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Aviation History
1920
1920 - 1042.PDF
SEPTEMBER 30, 1920 THE NEW ITALIAN USUELLI SEMI-RIGID AIRSHIP FROM the experience gained with a previous model—briefmention of which was made in our issue of June 24 last—a much larger and modified ship has been completed just re-cently by its inventor, Celestino Usuelli, a wealthy Italian businessman, with the co-operation of Engineers Prassone,De Nobile and Col. Crocco. The " Roma," as this new ship is named, is of the semi-rigid type, possessing several novel features, and differing constructionally from other semi-rigids in many respects.The results of the preliminary trials were, we understand, quite satisfactory, and according to the figures we have before usits performance appears to be very promising. As at present stern, but unlike that of the Forlanini it is located outside theenvelope, apex downward, flush with the bottom of the latter. The whole girder is divided up into a number of sections, orunits, each of which is joined to the other by means of articu- lated couplings. By this means it is given a certain amount offlexibility in order that it may adapt itself to varying stresses. In the earlier Usuelli a car, containing the power-plant, crew,etc., was suspended from the keel, but in the " Roma " the cabin, for passengers, crew, etc., is contained within thegirder itself, whilst the engines are mounted on the outer sides. The arrangement of the engines, of which there aresix, is somewhat unusual; the first pair (port and starboard) THE ITALIAN SEMI-RIGID AIRSHIP "ROMA " : A three-quarter front view, and (on the right) in flight. constructed the cabin accommodation is for 25 passengers,but we believe that it is intended to make the necessary- alterations whereby this number will be increased to 100.For a semi-rigid the " Roma " is comparatively large, being 410 ft. in length and about 83 ft. in diameter, whilst thecapacity is 1,200,000 cu. ft. The total weight of the ship is round about 37 tons, 19 tons of which includes fuel, ballast,crew, etc.- "With fuel and ballast for 600 miles the actual useful load available comes out at about 10 tons, which isCertainly remarkably good. The maximum speed of the " Roma " is 80 m.p.h., and the cruising or economical speedis 56 jn.p.h., giving a range of action of 3 000 miles. The principal feature of the Usuelli airships is the rigidkeel. As in the case of the Forlanini airships, this consists of a triangular-section girder framework extending from nose to of engines have their axes inclined at an angle of 12 deg.over the diametrical plan of the ship, the second pair have an inclination of 10 deg. and the third pair are parallel to theline of flight. The object of this arrangement is to prevent interference of the slip-streams between each pair of engines.The engines are 400 h.p. 12-cyl.AnsaldoV-type, driving directly 11 ft. 6 in. propellers. ^ The envelope, which is of fair streamline shape, is dividedinto 12 gas compartments, and has six ballonets. It is slightly bi-lunated, somewhat after the fashion of the Astra-Torres airships. It will be seen that the front of the keel curves up to the extreme tip of the nose of the envelope,where" a large braced cupola serves to stiffen the front of the ship and prevent it from being blown in at high speeds. As is general practice in Italian airships, the control surfaces THE ITALIAN SEMI-RIGID AIRSHIP "ROMA " : Side and rear views. IO44 r
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