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Aviation History
1937
1937 - 1032.PDF
338 FLIGHT. APRIL 22, 1937. •~v — ma mW^^M \ TT*I f SQCf5 "Experimental Facilities It would seem that a number of such ships, drifting high up in predetermined positions, each in continuous wireless con tact with ground stations, each under the orders of an officer on the ground who could direct them to get under power at any time and to proceed anywhere he thought necessary, would be a matter of great importance to anti-aircraft defence, especially as concerns the rapidity with which the earliest possible information could be transmitted. The scheme also has the advantage that it would be easy to experiment with in peace time. Anotliei advantage is that no great expense would be in volved. There are still a number of dirigible sheds with hydro gen plants ip various parts of the country. They would be perfectly suitable for the housing, overhauling and even con structing of airships of this type, and the Service must have numbers of old engines, obsolescent for modern aeroplanes, which would do admirablv for these airships. The Napier Lion is a good example. But there is one reason whv this should be done now if it is to be done at all. There are hardly any experienced airship officers or men in the Service at present. On the retired list When inside she could still continue her job and, obviously, she would be safe, remembering that she would still be drift ing and would, therefore, be moving at the cloud's speed. Even if a refuge of this kind is not available it is difficult to imagine that a hostile bombing squadron would detach a unit to attack her. Bombing aeroplanes would naturally carry the minimum amount of fuel considered necessary for. the job in hand, so that the bomb load would be a maximum, and it is difficult to imagine one of them wasting fuel chasing dirigibles. Apart from this, the airship would carry machine guns which would be operating from a very steady platform. She would naturally be coloured, possibly black, so as to be as inconspicuous as possible, and if she was inflated with helium she would not be at all easy to bring down—at any rate, with machine guns. Further, there is always a good chance that her gunners would hit a vital part of the attacking bomber, in which case there would be one enemy aircraft the less. In the last resort, such as a collision, the crew would have parachutes, but if this occurred both aircraft would be lost and the profit and loss account would probably be to the advantage of the defence. A scale drawing of the N.S. airship This 360,000 cu. ft. type measured 262ft. over all, carried a crew of eight, and had two 250-260 h. p. engines. there are a number who have had much experience, and many of these must be still in good health, and, though somewhat over age, would make an admirable nucleus. They could com mand and man the earlier ships and, while doing so, would train younger crews. I do not doubt that most of the retired airship officers and men would be delighted to go back to the Service for this purpose. But in a few more years most of these will be too old, and if the matter was left it would be necessary to start without any experience of the practical opera tion of airships, and the development and crewing would be a very considerable difficulty, as everything would have to be relearnt. Hence, it is important to act now. It remains to indicate a type of airship which would fulfil both these lequirements, though the equipment carried would naturally differ according to the type of service required, the listening apparatus or the bombs being the main alternatives. 1 suggest that the North Sea type, developed towards the end of the Great War, if brought up to date and fitted with modern engines, would fulfil the requirements admirably. This airship had a gas capacity of 360,000 cubic feet, a disposable lift of 8,500 lb. and, fitted with two 250 h.p. motors, a maximum speed of 48 knots. One of these ships succeeded in remaining in the air for over ioo hours, but with modern engines of lighter weight and better fuel economy there is no doubt this figure could be easily exceeded. An airship of this size could have a machine-gun position on the top of the envelope if considered necessary. They were comfortable ships, the whole of the cabin accommodation being covered in by duralumin sheeting or fabric, and they carried their two engines on sponsons behind the nacelle. Possibly some of the sea-scouting work could be carried out by smaller airships of the S.S. type, and these small ships might be used for training, but this is rather a matter of detail. The smaller S.S. type, drawn to the same scale as the N.S. above. A 70,000 cu. propelled by a single 75 h.p. engine. ship, it carried a crew of three and was
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