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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0210.PDF
MARCH 24. 1921 BRITAIN'S FIRST RIGID PASSENGER AIRSHIP The " R.36" Completed at Inchinnan \ ALTHOUGH late in beginning to take an active interest in airship design and construction, this country has, during the last three or four years, made great strides in this branch of aircraft engineering, and it is probably true to say that at the present time we need not fear foreign competition as far as design and skill in construction is concerned. We wish the same could be said with regard to the use of airships. That, however, is another story. Our airship designers have ac- cumulated during the past years a vast fund of data and experience, and if they are kept together and allowed to continue on the very excellent foundation now built up, there does not appear to be any reason why Great Britain should not supply the world with airships, much as she has supplied the world with surface ships. To show, in quite a small way, what can be accomplished in the way of passenger airship services, some of the airships that were originally planned as service airships are being altered to provide accommodation for a number of passengers, and it had been hoped to run some experimental services during the coming spring and summer. It is now, perhaps, somewhat.doubtful what will be the fate of these ships, and up to the time of writing there does not appear to be any concrete proposal forthcoming in response to Mr. Churchill's offer of giving the ships free, gratis, and for nothing to any firm who would undertake to run services with them. It is, however, to be hoped that means will be found for putting these splendid airships to practical use, so that the work and money spent upon their design and construction may not be entirely wasted. In the meantime a few notes dealing with the " R.36," which is just completed at the Inchinnan works of Messrs. William Beardmore and Co., may not be without interest. At the invitation of the Air Ministry and Messrs. Beardmore's, representatives of the Press paid a visit to tho works at Inchinnan during last week in order to inspect the " R.36," or as she is known in, her commercial capacity, the G-F.A.A.F. Originally designed as a service airship in 1919, the " R.36 " was not sufficiently advanced to preclude the possibility of converting her into a passenger craft when it was decided to abandon the airship programme. This has consequently been done, and in her present shape the G-F.A.A.F. has a most luxuriously equipped passenger accommodation, with room for about 50 passengers. The overall length of the airship is 672 ft. and her diameter is 78 ft. The cubic capacity is 2,101,000 cubic ft., giving a gross lift of 63*8 tons. Out of this about g\ tons lift is available for passengers and/or cargo. When .used as a passenger airship there is, as already mentioned, accommodation for 50 passengers and their luggage, and in addition she carries petrol and oil for a cruise of over 4,000 miles at a cruising speed of about 50 m.p.h. The maximum speed is estimated at about 65 m.p.h. The passenger accommodation is in the form of a long cabin attached to the underside of the hull, forming apparently a unit with the hull, but being in reality a separate structure, divided from the hull and from the engine cars. The car is 130 ft. long, with a floor 9 ft. wide and the sides sloping outward and upwards. The angle thus formed is very convenient for mounting the 50 berths, which are so designed as to fold flat against the sides of the cabin when not in use. Out of the 130 ft. length 84 ft. are set aside for the passengers, the remainder being taken up by galleys, lavatories, luggage compartments, etc. At the forward end is the navi- gation car. The passenger cabin is so .entirely separated from the rest of the airship that it has been decided that it will be quite safe to smoke, so long as ordinary care is exer- cised. This will no doubt prove a great boon to travellers, as it would, to most passengers, be a considerable trial to have to do without a smoke for two or three days. Along the sides of the cabin are arranged tables, easy chairs, etc., and each passenger has a half-share in the table as well as his own chair. The berths are partitioned off by curtains so that at least as much privacy is provided as on board liners with four or more passengers in each cabin. The galley is, needless to say, provided with electric cooking appliances, and hot meals will be served regularly on the journey. Large windows are provided along both sides of the car, so that the passengers should b* able to obtain a most excellent view of the scenery below. Add to this the fact that the engine cars are a considerable distance away, and that consequently there is very little noise and no draught, and it will be realised that airship travel is probably by far the most comfortable mode of transport yet devised. The cabin is long enough and roomy enough to enable the travellers to promenade and thus obtain^ exercise. Altogether it would be difficult to imagine a more convenient and charming method of travel than that afforded by such airships as the " R.36," and it is to be hoped that this airship will be the pioneer of a series of airship services between this country and the colonies. It is hoped that, weather permitting, a trial flight will be made on Friday of this week, NIGHT FLYING ARRANGEMENTS Observation Flight by"R33."—The successful develop- ment of night flying facilities for aircraft is an important factor in the future progress of civil aviation. To assist in this direction experiments have been carried out at the Govern- ment Terminal Aerodrome at Croydort and along the route to the Channel coast with various types of aerial lighthouses, searchlights, pyrotechnic lights and obstruction and landing lights. In order that these different forms may be thoroughly tested by observation from the air, it has been arranged that the civil airship G.F.A.A.G. (late H.M. Airship " R.33 "), which is now carrying out mooring mast experiments at Pulham Airship Station, will undertake an observational flight along the London-Folkestone route. Owing to the comparative nature of the observations to be made, it is necessary to "select a clear night for the tests. As the ship is not housed but moored at the mast between flights, this observational flight can take place at short notice and will be carried out on the first suitable occasion. The programme provides that the ship will leave the mast at Pulham Airship Station shortly after dusk, will proceed over London to the neighbourhood of Croydon Aerodrome, and will test the range and efficiency of the aerial lighthouse and searchlights from the point of view of easy location of aerodromes. Observers will also decide on the value of certain pyrotechnic aids to navigation and examine the obstruction lights, and, if they are completed, the illuminated landing " Ls " •which are being fitted to provide a semi-automatic indication to aeroplane pilots of the direction and position in which they should land and take off. Observation will also be made of a new " Cone " light which is being experimented with as a local pilotage light at aerodromes. This light is projected down- wards on to a white cone and, if found to be satisfactory, will be used as the main location light at Cvil aerodromes, the aerial lighthouse proper being reserved for marking inter- mediate points on routes. From Croydon the airship will proceed along the London Continental route to Lympne where she will survey from thp air a spot that has been tentatively selected for an aerial lighthouse. For observation purposes a small war-type lighthouse has been temporarily erected on the spot. The ship will then pass over the coastline and will carry out observation* of various types of marine lighthouses and lightvessels, in the Channel and the North Sea, which are visible from the air. During the flight wireless practice for direction-finding pur- poses will be carried out, and general wireless telegraph and telephone communication will be maintained with land stations. The flight carried out by the " R.33 " on the night of March 15 was one of the series of routine flights which take place almost daily in connection with the mooring mast experiments. During the night between March 17 and 18, the " R-33 " had an exciting time trying to get from Pulham in Norfolk, where she is stationed, to Croydon, in order to carry out observations on the lighthouses, etc., at the Waddon aero- drome. Leaving her mooring mast at Pulham at 11 p.m., she proceeded in a south-westerly direction, but made little headway, as she was facing a very strong wind of between 45 and 50 m.p.h. It had been arranged that " R.33 " should be over Waddon about 1 a.m., in order to observe the illumination of the white cone recently installed there, but the hours wore on without any news of her. Finally, jus* before one o'clock the wireless operator at Croydon reported that he could hear the " R.33 " speaking by wireless, but could not distinguish her message. No further news of the airship was received until about 2 o'clock, when she gave 210
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