders measured 3 feet by 8 feet 6 inches. In the case,
however, of the single plane being fitted, 4-feet rudders are
invariably employed. Two kingposts of steel tube are fitted to each
plane and braced with wire to stiffen the whole structure.
The planes are attached to the envelope by means of skids and stay
wires. The skids, composed of spruce, are fastened to the envelope by
eight lacing patches.
The car, it will be remembered, is a B.E. 2C fuselage stripped of its
wings, rudders and elevators, with certain other fittings added to
render it suitable for airship work. The undercarriage is formed of
two ash skids, each supported by three struts. The aeroplane landing
wheels, axle and suspensions are abandoned.
In the forward end of the fuselage was installed a 75 horse-power air
cooled Renault engine driving a single four-bladed tractor propeller
through a reduction gear of 2 to 1. The engine is of the 8-cylinder V
type, weighing 438 lb. with a bore of 96 mm. and a stroke of 120 mm.
The Claudel-Hobson type of carburettor is employed with this engine.
The type of magneto used is the Bosch D.V.4, there being one magneto
for each line of cylinders. In the older French Renaults the Bosch
H.L.8 is used, one magneto supplying the current to all the plugs.
Petrol is carried in three tanks, a gravity and intermediate tank as
fitted to the original aeroplane, and a bottom tank placed underneath
the front seat of the car. The petrol is forced by air pressure from
the two lower tanks into the gravity tank and is obtained by a hand
pump fitted outside the car alongside the pilot's seat. The oil tank
is fitted inside the car in front of the observer.
The observer's seat is fitted abaft the engine and the pilot's seat is
aft of the observer. The observer, who is also the wireless operator,
has the wireless apparatus fitted about his seat. This consists of a
receiver and transmitter fitted inside the car, which derives power
from accumulator batteries. The aerial reel is fitted outside the car.
During patrols signals can be sent and received up to and between 50
and 60 miles.
The pilot is responsible for the steering and the running of the
engine, and the controls utilized are the fittings supplied with the
aeroplane. Steering is operated by the feet and elevating by a
vertical wheel mounted in a fore and aft direction across the seat.
The control wires are led aft inside the fairing of the fuselage to the
extreme end, whence they pass to the elevators and rudders.
The instrument board is mounted in front of the pilot. The instruments
comprise a watch, an air-speed indicator graduated in knots, an aneroid
reading to 10,000 feet, an Elliott revolution counter, a Clift
inclinometer reading up to 20 degrees depression or elevation, a map
case with celluloid front.
There are in addition an oil pressure gauge, a petrol pressure gauge, a
glass petrol level and two concentric glass pressure gauges for gas
pressure.
The steering compass is mounted on a small wooden pedestal on the floor
between the pilot's legs.
The water-ballast tank is situated immediately behind the pilot's seat
and contains 14 gallons of water weighing 140 lbs. The armament
consists of a Lewis gun and bombs. The bombs are carried in frames
suspended about the centre of the undercarriage. The bomb sight is
fitted near the bomb releasing gear outside the car on the starboard
side adjacent to the pilot's seat. The Lewis gun, although not always
carried on the early S.S. airships, was mounted on a post alongside the
pilot's seat.
S.S. MAURICE FARMAN
For this type of S.S. the cars were built by Messrs. Airships Ltd. In
general appearance they resemble the Maurice Farman aeroplane and were
of the pusher type; 60,000 and in later cases 70,000 cubic feet
envelopes were rigged to these ships, which proved to be slightly
slower than the B.E. 2C type, but this was compensated for owing to the
increased comfort provided for the crew, the cars being more roomy and
suitable for airship work in every way.
The system of rigging to all intents and purposes is the same in all
types of S.S. ships, the suspensions being adjusted to suit the
different makes of car.
In these ships the pilot sits in front, and behind him is the wireless
telegraphy operator; in several cases a third seat was fitted to
accommodate a passenger or engineer; dual rudder and elevator controls
are provided for the pilot and observer.
The engine is mounted aft, driving a four-bladed pusher propeller, with
the petrol tanks situated in front feeding the carburettors by gravity.
The engines used are Rolls Royce Renaults, although in one instance a
75 horse-power Rolls Royce Hawk engine was fitted, which assisted in
making an exceedingly useful ship.
S.S. ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH
The car designed by Messrs. Armstrong Whitworth is of the tractor type
and is in all ways generally similar to the B.E. 2C. The single-skid
landing chassis with buffers is the outstanding difference. These cars
had to be rigged to 70,000 cubic feet envelopes otherwise the margin of
lift was decidedly small. A water-cooled 100 horse-power Green engine
propelled the ship, and a new feature was the disposition of petrol,
which was carried in two aluminium tanks slung from the envelope and
fed through flexible pipes to a two-way cock and thence to the
carburettors. These tanks, which were supported in a fabric sling,
showed a saving in weight of 100 lb. compared with those fitted in the
B.E. 2C.
For over two years these three types of S.S. ships performed a great
part of our airship patrol and gave most excellent results.
Owing to the constant patrol which was maintained whenever weather
conditions were suitable, the hostile submarine hardly dared to show
her periscope in the waters which were under observation. In addition
to this, practically the whole of the airship personnel now filling the
higher positions, such as Captains of Rigids and North Seas, graduated
as pilots in this type of airship. From these they passed to the
Coastal and onwards to the larger vessels.
As far as is known the height record for a British airship is still
held by an S.S.B.E. 2C, one of these ships reaching the altitude of
10,300 feet in the summer of 1916.
The Maurice Farman previously mentioned as being fitted with the Hawk
engine, carried out a patrol one day of 18 hours 20 minutes. In the
summer of 1916 one of the Armstrong ships was rigged to an envelope
doped black and sent over to France. While there she carried out
certain operations at night which were attended with success, proving
that under certain circumstances the airship can be of value in
operating with the military forces over land.
S.S.P.
In 1916 the design was commenced for an S.S. ship which should have a
more comfortable car and be not merely an adaptation of an aeroplane
body. These cars, which were of rectangular shape with a blunt nose,
were fitted with a single landing skid aft, and contained seats for
three persons.
The engine, a 100 horse-power water-cooled Green, was mounted on
bearers aft and drove a four-bladed pusher propeller. The petrol was
carried in aluminium tanks attached by fabric slings to the axis of the
envelope.
Six of these ships were completed in the spring of 1917 and were quite
satisfactory, but owing to the success achieved by the experimental
S.S. Zero it was decided to make this the standard type of S.S. ship,
and with the completion of the sixth the programme of the S.S.P's was
brought to a close.
These ships enjoyed more than, perhaps, was a fair share of misfortune,
one was wrecked on proceeding to its patrol station and was found to be
beyond repair, and another was lost in a snowstorm in the far north.
The remainder, fitted at a later date with 75 horse-power Rolls Royce
engines, proved to be a most valuable asset to our fleet of small
airships.
S.S. ZERO
The original S.S. Zero was built at a south-coast station by Air
Service labour, and to the design of three officers stationed there.
The design of the car shows a radical departure from anything that had
been previously attempted, and as a model an ordinary boat was taken.
In shape it is as nearly streamline as is practicable, having a keel
and ribs of wood with curved longitudinal members, the strut ends
being housed in steel sockets. The whole frame is braced with piano
wire set diagonally between the struts. The car is floored from end to
end, and the sides are enclosed with 8-ply wood covered with fabric.
Accommodation is provided for a wireless telegraphy operator, who is
also a gunner, his compartment being situated forward, amidships is the
pilot and abaft this seat is a compartment for the engineer.
The engine selected was the 75 horse-power water-cooled Rolls Royce, it
being considered to be the most efficient for the purpose. The engine
is mounted upon bearers above the level of the top of the car, and
drives a four-bladed pusher propeller.
The car is suspended from an envelope of 70,000 cubic feet capacity,
and the system of rigging is similar to that in use on all S.S. ships.
The petrol is carried in aluminium tanks slung on the axis of the
envelope, identically with the system in use on the S.S.P's. The
usual elevator planes are adopted with a single long rudder plane.
The speed of the Zero is about 45 miles per hour and the ship has a
theoretical endurance of seventeen hours; but this has been largely
exceeded in practice.
The original ship proved an immediate success, and a large number was
shortly afterwards ordered.
As time went on the stations expanded and sub-stations were added,
while the Zero airship was turned out as fast as it could be built,
until upwards of seventy had been commissioned. The work these ships
were capable of exceeded the most sanguine expectations. Owing to
their greater stability in flight and longer hours of endurance, they
flew in weather never previously attempted by the earlier ships. With
experience gained it was shown that a large fleet of airships of
comparatively small capacity is of far more value for an anti-submarine
campaign than a lesser fleet of ships of infinitely greater capacity.
The average length of patrol was eight hours, but some wonderful
duration flights were accomplished in the summer of 1918, as the
following figures will show. The record is held by S.S.Z. 39, with 50
hours 55 minutes; another is 30 hours 20 minutes; while three more vary
from 25 1/2 hours to 26 1/4. Although small, the Zero airship has been
one of the successes of the war, and we can claim proudly that she is
entirely a British product.
S.S. TWIN
During the year 1917, designs were submitted for a twin-engined S.S.
airship, the idea being to render the small type of airship less liable
to loss from engine failure. The first design proved to be a failure,
but the second was considered more promising, and several were built.
Its capacity is 100,000 cubic feet, with a length of 164 feet 6 inches,
and the greatest diameter 32 feet.
The car is built to carry five, with the engines disposed on gantries
on the port and starboard side, driving pusher propellers. This type,
although in the experimental stage, is being persevered with, and the
intention is that it will gradually supplant the other S.S. classes.
It is calculated that it will equal if not surpass the C Star ship in
endurance, besides being easier to handle and certainly cheaper to
build.
