Airship

If they could make blimps and rigid airships work 80 years ago I'm sure that with today's weather information it will be much easier

 

I'll never forget seeing the Hindenburg cruising over Washington, DC when I was 10. Impressing sight.

 

Bob, you know we all love you, but sometimes you do make us a bit jealous!

 

He has had his head in the clouds ever since.....

 

That's very nice of you. Many people have told me that my head is up my a....well, you know what.

 

I'm glad that I'm part of the gang, thanks. i never knew what the real purpose of that huge dirigible was when as a little boy I saw it creeping out from above the trees. It was actually frightening because it was low, big, and growling like some kind of monster. For the rest of the day it cruised back and forth over the city making its low throbbing sound. I imagine that they took hundreds of air to ground photos during their stay. And then, the next year it burned at Lakehurst. Nine years later I was stationed at Langley Field where there was still a lighter then air hangar from the Akron and Los Angles dirigible era. Imposing at the northeast end of the field and has since been torn down. I can't quite grasp the sight of Langley now as a vast open empty space of concrete with nothing on it. When I was there all was covered with airplanes. All you could see was B-17's, B-24's , B-25's and a extreme variety of everything else and then there was the NACA lab with all kinds of foreign equipment right next to our barrack. And so what. That was 72 years ago and nobody is concerned about that now but it was interesting.

 

Uh, we are ALL interested, your memories and experiences are what I look forward to most on this site...Keep them coming!

 

+1

Have you got his book?

I've been a little 'sidetracked' recently, but am about half way thru - Great stuff! Thoroughly recommended. And if you ask nicely, he'll even autograph it for you!

Cheers,
Ian

 

Maybe as a retro type of transportation like luxury trains. There have been 3 airship companies that tried to make it ,nothing yet ! Weeksville NC has an old blimp hanger that has been used . There are aerostats being made here ,but all the airship companies have folded. Westinghouse had a blimp hanger here ,but folded. Some of the smaller blimps have been used for tv cameras ( Snooply blimp ,Virgin Air etc) ,I guess that drones will probably win out. It would be a great way to travel ,if your time table is not important .

Edward

 

Jim, I couldn't get what type of power this thing has. Ducted fans,? I feel that with the greater horsepower/ thrust that's available today that this vehicle will not be as vulnerable as the rigid airships of the past. High winds and updrafts killed a lot of them, The Macon for one and the Shenandoah if I remember. Hugo Eckner saved the Graff Zeppelin a couple of times by exercising great skill in freakish winds when they were landing and one on take off. One of the scariest stories about that dirigible was when Eckner's son and some crew members had to patch a hole in the fabric on top of the hull and they worked on it in flight over the Atlantic Ocean without any tethers or other safety gear. They walked and worked within the boundary layer and barely got it fixed when Eckner had to power up and climb away from the ocean that was 50 feet below the craft. Eckner knew that his son was still up there when he applied full power to start the climb. It was routine for the engine operators to climb down ladders in between the airship and nacelles to do their duties. It was a different world then. No OSHA.

 

I'm really struggling to figure out the point of this thing at $1B+. My bet is that it crashes financially.

 

Incidentally, used to drive by the big airship hangars in Beds, UK during my monthly treks up to RAF Lakenheath for cases of Budweiser for my RAF crew chiefs. Impressive site those hangars.

 

1) Heavy lift ability was one thing mentioned in the documentary I watched about this thing.
2) Economical loiter time of days/weeks/months?
3) You are probably correct that the it will crash financially if it is presumed to be self-supporting. I'm guessing as long as there is an influx of capital of any sort it will continue to fly.

 

I have seen that show ,especially about the heavy lift .The local co. had developed a diesel power airship that could stay aloft several weeks . The DOD has looked at these ideas several times but the expense was too high . The advertizing airships (Met Life Snoopy airship etc) leased for about $30 k /month. The ground support crews and equipment were substantial . They still are pretty cool they fly around Elizabeth City NC quite frequently.I actually live on the old airship base where the were building these. Google Weeksville NC airship base and check the pictures . We are about 2miles from the USCG air base KECG. If you have any reason to be nearby drive down I'll give you a tour . Elizabeth City NC is about 50miles south of the Norfolk/VA. Beach area . Eliazabeth City Nc sits right on the Pasquotank River (very pretty ) if you visit OBX for vacation ,take a day trip and drive up. FYI the USCG Air station/base is the largest USCG air station they have . Great a joint use airport ,good fuel prices .

Edward