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Aviation History
1975
1975 - 1709.PDF
LIBRARY RIGHT Internclional, 28 August 1975 Rigid Airships ZMtS-4 Akron The Americans, like the Germans and British, persevered with rigid airships through the 1920s and into the 1930s. After delivery of Los Angeles from Germany in 1924, the US Govern ment decided that two large rigid airships should be built for the Navy by the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation, formed in September 1923 with Zeppelin rights in North America. Under the agreement a team of German engineers went to Akron in November 1924 but did not start work on the new airships until four years later. The airships were to have novel structures with deep frames, three keels and German Maybach petrol engines enclosed within the hull and driving swivelling propellers. The gas bags contained non-inflammable helium. ZRS-4 Akron, the first airship, was completed ard flown on September 23, 1931. The second, ZRS-5 Macon, followed on April 21, 1933, by which time Akron had been wrecK3d in a storm at sea with the loss of 73 lives. Macon was lost nearly two years later, also at sea but from structural failure and with the loss of only two lives. The American rigids were for naval use. They were intended to operate with the fleet. A small hangar space within the air ship hull accommodated three or four small fighter/dive- bombers which could be launched and retrieved in flight to extend the airship's reconnaissance capabilities. The Ameri cans stopped rigid airship development after the loss of Macon. Type: Goodyear-Zeppelin ZRS-4 Akron Manufacturer: Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation Where built: Akron Chief Designer: K. Arnstein Number of type built: 2 Main structural material: Duralumin Design start: October 1928 First flight of type: September 23, 1931 Power plant: Eight 570 h.p. Maybach VL2 Dimensions: Gas capacity (100 per cent inflation): 193,970m3 Overall length: 233m Max diameter: 40 5m Spacing of main frames: 22-5m Fineness ratio: 5-9 Number of gasbags: 12 Number of main longitudinals: 36 Weights: Empty weight: 111,000kg Typical gross lift: 209,200kg (He) Max fuel tankage: 56,250kg Number of crew: 60, passengers: Nil Performance: Max speed: 37-6m/sec Max range: 17,000km at speed of 23-8m/sec Price: $5,375,000 (£6,450,000 in 1974 values) Number fourteen in a series of fifteen.
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