"COASTAL" AND "C STAR" AIRSHIPS
The urgent need for a non-rigid airship to carry out anti-submarine
patrol having been satisfied for the time with the production of the
S.S. B.E. 2C type, the airship designers of the Royal Naval Air Service
turned their attention to the production of an airship which would have
greater lift and speed than the S.S. type, and, consequently, an
augmented radius of action, together with a higher degree of
reliability. As the name "Coastal" or "Coast Patrol" implies, this
ship was intended to carry out extended sea patrols.
To obtain these main requirements the capacity of the envelope for this
type was fixed at 170,000 cubic feet, as compared with the 60,000 cubic
feet and, later, the 70,000 cubic feet envelopes adopted for the S.S.
ships. Greater speed was aimed at by fitting two engines of 150
horse-power each, and it was hoped that the chances of loss owing to
engine failure would be considerably minimized.
The Astra-Torres type of envelope, with its system of internal rigging,
was selected for this class of airship; in the original ship the
envelope used was that manufactured by the French Astra-Torres Company,
and to which it had been intended to rig a small enclosed car. The
ship in question was to be known as No. 10. This plan was, however,
departed from, and the car was subsequently rigged to the envelope of
the Eta, and a special car was designed and constructed for the
original Coastal. Coastal airship No. 1 was commissioned towards the
end of 1915 and was retained solely for experimental and training
purposes. Approximately thirty of these airships were constructed
during the year 1916, and were allocated to the various stations for
patrol duties.
The work carried out by these ships during the two and a half years in
which they were in commission, is worthy of the highest commendation.
Before the advent of later and more reliable ships, the bulk of
anti-submarine patrol on the east coast and south-west coast of England
was maintained by the Coastal. On the east coast, with the prevailing
westerly and south-westerly winds, these airships had many long and
arduous voyages on their return from patrol, and in the bitterness of
winter their difficulties were increased ten-fold. To the
whole-hearted efforts of Coastal pilots and crews is due, to a great
extent, the recognition which somewhat tardily was granted to the
Airship Service.
The envelope of the Coastal airship has been shown to be of 170,000
cubic feet capacity. It is trilobe in section to employ the
Astra-Torres system of internal and external rigging. The great
feature of this principle is that it enables the car to be slung much
closer to the envelope than would be possible with the tangential
system on an envelope of this size. As a natural consequence there is
far less head resistance, owing to the much shorter rigging, between
the envelope and the car.
The shape of the envelope is not all that could have been desired, for
it is by no means a true streamline, but has the same cross section for
the greater part of its length, which tapers at either end to a point
which is slightly more accentuated aft. Owing to the shape, these
ships, in the early days until experience had been gained, were
extremely difficult to handle, both on the landing ground and also in
the air. They were extremely unstable both in a vertical and
horizontal plane, and were slow in answering to their rudders and
elevators.
The envelope is composed of rubber-proofed fabric doped to hold the gas
and resist the effects of weather. Four ballonets are situated in the
envelope, two in each of the lower lobes, air being conveyed to them by
means of a fabric air duct, which is parallel to the longitudinal
centre line of the envelope, with transverse ducts connecting each pair
of ballonets. In earlier types of the Coastal, the air scoop supplying
air to the air duct was fitted in the slip stream of the forward
engine, but later this was fitted aft of the after engine.
Six valves in all are used, four air valves, one fitted to each
ballonet, and two gas valves. These are situated well aft, one to each
of the lower lobes, and are fitted on either side of the rudder plane.
A top valve is dispensed with because in practice when an Astra-Torres
envelope loses shape, the tendency is for the tail to be pulled upwards
by the rigging, with the result that the two gas valves always remain
operative.
Crabpots and non-return valves are employed in a similar manner to S.S.
airships.
The Astra-Torres system of internal rigging must now be described in
some detail. The envelope is made up of three longitudinal lobes, one
above and two below, which when viewed end on gives it a trefoil
appearance. The internal rigging is attached to the ridges formed on
either side of the upper lobe, where it meets the two side lobes. From
here it forms a V, when viewed cross sectionally, converging at he
ridge formed by the two lobes on the underside of the envelope which is
known as the lower ridge.
To the whole length of the top ridges are attached the internal rigging
girdles and also the lacing girdles to which are secured the top and
side curtains. These curtains are composed of ordinary unproofed
fabric and their object is to make the envelope keep its trilobe shape.
They do not, however, divide the ship into separate gas compartments.
The rigging girdle consists of a number of fabric scallops through
which run strands of Italian hemp. These strands, of which there are a
large number, are led towards the bottom ridge, where they are drawn
together and secured to a rigging sector. To these sectors the main
external rigging cables are attached. The diagram shows better than
any description this rigging system.
Ten main suspensions are incorporated in the Coastal envelope, of which
three take the handling guys, the remaining seven support the weight of
the car.
The horizontal fins with the elevator flaps, and the vertical fin with
the rudder flap, are fixed to the ridges of the envelope.
The car was evolved in the first instance by cutting away the tail
portion of two Avro seaplane fuselages and joining the forward portions
end on, the resulting car, therefore, had engines at either end with
seating accommodation for four. The landing chassis were altered,
single skids being substituted for the wider landing chassis employed
in the seaplane. The car consists of four longerons with struts
vertical and cross, and stiffened with vertical and cross bracing
wires. The sides are covered with fabric and the flooring and fairing
on the top of the car are composed of three-ply wood. In the later
cars five seats were provided to enable a second officer to be carried.
The engines are mounted on bearers at each end of the car, and the
petrol and oil tanks were originally placed adjoining the engines in
the car. At a later date various methods of carrying the petrol tanks
were adopted, in some cases they were slung from the envelope and in
others mounted on bearers above the engines.
Wireless telegraphy is fitted as is the case with all airships. In the
Coastal a gun is mounted on the top of the envelope, which is reached
by a climbing shaft passing through the envelope, another mounting
being provided on the car itself.
Bombs are also carried on frames attached to the car. Sunbeam engines
originally supplied the motive power, but at a later date a 220
horse-power Renault was fitted aft and a 100 horse-power, Berliet
forward. With the greater engine power the ship's capabilities were
considerably increased.
Exceedingly long flights were achieved by this type of ship, and those
exceeding ten hours are far too numerous to mention. The most noteworthy
of all gave a total of 24 1/4 hours, which, at the time, had only once
been surpassed by any British airship.
Towards the end of 1917, these ships, having been in commission for
over two years, were in many cases in need of a complete refit.
Several were put in order, but it was decided that this policy should
not be continued, and that as each ship was no longer fit for flying it
should be replaced by the more modern Coastal known as the C Star.
The record of one of these ships so deleted is surely worthy of special
mention. She was in commission for 2 years 75 days, and averaged for
each day of this period 3 hours 6 minutes flying. During this time she
covered upwards of 66,000 miles. From this it will be seen that she
did not pass her life by any means in idleness.
"C STAR" AIRSHIP
After considerable experience had been gained with the Coastal, it
became obvious that a ship was required of greater capabilities to
maintain the long hours of escort duty and also anti-submarine patrols.
To meet these requirements it was felt that a ship could be
constructed, not departing to any extent from the Coastal, with which
many pilots were now quite familiar, but which would show appreciable
improvement over its predecessor.
The design which was ultimately adopted was known as the C Star, and
provided an envelope of 210,000 cubic feet, which secured an extra ton
and a quarter in lifting capacity. This envelope, although of the
Astra-Torres type, was of streamline form, and in that respect was a
great advance on the early shape as used in the Coastal. It is to all
intents and purposes the same envelope as is used on the North Sea
ships, but on a smaller scale. An entirely new type of fabric was
employed for this purpose. The same model of car was employed, but was
made more comfortable, the canvas covering for the sides being replaced
by three-ply wood. In all other details the car remained entirely the
same. The standard power units were a 100 horse-power Berliet forward
and a Fiat of 260 horse-power aft. The petrol tanks in this design
were carried inside the envelope, which was quite a new departure.
These airships may be considered to have been successful, though not
perhaps to the extent which was expected by their most ardent admirers.
With the advent of the S.S. Twin it was resolved not to embark on a
large constructional programme, and when the numbers reached double
figures they were no longer proceeded with. Notwithstanding this the
ships which were commissioned carried out most valuable work, and, like
their prototypes, many fine flights were recorded to their credit.
Thirty-four and a half hours was the record flight for this type of
ship, and another but little inferior was thirty hours ten minutes.
These flights speak well for the endurance of the crews, as it must be
borne in mind that no sleeping accommodation is possible in so small a
car.
The Coastal airship played no small part in the defeat of the
submarine, but its task was onerous and the enemy and the elements
unfortunately exacted a heavy toll. A German wireless message received
in this country testified to the valiant manner in which one of these
ships met with destruction.
THE "NORTH SEA" AIRSHIP
The North Sea or N.S. airship was originally designed to act as a
substitute for the Rigid, which, in 1916, was still a long way from
being available for work of practical utility. From experience gained
at this time with airships of the Coastal type it was thought possible
to construct a large Non-Rigid capable of carrying out flights of
twenty-four hours' duration, with a speed of 55 to 60 knots, with
sufficient accommodation for a double crew.
The main requirements fall under four headings:
1. Capability to carry out flights of considerable duration.
2. Great reliability.
3. The necessary lift to carry an ample supply of fuel.
4. Adequate arrangements to accommodate the crew in comfort.
If these could be fulfilled the authorities were satisfied that ships
possessing these qualifications would be of value to the Fleet and
would prove efficient substitutes until rigid airships were available.
The North Sea, as may be gathered from its name, was intended to
operate on the east coasts of these islands.
