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Aviation History
1941
1941 - 0225.PDF
JANUARY 23RD, 1941. Washington's new airport was viewed by the author from a non-rigid. OVER GRAVELLY POINT in a BLIMP Farther American Experience by the Amazing President of the Royal Aeronautical Society ?S Bv GRJFFJ THE Washington Press is jubilant in.declaring^the U.S. Army has stepped aside to make,able to Great Britain 46 giant four-engine^ long- range bombers in time for an anticipated sr^mg-time aerial offensive. This is an example of the gqeu will one hears everywhere over here. In Ameriga, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, there are civil airports all pro- vided with hard runways on which the heaviest machines are landing all day and all night. Has England similar facilities for heavy land machines ? Although Washington is not on the main route from New York to the "-Coast," if has three airports: the Navy, the Army and the Civil, each with its runways. The civil airport is one of the oldest, and is now con- sidered inadequate for the air traffic. A new airport is therefore being constructed at Gravelly Point, anc\ as it is not open for inspection on the ground, I took advantage of the Goodyear airship to obtain an air view of its construction and location. I went to the old Hoover airport, which is only a mile away from the centre of the city, and paid my $3 BREWER for a seat in the so-called " Blfmp." The air was calm and clear, ideal for a sight-seeing trip over Washington. I was the only embarking passenger. On the ground a crew of ten husky men awaited the approach of the airship. Four of them caught the land- ing guys which hung from the bows, and as the airship came down on its spring-supported swivel wheel below the car, the others ran to the supporting rail and held the ship firmly as the three passengers alighted. The ground crew had judged my weight while I walked to the landing spot, and as fhe passengers got out balanced the lift by putting in some 25 lb. bags of shot to make up the deficiency. Their judgment was so good that the exact amount of lift was secured without further weighing up, and in two and a half minutes after landing the airship was released and we started on the regulation twenty-minute flight over Washington. The airship rose at an angle of 20 deg. with both propellers pushing, and in less than a minute we were at 1,200ft. and going along at 40 miles an hour. We crossed the Potomac and went over the Lincoln
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