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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 1313.PDF
OCTOBER 2., 1919 FRENCH NAVAL AIRSHIPS Their Development During the War By RAFEX IN view of the fact that the exhibition of " Airships in Peace andlWar," now open at the Prince's Galleries, contains a number of photographs and other exhibits of various types of French airships, the time may not be inopportune for giving a short account of the development of the French Naval Airship Service during the War, from details which have just become available. While hostilities continued, it was naturally impossible to publish even the somewhat meagre information which reached us as to the doings of our French Allies. As, how ever, the French Government are taking active steps towards the development of commercial aircraft, both aeroplanes and airships, the details of what has been done in the way of design^during the War are not without interest, giving, as they do, an idea of what may be expected in the future. An additional reason for giving the subject some close con sideration is afforded by the fact that the Government of the United States purchased a number of airships from France ; which may be expected to have an influence on Transatlantic progress and design in the future. The French Naval Airship Service was formed in 1916, the British airship station at Marquise, near Boulogne, being taken over on January 1 in that year. Its real progress did not begin, however, until 1917, and it would not have reached its full development until the campaign of 1919. In the early stages great assistance was derived from the collaboration of the Military Airship Service, which had been in existence for many years, and the union of the two services was rendered complete by the formation at the end of 1917 of the Under-Secretariat of State for Military and Naval Aviation. Airship Stations On the inception of the Service in 1916, three airship stations were commissioned : at Bizerta, Havre and Marquise ; while two further stations were commenced at Rochefort and Aubagne, near Marseilles. In October of the same year a programme was lard down for the establishment of further stations at Montebourg (Cherbourg), Guipavas (Brest), Oran and Alger (both in Africa). The position was, then, at this time that nine stations were proposed, of which thiee only were in existence, there being one shed at each station. In July, 1917, a further programme was approved involving the construction of stations at Paimbceuf, Arcachon, Ajaccio and Corfu. At the same time the number of sheds at most of the stations previously mentioned was doubled, the size of the new sheds being 79 ft. by 92 ft. by 492 ft. in place of the 65 £ ft. by 72 ft. by 492 ft. of the earlier type. In addition, doors were provided at both ends and windscreens were fitted. In January, 1918, the programme was again increased from 13 to 17 stations, by the laying down of a new station at Treport, the taking-over of a portion of the military stations at St. Cyr and Issy-les-Moulineaux, and the establish ment of an American airship station at Brest. At the time of the Armistice, 14 but of this total of 17 stations were in commission, with 22 sheds in all; the stations at Ajaccio, Treport, and Arcachon (American) not having been com pleted. Airships At the end of 1916 there were six airships in commission :— Four scouts ; three S.S. type, purchased from Great Britain, of 60,000 cub. ft. capacity, and one Zodiac of 70,000 cub. ft. which had been presented to the Service. One " Coastal " of 170,000 cub. ft. capacity, purchased from Great Britain. The " Tunisie " of 370,000 cub. ft. capacity, taken over from the military authorities. This was a somewhat heterogeneous collection, and it was, therefore, decided to evolve classes of ship suitable for the particular work required of them. The general functions for which the airships were to be used were threefold : submarine patrols, escort of convoys, location of mines. The matter was further complicated by the fact that the airships would be required to operate in different localities : in narrow seas with moderate tempera tures, such as the Channel ; over seas where high tempera tures would be met with and of considerable width, such as the Mediterranean, and in the Atlantic for the protection of convoys of troops and munitions coming from America. The airships for use in the Channel must be handy, numerous and fast; while their range need only be small. The follow ing specification was evolved to fulfil these requirements :— Engines.—Two 80 h.p. Renault. The-car of the •' Capitaine Caussin." 1315
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