The first ship, when completed and put through her trials, was voted a
success, and the others building were rapidly pushed on with. When
several were finished and experience had been gained, after long
flights had been carried out, the North Sea airship suffered a partial
eclipse and people were inclined to reconsider their favourable
opinion. Thus it was that for many months the North Sea airship was
decidedly unpopular, and it was quite a common matter to hear her
described as a complete failure. The main cause of the prejudice was
the unsatisfactory design of the propelling machinery, which it will be
seen later was modified altogether, and coupled with other improvements
turned a ship of doubtful value into one that can only be commended.
The envelope is of 360,000 cubic feet capacity, and is designed on the
Astra-Torres principle for the same reasons as held good in the cases
of the Coastal and C Star. All the improvements which had been
suggested by the ships of that class were incorporated in the new
design, which was of streamline shape throughout, and looked at in
elevation resembled in shape that of the S.S. airship. Six ballonets
are fitted, of which the total capacity is 128,000 cubic feet,
equivalent to 35.5 per cent of the total volume. They are fitted with
crabpots and non-return valves in the usual manner.
The rigging is of the Astra-Torres system, and in no way differs from
that explained in the previous chapter. Nine fans of the internal
rigging support the main suspensions of the car, while similar fans
both fore and aft provide attachment for the handling guys. Auxiliary
fans on the same principle support the petrol tanks and ballast bag.
Four gas and six air valves in all are fitted, all of which are
automatic.
Two ripping panels are embodied in the top lobe of the envelope.
The N.S. ship carries four fins, to three of which are attached the
elevator and rudder flaps. The fourth, the top fin, is merely for
stabilizing purposes, the other three being identical in design, and
are fitted with the ordinary system of wiring and kingposts to prevent
warping.
The petrol was originally carried in aluminium tanks disposed above the
top ridges of the envelope, but this system was abandoned owing to the
aluminium supply pipes becoming fractured as the envelope changed shape
at different pressures. They were then placed inside the envelope, and
this rearrangement has given every satisfaction.
To the envelope of the N.S. is rigged a long covered-in car. The
framework of this is built up of light steel tubes, the rectangular
transverse frames of which are connected by longitudinal tubes, the
whole structure being braced by diagonal wires. The car, which tapers
towards the stern, has a length of 85 feet, with a height of 6 feet.
The forward portion is covered with duralumin sheeting, and the
remainder with fabric laced to the framework. Windows and portholes
afford the crew both light and space to see all that is required. In
the forward portion of the car are disposed all the controls and
navigating instruments, together with engine-telegraphs and voice
pipes. Aft is the wireless telegraphy cabin and sleeping accommodation
for the crew.
A complete electrical installation is carried of two dynamos and
batteries for lights, signalling lamps, telephones, etc. The engines
are mounted in a power unit structure separate from the car and reached
by a wooden gangway supported by wire cables. This structure consists
of two V-shaped frameworks connected by a central frame and by an
under-structure to which floats are attached. The mechanics'
compartment is built upon the central frame, and the engine controls
are operated from this cabin.
In the original power units two 250 horse-power Rolls Royce engines
were fitted, driving propellers on independent shafts through an
elaborate system of transmission. This proved to be a great source of
weakness, as continual trouble was experienced with this method, and a
fracture sooner or later occurred at the universal joint nearest to the
propeller. When the modified form of ship was built the whole system
of transmission was changed, and the propellers were fitted directly on
to the engine crankshafts.
At a later date 240 horse-power Fiat engines were installed, and the
engineers' cabin was modified and an auxiliary blower was fitted to
supply air to the ballonets for use if the engines are not running.
In the N.S. ship as modified the car has been raised to the same level
as the engineers' cabin, and all excrescences on the envelope were
placed inside. This, added to the improvement effected by the
abolition of the transmission shafts, increased the reliability and
speed of the ship, and also caused a reduction in weight.
The leading dimensions of the ship are as follows: length, 262 feet;
width, 56 feet 9 inches; height, 69 feet 3 inches. The gross lift is
24,300 lb.; the disposable lift, without crew, petrol, oil, and
ballast, 8,500 lb. The normal crew carried when on patrol is ten,
which includes officers.
As in the case of the Coastal, a gun is mounted on the top of the
envelope, which is approached by a similar climbing shaft, and guns and
bombs are carried on the car.
These ships have become notorious for breaking all flying records for
non-rigid airships. Even the first ship of the class, despite the
unsatisfactory power units, so long ago as in the summer of 1917
completed a flight of 49 hours 22 minutes, which at the time was the
record flight of any British airship. Since that date numerous flights
of quite unprecedented duration have been achieved, one of 61 1/2 hours
being particularly noteworthy, and those of upwards of 30 hours have
become quite commonplace.
Since the Armistice one of these ships completed the unparalleled total
of 101 hours, which at that date was the world's record flight, and
afforded considerable evidence as to the utility of the non-rigid type
for overseas patrol, and even opens up the possibility of employing
ships of similar or slightly greater dimensions for commercial purposes.
N.S. 6 appeared several times over London in the summer months of 1918,
and one could not help being struck by the ease with which she was
steered and her power to remain almost stationary over such a small
area as Trafalgar Square for a quite considerable period.
The flights referred to above were not in any way stunt performances to
pile up a handsome aggregate of hours, but were the ordinary flying
routine of the station to which the ships were attached, and most of
the hours were spent in escorting convoys and hunting for submarines.
In addition to these duties, manoeuvres were carried out on occasions
with the Fleet or units thereof.
From the foregoing observations it must be manifest that this type of
ship, in its present modified state, is a signal success, and is
probably the best large non-rigid airship that has been produced in any
country.
For the purposes of comparison it will be interesting to tabulate the
performances of the standard types of non-rigid airships. The leading
dimensions are also included in this summary:
Type S.S. Zero S.S. Twin Coastal North
Star Sea
Length 143' 0" 165' 0" 218' 0" 262' 0"
Overall width 32' 0" 35' 6" 49' 3" 56' 9"
Overall height 46' 0" 49' 0" 57' 6" 69' 3"
Hydrogen capacity
(cubic feet) 70,000 100,000 210,000 360,000
Gross lift (lb.) 4,900 7,000 14,500 24,300
Disposable
lift (lb.) 1,850 2,200 4,850 8,500
Crew 3 4 5 10
Lift available
for fuel and
freight (lb.) 1,370 1,540 4,050 6,900
Petrol consumption
at full speed
(lb. per hour) 3.6 7.2 18.4 29.8
Gals. per hour 0.36 0.72 2.05 3
CHAPTER VII
NAVAL AIRSHIPS.--THE RIGIDS--RIGID AIRSHIP No. 1
The responsibility for the development the Rigid airship having been
allotted to the Navy, with this object in view, in the years 1908 and
1909 a design was prepared by Messrs. Vickers Ltd., in conjunction with
certain naval officers, for a purely experimental airship which should
be as cheap as possible. The ship was to be known as Naval Airship No.
1, and though popularly called the Mayfly, this title was in no way
official. In design the following main objects were aimed at:
1. The airship was to be capable of carrying out the duties of an
aerial scout.
2. She was to be able to maintain a speed of 40 knots for
twenty-four hours, if possible.
3. She was to be so designed that mooring to a mast on the water
was to be feasible, to enable her to be independent of her
shed except for docking purposes, as in the case with surface
vessels.
4. She was to be fitted with wireless telegraphy.
5. Arrangements were to be made for the accommodation of the crew
in reasonable comfort.
6. She was to be capable of ascending to a height of not less
than 1,500 feet.
These conditions rendered it necessary that the airship should be of
greater dimensions than any built at the time, together with larger
horse-power, etc.
These stipulations having been settled by the Admiralty, the Admiralty
officials, in conjunction with Messrs. Vickers Ltd., determined the
size, shape, and materials for the airship required. The length of the
ship was fixed at approximately 500 feet, with a diameter of 48 feet.
Various shapes were considered, and the one adopted was that
recommended by an American professor named Zahm. In this shape, a
great proportion of the longitudinal huff framework is parallel sided
with curved bow and stern portions, the radius of these curved portions
being, in the case of the bow, twice the diameter of the hull, and in
the case of the stern nine times the same diameter. Experiments proved
that the resistance of a ship of this shape was only two-fifths of the
resistance of a ship of the same dimensions, having the 1 1/2 calibre
bow and stern of the Zeppelin airships at that time constructed.
A considerable difference of opinion existed as to the material to be
chosen for the construction of the hull. Bamboo, wood, aluminium, or
one of its alloys, were all considered. The first was rejected as
unreliable. The second would have been much stronger than aluminium,
and was urged by Messrs. Vickers. The Admiralty, however, considered
that there was a certainty of better alloys being produced, and as the
ship was regarded as an experiment and its value would be largely
negatived if later ships were constructed of a totally different
material, aluminium or an alloy was selected. The various alloys then
in existence showed little advantage over the pure metal, so pure
aluminium was specified and ordered. This metal was expected to have a
strength of ten tons per square inch, but that which arrived was found
to be very unreliable, and many sections had, on test, only half the
strength required. The aluminium wire intended for the mesh wiring of
the framework was also found to be extremely brittle. A section of the
framework was, however, erected, and also one of wood, as a test for
providing comparisons. In the tests, the wooden sections proved,
beyond all comparison, the better, but the Admiralty persisted in their
decision to adopt the metal.
Towards the end of 1909 a new aluminium alloy was discovered, known as
duralumin. Tests were made which proved that this new metal possessed
a strength of twenty-five tons per square inch, which was over twice as
strong as the nominal strength of aluminium, and in practice was really
five times stronger. The specific gravity of the new metal varied from
2.75 to 2.86, as opposed to the 2.56 of aluminium. As the weights were
not much different it was possible to double the strength of the ship
and save one ton in weight. Duralumin was therefore at once adopted.
