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Aviation History
1921
1921 - 0339.PDF
MAY ig, BRITAIN'S FIRST PASSENGER AIRSHIP The "R.36" (G-F.A.A.F.) LAUNCHED a few weeks ago, as recorded in FLIGHT at the time, the " R. 36," built at the Inchinnan works of Messrs. Wm. Beardmore and Co., Ltd., is of more than ordinary interest inasmuch as she is the first British airship adapted for pas- senger carrying on a generous scale. In the detail design of the airship there is little new to record, the designs having been got out as long ago as 1918, and'there is little doubt that with the experience gained during the intervening years considerable improvements could be effected. This is in no way a reflection on the skill of the designers or on the capability of the constructors, but merely a result of the rapid progress which characterises all aircraft design. When the change occurred in the airship policy of the Capacity With an overall length of 672 ft. and a maximum diameter of 78 ft. 9 ins., the " R. 36 " has a cubic capacity of close on z,200,000 cubic ft., the hydrogen being contained in 19 gas- bags. The gross lift is about 64 tons under standard condi- tions. The structure weight of the airship is approximately 35 tons, which leaves a lilt of about 29 tons for water ballast, fuel and oil, crew, passengers and cargo. At a cruising speed of 50 m.p.h., the fuel and oil Consumption would probably amount to slightly under 700 lbs./hour, or approximate^ 1,450 lbs. per 100 miles, allowing for a slight head wind This gives a fuel and oil consumption of 0.65 ton per 10c miles, and the duration of the journey will then, of course, THE ' R. 36" : 78 ft. 9 ins. Side elevation, approximately to scale. The overall length is 672 ft. 2 ins., and the diameterThe height from the bumping bags under the cars to the top of the hull is 91 ft. 7 ins. Government, the construction of the " R. 36 " was not suffi- ciently far advanced to preclude her conversion into a pas- senger airship, an4 consequently it was decided to do this, and to use in this manner an airship which had cost large sums of money to build, and which would otherwise have to be wasted. It is to be hoped that some sound scheme for making practical use, not only of the " R. 36," but also of our other airships, will be put forward in time to avoid the destruction of these excellent crafts, and to provide at the same time some valuable and much-needed experience and data for the running of commercial air services under •conditions similar to those which would obtain in practice. There is little doubt that for long-distance non-stop journeys the airship scores over the heavier-than-air type of craft, and while to organise an " all-red " route to India and Aus- tralia or South Africa would be a difficult undertaking with depend upon the number of passengers and the amount of cargo carried. General Construction As already mentioned, there is little that is new in the detail construction of the airship, owing to the fact that it is of fairly old design. The hull is of a good streamline form, with well-shaped ends and a short parallel centre portion extending from frame No. 13 to frame No. 23, or approxi- mately 200 ft. in length. In cross section the ship forms a polygon with 25 sides, all except the bottom being of equal dimensions. These 25 sides are formed by longitudinals built up lattice fashion of Vickers " Duralumin."* Alter- nately the longitudinals are secured to the corners of the main transverse frames, and to king-posts crossing the sides of the frames at right angles. The bottom of the polygon is formed by the base of a triangular section girder running FIRST BRITISH PASSENGER AIRSHIP : " R. 36 " on her trial flight from the Inchinnan works o f Messrs. Beardmore and Co., Ltd. aeroplane and/or seaplanes, a few mooring masts and one or two more permanent bases would be practically all that would be required tj start an airship service to these Dominions overseas. To discard the airship entirely without giving it an opportunity of " making good " as a •commercial craft would be folly, even if those in authority have come to the conclusion that the type does not justify its existence for naval and military purposes. the whole length of the hull and forming a keel or corridor giving access to all parts of the ship. Between each pair of main transverse frames is an intermediate frame, which has no ldng-posts projecting inward, and which, therefore, does not interfere with the gas-bags. These occur between con- secutive main frames, and are separated by the transverse wiring in the plane of the latter. In order to prevent the gas-bags from touching the outer 339
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