Those things would have been something else. I wonder how the technology would have evolved and matured had Hindenberg-type problems not moved people towarded fixed-wings...
@ Mudpuddle: His Majesty's Airship R100 also known as Emperor of Canada was a privately designed and built British rigid airship made as part of a two-ship competition to develop a commercial airship service for use on British Empire routes as part of the Imperial Airship Scheme. The other airship, the R101, was built by the British Air Ministry, but both airships were funded by the Government.
R100 was built by the Airship Guarantee Company, a specially created subsidiary of the armaments firm Vickers-Armstrongs, led by Commander Dennis Burney. The design team was headed by Barnes Wallis, later famous for his invention of the bouncing bomb. The design team also included Nevil Shute Norway as the senior stress engineer (see Slide Rule).
R100 first flew in December 1929. It made a series of trial flights and a successful return crossing of the Atlantic in July–August 1930, but following the crash of R101 in October 1930 the Imperial Airship Scheme was terminated and R100 was broken up for scrap.
@ 'Unknown' - V V??: The great airships like the Hindenburg where, I think, at the end of their usefulness just before WW2. Even without the explosive Hydrogen issue they were VERY slow (about 60mph) and couldn't carry many passengers (the Hindenburg had 36 passengers & 60+ crew). As a passenger service they just weren't viable. With ocean liners and then regular & reliable trans-Atlantic/Pacific flights they would have gone the way of the Dodo even without the disaster. I laugh heartily whenever anyone tries to bring them back. They are a pure anachronism today. Impressive in their own way but utterly useless.
@ Brian: Oh, I think that airships were already obsolete when the Hindenburg burned in 1937. Heavier-than-air craft where already much faster - and getting faster still - and could carry a similar number of passengers. Range was still an issue but getting better year by year. After WW2 there was no way airships could compete - after all ocean liners lost out eventually too! - no matter what improvements came along. They were pretty amazing in their day (and I'd have LOVED to see one at the time!) but their day was short indeed.
6 comments:
zeppelin
Those things would have been something else. I wonder how the technology would have evolved and matured had Hindenberg-type problems not moved people towarded fixed-wings...
@ Mudpuddle: His Majesty's Airship R100 also known as Emperor of Canada was a privately designed and built British rigid airship made as part of a two-ship competition to develop a commercial airship service for use on British Empire routes as part of the Imperial Airship Scheme. The other airship, the R101, was built by the British Air Ministry, but both airships were funded by the Government.
R100 was built by the Airship Guarantee Company, a specially created subsidiary of the armaments firm Vickers-Armstrongs, led by Commander Dennis Burney. The design team was headed by Barnes Wallis, later famous for his invention of the bouncing bomb. The design team also included Nevil Shute Norway as the senior stress engineer (see Slide Rule).
R100 first flew in December 1929. It made a series of trial flights and a successful return crossing of the Atlantic in July–August 1930, but following the crash of R101 in October 1930 the Imperial Airship Scheme was terminated and R100 was broken up for scrap.
@ 'Unknown' - V V??: The great airships like the Hindenburg where, I think, at the end of their usefulness just before WW2. Even without the explosive Hydrogen issue they were VERY slow (about 60mph) and couldn't carry many passengers (the Hindenburg had 36 passengers & 60+ crew). As a passenger service they just weren't viable. With ocean liners and then regular & reliable trans-Atlantic/Pacific flights they would have gone the way of the Dodo even without the disaster. I laugh heartily whenever anyone tries to bring them back. They are a pure anachronism today. Impressive in their own way but utterly useless.
interesting history bits...
I always loves airships. I also wonder about what Muddpuddle mentions. Imagine if reality were a little different and they continued to be perfected.
@ Brian: Oh, I think that airships were already obsolete when the Hindenburg burned in 1937. Heavier-than-air craft where already much faster - and getting faster still - and could carry a similar number of passengers. Range was still an issue but getting better year by year. After WW2 there was no way airships could compete - after all ocean liners lost out eventually too! - no matter what improvements came along. They were pretty amazing in their day (and I'd have LOVED to see one at the time!) but their day was short indeed.
Books on them (naturally) to come!!
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