The hull structure was composed of twelve longitudinal duralumin
girders which ran fore and aft the length of the ship and followed the
external shape. The girders were secured to a steel nose-piece at the
bow and a pointed stern-piece aft. These girders, built of duralumin
sections, were additionally braced wherever the greatest weights
occurred. To support these girders in a thwartship direction a series
of transverse frames were placed at 12 feet 6 inches centres throughout
the length of the ship, and formed, when viewed cross-sectionally, a
universal polygon of twelve sides. For bracing purposes mesh wiring
stiffened each bay longitudinally, so formed by the junction of the
running girder and the transverse frames, while the transverse frames
between the gasbags were stiffened with radial wiring which formed
structure similar to a wheel with its spokes. The frames where the
gondolas occurred were strengthened to take the addition weight, while
the longitudinals were also stiffened at the bow and stern.
Communication was provided between the gondolas by means of an external
keel which was suspended from extra keel longitudinals. In this design
the keel was provided for accommodation purposes only, and in no way
increased the structural stability of the ship as in No. 9 and later
ships. This keel, triangular in section, widened out amidships to form
a space for a cabin and the wireless compartment. The fins and
rudders, which were adopted, were based entirely on submarine
experience, and the Zeppelin method was ignored. The fins were fitted
at the stern of the ship only, and comprised port and starboard
horizontal fins, which followed approximately the shape of the hull,
and an upper and lower vertical fin. Attached to these fins were box
rudders and elevators, instead of the balanced rudders first proposed.
Auxiliary rudders were also fitted in case of a breakdown of the main
steering gear abaft the after gondola. Elevators and rudders were
controlled from the forward gondola and the auxiliary rudders from the
after gondola.
The gasbags were seventeen in number and were twelve-sided in section,
giving approximately a volume of 663,000 cubic feet when completely
full. Continental fabric, as in use on the Zeppelin airships, was
adopted, although the original intention was to use gold-beater's skin,
but this was abandoned owing to shortage of material. These bags were
fitted with the Parseval type of valve, which is situated at the top,
contrary to the current Zeppelin practice, which had automatic valves
at the bottom of the bags, and hand-operated valves on the top of a few
bags for control purposes. Nets were laced to the framework to prevent
the bags bulging through the girders.
The whole exterior of the hull was fitted with an outer cover; Zeppelin
at this time used a plain light rubber-proofed fabric, but this was not
considered suitable for a ship which was required to be moored in the
open, as in wet weather the material would get saturated and
water-logged. Various experiments were carried out with cotton, silk
and ramie, and, as a result, silk treated with Ioco was finally
selected. This cover was laced with cords to the girder work, and
cover-strips rendered the whole impervious to wet. Fire-proofed fabric
was fitted in wake of the gondolas for safety from the heat of the
engines.
Two gondolas, each comprising a control compartment and engine-room,
were suspended from the main framework of the hull. They were shaped to
afford the least resistance possible to the air, and were made of
Honduras mahogany, three-ply where the ballast tanks occurred, and
two-ply elsewhere. The plies were sewn together with copper wire. The
gondolas were designed to have sufficient strength to withstand the
strain of alighting on the water. They were suspended from the hull by
wooden struts streamline in shape, and fitted with internal steel-wire
ropes; additional wire suspensions were also fitted to distribute the
load over a greater length of the ship. The engines were carried in
the gondolas on four hollow wooden struts, also fitted internally with
wire. The wires were intended to support the gondolas in the event of
the struts being broken in making a heavy landing.
Two engines were mounted, one in each gondola, the type used being the
8-cylinder vertical water-cooled Wolseley developing a horse-power of
160. The forward engine drove two wing propellers through the medium
of bevel gearing, while the after engine drove a single large propeller
aft through 4 gear box to reduce the propeller revolutions to half that
of the engine. The estimated speed of the ship was calculated to be 42
miles per hour, petrol was carried in tanks, fitted in the keel, and
the water ballast tanks were placed close to the keel and connected
together by means of a pipe.
No. 1 was completed in May, 1911. She had been built at Barrow in a
shed erected on the edge of Cavendish Dock. Arrangements were made
that she should be towed out of the shed to test her efficiency at a
mooring post which had been prepared in the middle of the dock. She
was launched on May 22nd in a flat calm and was warped out of the shed
and hauled to the post where she was secured without incident. The
ship rode at the mooring post in a steady wind, which at one time
increased to 36 miles per hour, until the afternoon of May 25th, and
sustained no damage whatever. Various engine trials were carried out,
but no attempt was made to fly, as owing to various reasons the ship
was short of lift. Valuable information was, however, gained in
handling the ship, and much was learnt of her behaviour at the mast.
More trouble was experienced in getting her back into the shed, but she
was eventually housed without sustaining any damage of importance.
Owing to the lack of disposable lift, the bags were deflated and
various modifications were carried out to lighten the ship, of which
the principal were the removal of the keel and cabin entirely, and the
removal of the water-trimming services. Other minor alterations were
made which gave the ship, on completion, a disposable lift of 3.21
tons. The transverse frames between the gasbags were strengthened,
and a number of broken wires were replaced.
On September 22nd the ship was again completed, and on the 24th she was
again to be taken out and tested at the mooring post. Unfortunately,
while being hauled across the dock, the framework of the ship
collapsed, and she was got back into the shed the same day.
Examination showed that it was hopeless to attempt to reconstruct her,
and she was broken up at a later date. The failure of this ship was a
most regrettable incident, and increased the prejudice against the
rigid airship to such an extent that for some time the Navy refused to
entertain any idea of attempting a second experiment.
RIGID AIRSHIP No. 9
Rigid Airship No. 1 having met with such a calamitous end, the
authorities became rather dubious as to the wisdom of continuing such
costly experiments. Most unfortunately, as the future showed and as
was the opinion of many at the time, rigid construction in the
following year 1912 was ordered to be discontinued. This decision
coincided with the disbanding of the Naval Air Service, and for a time
rigid airships in this country were consigned to the limbo of
forgetfulness. After the Naval Air Service had been reconstituted, the
success which attended the Zeppelin airships in Germany could no longer
be overlooked, and it was decided to make another attempt to build a
rigid airship in conformity with existing Zeppelin construction. The
first proposals were put forward in 1913, and, finally, after eleven
months delay, the contract was signed. This airship, it has been seen,
was designated No. 9.
No. 9 experienced numerous vicissitudes, during the process of design
and later when construction was in progress. The contract having been
signed in March, 1914, work on the ship was suspended in the following
February, and was not recommenced until July of the same year. From
that date onwards construction was carried forward; but so many
alterations were made that it was fully eighteen months before the ship
was completed and finally accepted by the Admiralty.
The ship as designed was intended "to be generally in conformity with
existing Zeppelin construction," with the following main requirements
stipulated for in the specification:
1. She was to attain a speed of at least 45 miles per hour at the
full power of the engines.
2. A minimum disposable lift of five tons was to be available for
movable weights.
3. She was to be capable of rising to a height of 2,000 feet
during flight.
The design of this ship was prepared by Messrs. Vickers, Ltd., and as
it was considered likely that owing to inexperience the ship would
probably be roughly handled and that heavy landings might be made, it
was considered that the keel structure and also the cars should be made
very strong in case of accidents occurring. This, while materially
increasing the strength of the ship, added to its weight, and coupled
with the fact that modifications were made in the design, rendered the
lift somewhat disappointing. The hull structure was of the "Zahm"
shape as in No. 1, a considerable portion being parallel sided, while
in transverse section it formed a 17-sided polygon. In length it was
526 feet with a maximum diameter of 53 feet. The hull framework was
composed of triangular duralumin girders, both in the longitudinal and
transverse frames, while the bracing was carried out by means of high
tensile steel wires and duralumin tubes. Attached to the hull was a
V-shaped keel composed of tubes with suitable wire bracings, and in it
a greater part of the strength of the structure lay. It was designed
to withstand the vertical forces and bending moments which resulted
from the lift given by the gasbags and the weights of the car and the
cabin. The keel also provided the walking way from end to end of the
ship, and amidships was widened out to form a cabin and wireless
compartment.
The wiring of the transverse frames was radial and performed similar
functions to the spokes of a bicycle wheel. These wires could be
tightened up at the centre at a steel ring through which they were
threaded and secured by nuts.
In addition to the radial wires were the lift wires, which were led to
the two points on the transverse frames which were attached to the
keel; on the inflation of the gasbags, the bags themselves pressed upon
the longitudinal girders on the top of the ship, which pressure was
transferred to the transverse frames and thence by means of the several
lift wires to the keel. In this way all the stresses set up by the gas
were brought finally to the keel in which we have already said lay the
main strength of the ship.
The hull was divided by the transverse frames into seventeen
compartments each containing a single gasbag. The bags were composed
of rubber-proofed fabric lined with gold-beater's skin to reduce
permeability, and when completely full gave a total volume of 890,000
cubic feet. Two types of valve were fitted to each bag, one the
Parseval type of valve with the pressure cone as fitted in No. 1, the
other automatic but also controlled by hand.
To distribute the pressure evenly throughout the upper longitudinal
frames, and also to prevent the gasbags bulging between the girders,
nets were fitted throughout the whole structure of the hull.
The whole exterior of the ship was fitted with an outer cover, to
protect the gasbags and hull framework from weather and to render the
outer surface of the ship symmetrical and reduce "skin friction" and
resistance to the air to a minimum. To enable this cover to be easily
removed it was made in two sections, a port and starboard side for each
gasbag. The covers were laced to the hull framework and the
connections were covered over with sealing strips to render the whole
weathertight.
The system of fins for stabilizing purposes on No. 9 were two--vertical
and horizontal. The vertical fin was composed of two parts, one above
and the other below the centre line of the ship.
They were constructed of a framework of duralumin girders, covered over
with fabric. The fins were attached on one edge to the hull structure
and wire braced from the other edge to various positions on the hull.
The horizontal fins were of similar design and attached in a like
manner to the hull. Triplane rudders and biplane elevators of the box
type were fitted in accordance with the German practice of the time.
Auxiliary biplane rudders were fitted originally abaft the after car,
but during the first two trial flights they proved so very
unsatisfactory that it was decided to remove them.
Two cars or gondolas were provided to act as navigating compartments
and a housing for the engines, and in design were calculated to offer
the least amount of head resistance to the wind. The cars were
composed of duralumin girders, which formed a flooring, a main girder
running the full length of the car with a series of transverse girders
spaced in accordance with the main loads. From each of these
transverse girders vertical standards with a connecting piece on top
were taken and the whole exterior was covered with duralumin plating.
The cars were suspended in the following manner. Two steel tubes
fitting into a junction piece at each end were bolted to brackets at
the floor level at each end of the transverse girders. They met at an
apex above the roof level and were connected to the tubing of the keel.
In addition, to distribute the weight and prevent the cars from
rocking, steel wire suspensions were led to certain fixed points in the
hull.
Each car was divided into two parts by a bulkhead, the forward portion
being the control compartment in which were disposed all instruments,
valve and ballast controls, and all the steering and elevating
arrangements. Engine-room telegraphs, voice pipes and telephones were
fitted up for communication from one part of the ship to the other.
The keel could be reached by a ladder from each car, thus providing
with the climbing shaft through the hull access to all parts of the
ship.
The original engine equipment of No. 9 was composed of four
Wolseley-Maybach engines of 180 horse-power each, two being installed
in the forward car and two in the after car. As the ship was deficient
in lift after the initial flight trials had been carried out, it was
decided to remove the two engines from the after car and replace them
with a single engine of 250 horse-power; secondly, to remove the
swivelling propeller gear from the after car and substitute one
directly-driven propeller astern of the car. This as anticipated
reduced the weight very considerably and in no way lessened the speed
of the ship.
The forward engines drove two four-bladed swivelling propellers through
gear boxes and transmission shafts, the whole system being somewhat
complicated, and was opposed to the Zeppelin practice at the time which
employed fixed propellers.
The after engine drove a large two-bladed propeller direct off the main
shaft.
The petrol and water ballast were carried in tanks situated in the keel
and the oil was carried in tanks beneath the floors of the cars.
The wireless cabin was situated as before mentioned in a cabin in the
keel of the ship, and the plant comprised a main transmitter, an
auxiliary transmitter and receiver and the necessary aerial for
radiating and receiving.
No. 9 was inflated in the closing days of 1916, and the disposal lift
was found to be 2.1 tons under the specification conditions, namely,
barometer 29.5 inches and temperature 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The
contract requirements had been dropped to 3.1 tons, which showed that
the ship was short by one ton of the lift demanded. The flight trials
were, however, carried out, which showed that the ship had a speed of
about 42 1/2 miles per hour.
The alterations previously mentioned were afterwards made, the bags of
the ship were changed and another lift and trim trial was held in
March, 1917, when it was found that these had had the satisfactory
result of increasing the disposable lift to 3.8 tons or .7 ton above
the contract requirements, and with the bags 100 per cent full gave a
total disposable lift of 5.1 tons.
Additional trials were then carried out, which showed that the speed of
the ship had not been impaired.
For reference purposes the performances of the ship are tabulated below.
Speed:
Full 45 miles per hour
Normal = 2/3 38 " " "
Cruising = 1/3 32 " " "
Endurance:
Full 18 hours = 800 miles
Normal 26 " = 1,000 "
Cruising 50 " = 1,600 "
No. 9 having finished her trials was accepted by the Admiralty in Mar.
1917, and left Barrow, where she had been built, for a patrol station.
In many ways she was an excellent ship, for it must be remembered that
when completed she was some years out-of-date judged by Zeppelin
standards. Apart from the patrol and convoy work which she
accomplished, she proved simply invaluable for the training of officers
and men selected to be the crews of future rigid airships. Many of
these received their initial training in her, and there were few
officers or men in the airship service who were not filled with regret
when orders were issued that she was to be broken up. The general
feeling was that she should have been preserved as a lasting exhibition
of the infancy of the airship service, but unfortunately rigid airships
occupy so much space that there is no museum in the country which could
have accommodated her. So she passed, and, except for minor trophies,
remains merely a recollection.
RIGID AIRSHIP No. 23 CLASS
After the decision had been made in 1915 that work on No. 9 should be
restarted, the Admiralty determined that a programme of rigid airships
should be embarked upon, and design was commenced.
Several ships of the same class were, ordered, and the type was to be
known as the 23 class. Progress on these ships, although slow, was
more rapid than had been the case with No. 9, and by the end of 1917
three were completed and a fourth was rapidly approaching that state.
The specification, always ambitious, laid down the following main
stipulations.
(1) The ship is to attain a speed of at least 55 miles per hour
for the main power of the engines.
(2) A minimum of 8 tons is to be available for disposable weights
when full.
(3) The ship must be capable of rising at an average rate of not
less than 1,000 feet per minute, through a height of 3,000
feet starting from nearly sea level.
As will be seen later this class of ship, although marking a certain
advance on No. 9 both as regards workmanship and design, proved on the
whole somewhat disappointing, and it became more evident every day that
we had allowed the Germans to obtain such a start in the race of
airship construction as we could ill afford to concede.
We may here state that all of the ships of this class which had been
ordered were not completed, the later numbers being modified into what
was known as the 23 X class; four in all of the 23 class were built, of
which two--Nos. 23 and 26--were built by Messrs. Vickers, Ltd., at
Barrow, No. 24 by Messrs. Wm. Beardmore and Co., at Glasgow, and No. 25
by Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., at Selby, Yorkshire.
In many respects the closest similarity of design exists between No. 9
and No. 23, especially in the hull, but it will be of interest to
mention the salient differences between the two ships.
The length of the hull, which in No. 9 was 520 feet, was increased in
No. 23 to 535 feet, and the number of gasbags from seventeen to
eighteen. This gave a total volume of 997,500 cubic feet compared with
890,000 cubic feet in No. 9, with a disposable lift under specification
conditions of 5.7 tons as opposed to 3.8 tons.
The longitudinal shape of No. 23 is a modified form of "Zahm" shape,
the radius of the bow portion being twice the diameter of the parallel
portion, while the stern radius is three times the same diameter.
In design the hull framework is almost a repetition of No. 9,
particularly in the parallel portion, the same longitudinal and
transverse frames dividing the hull into compartments, with tubes
completely encircling the section between each main transverse frame.
The system of wiring the hull is precisely the same in both the ships,
and nets are employed in the same way.
The triangular section of keel is adhered to, but its functions in No.
23 are somewhat different. In No. 9 it was intended to be sufficiently
strong to support all the main vertical bending moments and shearing
forces, but in No. 23 it was primarily intended to support the
distributed weights of water ballast, petrol tanks, etc., between the
main transverse frames. Unlike No. 9, the keel is attached to the main
transverse frames only. The cabin and wireless cabin are disposed in
the keel in the same manner, and it also furnishes a walking way for
the total length of the ship.
The stabilizing fins, both vertical and horizontal, are similar to
those attached to No. 9, but the system of rudders and elevators is
totally different. In place of the box rudders and elevators in No. 9,
single balanced rudders and elevators are attached to the fins; they
have their bearing on the outboard side on the external girders of the
fins, which are extended for the purpose. The elevators and rudders
are composed of a duralumin framework, stiffened by a kingpost on
either side with bracing wires.
The bags, eighteen in number, are made of rubber-proofed fabric lined
with gold-beater's skin. It is interesting to note that the number of
skins used for the bags of a ship of this class is approximately
350,000. The system of valves is entirely different from that in No.
9. The Parseval type of valve with the pressure cone at the bottom of
the bag is omitted, and in the place of the two top valves in the
former ship are a side valve of the Zeppelin type entirely automatic
and a top valve entirely hand controlled. The side valve is set to
blow off at a pressure of from 3 to 5 millimetres. The outer cover was
fitted in the same manner as in No. 9. Two cars or gondolas, one
forward, the other aft, each carry one engine provided with swivelling
propellers and gears. They are enclosed with sides and a fireproof
roof, and are divided into two compartments, one the navigating
compartment, the other the engine room. The cars are in all respects
very similar to those of No. 9, and are suspended from the hull in a
similar manner. The remaining two engines are carried in a small
streamline car situated amidships, which has just sufficient room in it
for the mechanics to attend to them. Originally this car was open at
the top, but it was found that the engineers suffered from exposure,
and it was afterwards roofed in.
The engine arrangements in this ship were totally different to those of
No. 9, four 250 horse-power Rolls Royce engines being installed in the
following order. Single engines are fitted in both the forward and
after cars, each driving two swivelling four-bladed propellers. In the
centre car two similar engines are placed transversely, which drive
single fixed propellers mounted on steel tube outriggers through
suitable gearing.
The engines are the standard 12 cylinder V-type Rolls Royce which will
develop over 300 brake horse-power at full throttle opening.
The engine is water cooled, and in the case of those in the forward and
after cars the original system consisted of an internal radiator
supplied by an auxiliary water tank carried in the keel. It was found
on the flight trials that the cooling was insufficient, and external
radiators were fitted, the internal radiator and fan being removed. In
the case of the centre car no alteration was necessary, as external
radiators were fitted in the first instance.
The engines are supported by two steel tubes held by four brackets
bolted to the crank case, these being carried by twelve duralumin tubes
bolted to the bearers and transverse frames of the car respectively.
The drive from the engine is transmitted through a universal joint to a
short longitudinal shaft, running on ball bearings. This shaft gears
into two transverse shafts, which drive the propellers through the
medium of a gear box to the propeller shafts, making five shafts in all.
The engines in the centre car being placed transversely the
transmission is more direct, the engines driving the propellers through
two gear wheels only. The propeller gear box is supported by steel
tube outriggers attached by brackets to the framework of the car. The
petrol is carried in a series of tanks situated beneath the keel
walking way, and are interconnected so that any tank either forward or
aft can supply any engine, by this means affording assistance for the
trimming of the ship.
Four-bladed propellers are used throughout the ship.
Water ballast is carried in fabric bags also situated beneath the keel
walking way, and a certain amount is also carried beneath the floor of
the car.
Engine-room telegraphs, swivelling propeller telegraphs, speaking tubes
and telephones, with a lighting set for the illumination of the cars
and keel, were all fitted in accordance with the practice standard in
all rigid airships.
The lift and trim trials taken before the initial flight trials showed
that the ship possessed a disposable lift under standard conditions of
5.7 tons. The original disposable lift demanded by the specification
was 3 tons but this was reduced by 2 tons owing to the machinery
weights being 2 tons in excess of the estimate. Since then these
weights had been increased by another half-ton, making a total of 2 1/2
tons over the original estimate. It was evident that with so small a
margin of lift these ships would never be of real use, and it was
decided to remove various weights to increase the lift and to
substitute a wing car of a similar type to those manufactured for the R
33 class for the heavy after car at present in use.
R 23 carried out her trials without the alteration to the car, which
was effected at a later date, and the same procedure was adopted with R
24 and R 25. In the case of R 26, however, she had not reached the
same stage of completion as the other two ships, and the alterations
proposed for them were embodied in her during construction. The
gasbags were of lighter composition, all cabin furniture was omitted
and the wing car was fitted in place of the original after car. This
wing car is of streamline shape with a rounded bow and tapered stern.
The lower portion is plated with duralumin sheets and the upper part is
covered with canvas attached to light wooden battens to give the
necessary shape. This effected a very considerable reduction in
weight. The original 250 horse-power Rolls Royce engine was installed,
now driving a single large two-bladed propeller astern. A test having
been taken, it was found that the disposable lift under standard
conditions was 6.28 tons. It was therefore decided that all the ships
of the class should be modified to this design when circumstances
permitted. Speed trials were carried out under various conditions of
running, when it was found that the ship possessed a speed of 54 1/4
miles per hour with the engines running full out.
To summarize the performances of these ships as we did in the case of
No. 9, we find:
Speed:
Full 54 miles per hour
Normal =2/3 48 " " "
Cruising =1/3 33 " " "
Endurance:
Full 18 hours = 1,000 miles
Normal 26 " = 1,250 "
Cruising 50 " = 1,900 "
The production of the rigid airship during the war was always
surrounded with a cloak of impenetrable mystery. Few people, except
those employed on their construction or who happened to live in the
immediate vicinity of where they were built, even knew of their
existence, and such ignorance prevailed concerning airships of every
description that the man in the street hailed a small non-rigid as "the
British Zeppelin" or admired the appearance of R 23 as "the Silver
Queen." The authorities no doubt knew their own business in fostering
this ignorance, although for many reasons it was unfortunate that
public interest was not stimulated to a greater degree. In the summer
months of 1918, however, they relented to a certain extent, and R 23
and one of her sister ships were permitted to make several flights over
London to the intense delight of thousands of its inhabitants, and a
certain amount of descriptive matter appeared in the Press.
From that time onwards these large airships have completely captured
the popular imagination, and many absurd rumours and exaggerations have
been circulated regarding their capabilities. It has been gravely
stated that these airships could accomplish the circuit of the globe
and perform other feats of the imagination. It must be confessed that
their merits do not warrant these extravagant assertions. The fact
remains, however, that R 23 and her sister ship R 26 have each carried
out patrols of upwards of 40 hours duration and that, similarly to No.
9, they have proved of the greatest value for training airship crews
and providing experience and data for the building programme of the
future. At the present time highly interesting experiments are being
carried out with them to determine the most efficient system of mooring
in the open, which will be discussed at some length in the chapter
dealing with the airship of the future.
RIGID AIRSHIP 23 X CLASS
During the early days of building the airships of the 23 class, further
information was obtained relating to rigid airship construction in
Germany, which caused our designers to modify their views. It was
considered a wrong policy to continue the production of a fleet of
ships the design of which was becoming obsolete, and accordingly within
ten months of placing the order for this class a decision was reached
that the last four ships were to be altered to a modified design known
as the 23 X class. As was the case with the ships of the preceding
class when nearing completion, they were realized to be out of date,
and special efforts being required to complete the ships of the 33
class and to release building space for additional larger ships, the
construction of the second pair was abandoned.
The main modification in design was the abolition of the external keel,
and in this the later Zeppelin principles were adopted. This secured a
very considerable reduction in structural weight with a corresponding
large expansion of the effective capabilities of the ship.
It has been seen that the purpose of the keel in No. 9 was to provide a
structure sufficiently strong to support all the main vertical bending
moments and shearing forces, and that in No. 23 this principle was
somewhat different, in that the keel in this ship was primarily
intended to support the distributed weights of petrol, water, ballast,
etc., between the transverse frames.
In this later design, namely, the 23 X class, it was considered that
the weights could be concentrated and suspended from the radial wiring
of the transverse frames and that the keel, incorporated in the design
of the former ships, could be dispensed with.
For all practical purposes, apart from the absence of the keel, the 23
X class of airship may be regarded as a slightly varied model of the 23
class. The main dimensions are nearly the same, and the general
arrangement of the ship is but little changed. The loss of space owing
to the introduction of the internal corridor is compensated by a
modification of the shape of the bow, which was redesigned with a
deeper curve. The hull structure was also strengthened by utilizing a
stronger type of girder wherever the greatest weights occur. In these
strengthened transverse frames the girders, while still remaining of
the triangular section, familiar in the other ships, are placed the
opposite way round, that is, with the apex pointing outwards.
The walking way is situated at the base of the hull passing through the
gas chambers, which are specially shaped for the purpose. The corridor
is formed of a light construction of hollow wooden struts and duralumin
arches covered with netting.
In all other leading features the design of the 23 class is adhered to;
the gasbags are the same, except for the alteration due to the internal
corridor, and the system of valves and the various controls are all
highly similar.
The arrangement of gondolas and the fitting of engines in all ways
corresponds to the original arrangement of R 23, with the exception
that they were suspended closer to the hull owing to the absence of the
external keel. The substitution of the wing car of the 33 class for
the original after gondola, carried out in the modifications undergone
by the ships of the 23 class, was not adopted in these ships, as the
wireless compartment installed in the keel in the former was fitted in
the after gondola in the latter.
The disposable lift of these ships under standard conditions is 7 1/2
tons, which shows considerable improvement on the ships of the former
classes.
Summarizing as before, the performances appear as under--
Speed:
Full 56 1/2 miles per hour
Normal 53 " " "
Cruising 45 " " "
Endurance:
Normal 19 hours = 1,015 miles
Cruising 23 1/2 " = 1,050 "
The two ships of this class, which were commissioned, must be regarded
within certain limits as most satisfactory, and are the most successful
of those that appeared and were employed during the war. Escort of
convoys and extended anti-submarine patrols were carried out, and
certain valuable experiments will be attempted now that peace has
arrived.
In spite of the grave misgivings of many critics, the structure without
the keel has proved amply strong, and no mishap attended this radical
departure on the part of the designers.
RIGID AIRSHIP No. 31 CLASS
The airship known as R 81 was a complete deviation from any rigid
airship previously built in this country. In this case the experiment
was tried of constructing it in wood in accordance with the practice
adopted by the Schutte-Lanz Company in Germany.
It must be frankly acknowledged that this experiment resulted in
failure. The ship when completed showed great improvement both in
shape, speed and lifting capacity over any airship commissioned in this
country, and as a whole the workmanship exhibited in her construction
was exquisite. Unfortunately, under the conditions to which it was
subjected, the hull structure did not prove durable, and to those
conditions the failure is attributed. Under different circumstances it
may be hoped that the second ship, when completed, will prove more
fortunate.
In length R 31 was 615 feet, with a diameter of 66 feet, and the
capacity was 1 1/2 million cubic feet.
In shape the hull was similar to the later types of Zeppelin, having a
rounded bow and a long, tapering stern. The longitudinal and transverse
frames were composed of girders built up of three-ply wood, the whole
structure being braced in the usual manner with wire bracings. It had
been found in practice with rigid airships that, if for any reason one
gasbag becomes much less inflated than those adjacent to it, there is
considerable pressure having the effect of forcing the radial wires of
the transverse frames towards the empty bag. The tension resulting in
these wires may produce very serious compressive strain in the members
of the transverse frames, and to counteract this action an axial wire
is led along the axis of the ship and secured to the centre point of
the radial wiring. This method, now current practice in rigid airship
construction, was introduced for the first time in this ship.
As will be seen from the photograph, the control and navigating
compartment of the ship is contained in the hull, the cars in each case
being merely small engine rooms. These small cars were beautifully
made of wood of a shape to afford the least resistance to the air, and
in number were five, each housing a single 250 horse-power Rolls Royce
engine driving a single fixed propeller. Here we see another decided
departure from our previous methods of rigid airship construction, in
that for the first time swivelling propellers were abandoned. R 31
when completed carried out her trials, and it was evident that she was
much faster than previous ships. The trials were on the whole
satisfactory and, except for a few minor accidents to the hull
framework and fins, nothing untoward occurred.
At a later date the whole ship was through fortuitous circumstances
exposed to certain disadvantageous conditions which rendered her
incapable of further use.
R 33 CLASS
September 24th, 1916, is one of the most important days in the history
of rigid airship design in this country; on this date the German
Zeppelin airship L 33 was damaged by gunfire over London, and being hit
in the after gasbags attempted to return to Germany. Owing to lack of
buoyancy she was forced to land at Little Wigborough, in Essex, where
the crew, having set fire to the ship, gave themselves up. Although
practically the entire fabric of the ship was destroyed, the hull
structure most fortunately remained to all intents and purposes intact,
and was of inestimable value to the design staff of the Admiralty, who
measured up the whole ship and made working drawings of every part
available.
During this year other German rigid airships had been brought down,
namely L 15, which was destroyed at the mouth of the Thames in April,
but which was of an old type, and from which little useful information
was obtained; and also the Army airship L.Z. 85, which was destroyed at
Salonica in the month of May. A Schutte-Lanz airship was also brought
down at Cuffley, on September 2nd, and afforded certain valuable
details.
All these ships were, however, becoming out of date; but L 33 was of
the latest design, familiarly called the super-Zeppelin, and had only
been completed about six weeks before she encountered disaster.
In view of the fact that the rigid airships building in this country at
this date, with the exception of the wooden Schutte-Lanz ships were all
based on pre-war designs of Zeppelin airships, it can be readily
understood that this latest capture revolutionized all previous ideas,
and to a greater extent than might be imagined, owing to the immense
advance, both in design and construction, which had taken place in
Germany since 1914.
All possible information having been obtained, both from the wreck of
the airship itself and from interrogation of the captured crew,
approval was obtained, in November of the same year, for two ships of
the L 33 design to be built; and in January, 1917, this number was
increased to five.
It was intended originally that these ships should be an exact
facsimile of L 33; but owing to the length of time occupied in
construction later information was obtained before they were completed,
both from ships of a more modern design, which were subsequently
brought down, and also from other sources. Acting on this information,
various improvements were embodied in R 33 and R 34, which were in a
more advanced state; but in the case of the three other ships the size
was increased, and the ships, when completed, will bear resemblance to
a later type altogether.
As a comment on the slowness of construction before mentioned, the fact
that while we in this country were building two ships on two slips,
Germany had constructed no fewer than thirty on four slips, certainly
affords considerable food for reflection.
The two airships of this class having only just reached a state of
completion, a detailed description cannot be given without making
public much information which must necessarily remain secret for the
present. Various descriptions have, however, been given in the daily
and weekly Press, but it is not intended in the present edition of this
book to attempt to elaborate on anything which has not been already
revealed through these channels.
It is regrettable that so much that would be of the utmost interest has
to be omitted; but the particulars which follow will at any rate give
sonic idea of the magnitude of the ship and show that it marks a
decided departure from previous experiments and a great advance on any
airship before constructed in Great Britain.
It is also a matter for regret that these two ships were not completed
before the termination of hostilities, as their capabilities would
appear to be sufficient to warrant the expectations which have been
based on their practical utility as scouting agents for the Grand Fleet.
In all its main features the hull structure of R 33 and R 34 follows
the design of the wrecked German Zeppelin airship L 33. The hull
follows more nearly a true streamline shape than in the previous ships
constructed of duralumin, in which a great proportion of the total
length was parallel-sided. The Germans adopted this new shape from the
Schutte-Lanz design and have not departed from this practice. This
consists of a short parallel body with a long rounded bow and a long
tapering stem culminating in a point. The overall length of the ship
is 643 feet with a diameter of 79 feet and an extreme height of 92 feet.
The type of girders in this class has been much altered from those in
previous ships. The hull is fitted with an internal triangular keel
throughout practically the entire length. This forms the main corridor
of the ship, and is fitted with a footway down the centre for its
entire length. It contains water ballast and petrol tanks, bomb
stowage and crew accommodation and the various control wires, petrol
pipes and electric leads are carried along the lower part.
Throughout this internal corridor runs a bridge girder, from which the
petrol and water ballast tanks are supported. These tanks are so
arranged that they can be dropped clear of the ship.
Amidships is the cabin space with sufficient room for a crew of
twenty-five. Hammocks can be slung from the bridge girder before
mentioned.
In accordance with the latest Zeppelin practice, monoplane rudders and
elevators are fitted to the horizontal and vertical fins.
The ship is supported in the air by nineteen gasbags which give a total
capacity of approximately two million cubic feet of gas. The gross lift
works out at approximately 59 1/2 tons, of which the total fixed weight
is 33 tons, giving a disposable lift of 26 1/2 tons.
The arrangement of cars is as follows: At the forward end the control
car is slung, which contains all navigating instruments and the various
controls. Adjoining this is the wireless cabin, which is also fitted
for wireless telephony. Immediately aft of this is the forward power
car containing one engine, which gives the appearance that the whole is
one large car.
Amidships are two wing cars each containing a single engine. These are
small and just accommodate the engine with sufficient room for
mechanics to attend to them. Further aft is another larger car which
contains an auxiliary control position and two engines.
It will thus be seen that five engines are installed in the ship; these
are all of the same type and horse-power, namely, 250 horse-power
Sunbeam. R 33 was constructed by Messrs. Armstrong Whitworth Ltd.,
while her sister ship R 34 was built by Messrs. Beardmore on the Clyde.
In the spring of 1918, R 33 and R 34 carried out several flight trials,
and though various difficulties were encountered both with the engines
and also with the elevator and rudder controls, it was evident that,
with these defects remedied, each of these ships would prove to be
singularly reliable.
On one of these trials made by R 34, exceedingly bad weather was
encountered, and the airship passed through several blinding
snowstorms; nevertheless the proposed flight of some seventeen hours
was completed, and though at times progress was practically nil owing
to the extreme force of the wind, the station was reached in safety and
the ship landed without any contretemps. This trial run having been
accomplished in weather such as would never have been chosen in the
earlier days of rigid trial flights, those connected with the airship
felt that their confidence in the vessel's capabilities was by no means
exaggerated.
The lift of the ship warranted a greater supply of petrol being carried
than there was accommodation for, and the engines by now had been
"tuned up" to a high standard of efficiency. Accordingly it was
considered that the ship possessed the necessary qualifications for a
transatlantic flight. It was, moreover, the opinion of the leading
officers of the airship service that such an enterprise would be of
inestimable value to the airship itself, as demonstrating its utility
in the future for commercial purposes.
Efforts were made to obtain permission for the flight to be attempted,
and although at first the naval authorities were disinclined to risk
such a valuable ship on what appeared to be an adventure of doubtful
outcome, eventually all opposition was overcome and it was agreed that
for the purposes of this voyage the ship was to be taken over by the
Air Ministry from the Admiralty.
Work was started immediately to fit out the ship for a journey of this
description. Extra petrol tanks were disposed in the hull structure to
enable a greater supply of fuel to be carried, a new and improved type
of outer cover was fitted, and by May 29th, R 34 was completed to the
satisfaction of the Admiralty and was accepted. On the evening of the
same day she left for her station, East Fortune, on the Firth of Forth.
This short passage from the Clyde to the Forth was not devoid of
incident, as soon after leaving the ground a low-lying fog enveloped
the whole country and it was found impossible to land with any degree
of safety. It having been resolved not to land until the fog lifted,
the airship cruised about the north-east coast of England and even came
as far south as York. Returning to Scotland, she found the fog had
cleared, and was landed safely, having been in the air for 21 hours.
The original intention was that the Atlantic flight should be made at
the beginning of June, but the apparent unwillingness of the Germans to
sign the Peace Treaty caused the Admiralty to retain the ship for a
time and commission her on a war footing. During this period she went
for an extended cruise over Denmark, along the north coast of Germany
and over the Baltic. This flight was accomplished in 56 hours, during
which extremely bad weather conditions were experienced at times. On
its conclusion captain and crew of the ship expressed their opinion
that the crossing of the Atlantic was with ordinary luck a moral
certainty. Peace having been signed, the ship was overhauled once more
and made ready for the flight, and the day selected some three weeks
before was July 2nd.
A selected party of air-service ratings, together with two officers,
were sent over to America to make all the necessary arrangements, and
the American authorities afforded every conceivable facility to render
the flight successful.
As there is no shed in America capable of housing a big rigid, there
was no alternative but to moor her out in the open, replenish supplies
of gas and fuel and make the return journey as quickly as possible.
On July 2nd, at 2.38 a.m. (British summer time), R 34 left the ground
at East Fortune, carrying a total number of 30 persons. The route
followed was a somewhat northerly one, the north coast of Ireland being
skirted and a more or less direct course was kept to Newfoundland.
From thence the south-east coast of Nova Scotia was followed and the
mainland was picked up near Cape Cod.
From Cape Cod the airship proceeded to Mineola, the landing place on
Long Island. All went well until Newfoundland was reached. Over this
island fog was encountered, and later electrical storms became a
disturbing element when over Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy. The
course had to be altered to avoid these storms, and owing to this the
petrol began to run short. No anxiety was occasioned until on
Saturday, July 5th, a wireless signal was sent at 3.59 p.m. asking for
assistance, and destroyers were dispatched immediately to the scene.
Later messages were received indicating that the position was very
acute, as head winds were being encountered and petrol was running
short. The airship, however, struggled on, and though at one time the
possibility of landing at Montauk, at the northern end of Long Island,
was considered, she managed after a night of considerable anxiety to
reach Mineola and land there in safety on July 6th at 9.55 a.m.
(British summer time). The total duration of the outward voyage was
108 hours 12 minutes, and during this time some 3,136 sea miles were
covered. R 34 remained at Mineola until midnight of July 9th according
to American time. During the four days in which she was moored out
variable weather was experienced, and in a gale of wind the mooring
point was torn out, but fortunately, another trail rope was dropped and
made fast, and the airship did not break away.
It was intended that the return should be delayed until daylight, in
order that spectators in New York should obtain a good view of the
airship, but an approaching storm was reported and the preparations
were advanced for her immediate departure. During the last half-hour
great difficulty was experienced in holding the ship while gassing was
completed.
At 5.57 a.m. (British summer time) R 34 set out on her return voyage,
steering for New York, to fly over the city before heading out into the
Atlantic. She was picked up by the searchlights and was distinctly
visible to an enormous concourse of spectators. During the early part
of the flight a strong following wind was of great assistance, and for
a short period an air speed of 83 miles per hour was attained. On the
morning of July 11th the foremost of the two engines in the after car
broke down and was found to be beyond repair. The remainder of the
voyage was accomplished without further incident. On July 12th at
noon, a signal was sent telling R 34 to proceed to the airship station
at Pulham in Norfolk as the weather was unfavourable for landing in
Scotland. On the same day at 8.25 p.m., land was first sighted and the
coast line was crossed near Clifden, county Galway, at 9 p.m. On the
following morning, July 13th, at 7.57 a.m. (British summer time), the
long voyage was completed and R 34 was safely housed in the shed,
having been in the air 75 hours 3 minutes.
Thus a most remarkable undertaking was brought to a successful
conclusion. The weather experienced was by no means abnormally good.
This was not an opportunity waited for for weeks and then hurriedly
snatched, but on the preordained date the flight was commenced. The
airship enthusiast had always declared that the crossing of the
Atlantic presented no insuperable difficulty, and when the moment
arrived the sceptics found that he was correct. We may therefore assume
that this flight is a very important landmark in the history of aerial
transport, and has demonstrated that the airship is to be the medium
for long-distance travel. We may rest assured that such flights,
although creating universal wonder to-day, will of a surety be accepted
as everyday occurrences before the world is many years older.
CHAPTER VIII
THE WORK OF THE AIRSHIP IN THE WORLD WAR
The outbreak of war found us, as we have seen, practically without
airships of any military value. For this unfortunate circumstance
there were many contributory causes. The development of aeronautics
generally in this country was behind that of the Continent, and the
airship had suffered to a greater extent than either the seaplane or
the aeroplane. Our attitude in fact towards the air had not altered so
very greatly from that of the man who remarked, on reading in his paper
that some pioneer of aviation had met with destruction, "If we had been
meant to fly, God would have given us wings." Absurd as this sounds
nowadays, it was the opinion of most people in this country, with the
exception of a few enthusiasts, until only a few years before we were
plunged into war.
The year 1909 saw the vindication of the enthusiasts, for in this
summer Bleriot crossed the Channel in an aeroplane, and the first
passenger-carrying Zeppelin airship was completed. Those who had
previously scoffed came to the conclusion that flying was not only
possible but an accomplished fact, and the next two years with their
great aerial cross-country circuits revealed the vast potentialities of
aircraft in assisting in military operations. We, therefore, began to
study aeronautics as the science of the future, and aircraft as an
adjunct to the sea and land forces of the empire.
The airship, unfortunately, suffered for many reasons from the lack of
encouragement afforded generally to the development of aeronautics.
The airship undoubtedly is expensive, and one airship of size costs
more to build than many aeroplanes. In addition, everything connected
with the airship is a source of considerable outlay. The shed to house
an airship is a most costly undertaking, and takes time and an
expenditure of material to erect, and bears no comparison with the
cheap hangar which can be run up in a moment to accommodate the
aeroplane. The gas to lift the airship is by no means a cheap
commodity. If it is to be made on the station where the airship is
based, it necessitates the provision of an expensive and elaborate
plant. If, on the other hand, it is to be manufactured at a factory,
the question of transport comes in, which is a further source of
expense with costly hydrogen tubes for its conveyance.
Another drawback is the large tract of ground required for an
aerodrome, and the big airship needs a large number of highly-trained
personnel to handle it.
A further point always, raised when the policy of developing the
airship was mooted is its vulnerability. It cannot be denied that it
presents a large target to artillery or to the aeroplane attacking it,
and owing to the highly inflammable nature of hydrogen when mixed with
air there can be no escape if the gas containers are pierced by
incendiary bullets or shells.
Another contributing factor to the slow development of the airship was
the lack of private enterprise. Rivalry existed between private firms
for aeroplane contracts which consequently produced improvements in
design; airships could not be produced in this way owing to the high
initial cost, and if the resulting ships ended in failure, as many were
bound to do, there would be no return for a large outlay of capital.
The only way by which private firms could be encouraged to embark on
airship building was by subsidies from the Government, and at this time
the prevalent idea of the doubtful value of the airship was too strong
for money to be voted for this purpose.
To strengthen this argument no demand had either been made from those
in command of the Fleet or from commanders of our Armies for airships
to act as auxiliaries to our forces.
The disasters experienced by all early airships and most particularly
by the Zeppelins were always seized upon by those who desired to
convince the country what unstable craft they were, and however safe in
the air they might be were always liable to be wrecked when landing in
anything but fine weather. Those who might have sunk their money in
airship building thereupon patted themselves upon the back and rejoiced
that they had been so far-seeing as to avoid being engaged upon such a
profitless industry.
Finally, all in authority were agreed to adopt the policy of letting
other countries buy their experience and to profit from it at a later
date. Had the war been postponed for another twenty years all might
have been well, and we should have reaped the benefit, but most
calamitously for ourselves it arrived when we were utterly unprepared,
and having, as we repeat, only three airships of any military value.
With these three ships, Astra-Torres (No. 3), Parseval (No. 4) and
Beta, the Navy did all that was possible. At the very outbreak of war
scouting trips were made out into the North Sea beyond the mouth of the
Thames by the Astra and Parseval, and both these ships patrolled the
Channel during the passage of the Expeditionary Force.
The Astra was also employed off the Belgian coast to assist the naval
landing party at Ostend, and together with the Parseval assisted in
patrolling the Channel during the first winter of the war.
The Beta was also sent over to Dunkirk to assist in spotting for
artillery fire and locating German batteries on the Belgian coast. Our
airships were also employed for aerial inspection of London and other
large towns by night to examine the effects of lighting restrictions
and obtain information for our anti-aircraft batteries.
With the single exception of the S.S. ship, which carried out certain
manoeuvres in France in the summer of 1916, our airships were confined
to operations over the sea; but if we had possessed ships of greater
reliability in the early days of the war, it is conceivable that they
would have been of value for certain purposes to the Army. The Germans
employed their Zeppelins at the bombardment of Antwerp, Warsaw, Nancy
and Libau, and their raids on England are too well remembered to need
description. The French also used airships for the observation of
troops mobilizing and for the destruction of railway depots. The
Italians relied entirely at the beginning of the war on airships,
constructed to fly at great heights, for the bombing of Austrian troops
and territory, and met with a considerable measure of success.
When it was decided, early in 1915, to develop the airship for
anti-submarine work difficulties which appeared almost insuperable were
encountered at first. To begin with, there were practically no firms
in the country capable of airship production. The construction of
envelopes was a great problem; as rubber-proofed fabric had been found
by experiment to yield the best results for the holding of gas, various
waterproofing firms were invited to make envelopes, and by
whole-hearted efforts and untiring industry they at last provided very
excellent samples. Fins, rudder planes, and cars were also entrusted to
firms which had had no previous experience of this class of work, and
it is rather curious to reflect that envelopes were produced by the
makers of mackintoshes and that cars and planes were constructed by a
shop-window furnisher. This was a sure sign that all classes of the
community were pulling together for the good of the common cause.
Among other difficulties was the shortage of hydrogen tubes, plants,
and the silicol for making gas.
Sufficient sheds and aerodromes were also lacking, and the airships
themselves were completed more quickly than the sheds which were to
house them.
The lack of airship personnel to meet the expansion of the service
presented a further obstacle. To overcome this the system of direct
entry into the R.N.A.S. was instituted, which enabled pilots to be
enrolled from civil life in addition to the midshipmen who were drafted
from the Fleet. The majority of the ratings were recruited from civil
life and given instruction in rigging and aero-engines as quickly as
possible, while technical officers were nearly all civilians and
granted commissions in the R.N.V.R.
A tremendous drawback was the absence of rigid airships and the lack of
duralumin with which to construct them.
Few men were also experienced in airship work at this time, and there
was no central airship training establishment as was afterwards
instituted. Pilots were instructed as occasion permitted at the
various patrol stations, having passed a balloon course and undergone a
rudimentary training at various places.
To conclude, the greatest of all difficulties was the shortage of money
voted for airship development, and this was a disadvantage under which
airships laboured even until the conclusion of hostilities.
We have seen previously how the other difficulties were surmounted and
how our airships were evolved, type by type, and the measure of success
which attended them. It is interesting to recall that five years ago
we only possessed three ships capable of flying, and that during the
war we built upwards of two hundred, of which no fewer than 103 were
actually in commission on the date of the signing of the Armistice.
The work carried out by our airships during the war falls under three
main headings:
1. Operations with the fleet or with various units.
2. Anti-submarine patrol and searching for mines.
3. Escort of shipping and examination duties.
With regard to the first heading it is only permissible at present to
say very little; certain manoeuvres were carried out in connection with
the fleet, but the slow development of our rigid airships prohibited
anything on a large scale being attempted. The Germans, on the other
hand, made the fullest use of their Zeppelins for scouting purposes
with the high seas fleet. Responsible people were guilty of a grave
mistake when speaking in public in denouncing the Zeppelin as a useless
monster every time one was destroyed in a raid on this country. The
main function of the Zeppelin airship was to act as an aerial scout,
and it carried out these duties with the utmost efficiency during the
war. It is acknowledged that the German fleet owed its escape after
the Battle of Jutland to the information received from their airships,
while again the Zeppelin was instrumental in effecting the escape of
the flotilla which bombarded Scarborough in 1916.
Very probably, also, the large airship was responsible for the success
which attended the U boats during their attack on the cruisers
Nottingham and Falmouth, and also at the Hogue disaster.
Various experiments were carried out in towing airships by cruisers, in
refuelling while in tow and changing crews, all of which would have
borne good fruit had the war laste
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