Zeppelinheim

The ZRS-class USS Akron and USS Macon, both fabricated by Goodyear Aircraft Co. in Akron, served as part of a massive experiment. Their purpose as proof of concept models for a skeptic Navy was masked by the vast complexity and performance of the two ships. Cross section of the USS Akron, Circa 1931 The ZRS designation stood for 'Lighter Than Air (The 'Z' likely being an homage to Zeppelin) Rigid Scout'. The ship's F9C Sparrowhawk fighters were designed to serve as both protective 'parasite' fighters, dispatched to eliminate threats to the larger mothership, as well as reconnaissance vehicles, their range vastly expanded by the ultra-long distance capabilities of the airship. The next generation airship would represent a great step in naval aviation. The ZRCV designation belied their true role, CV was the navy abbreviation for Carrier Vehicle, as flying aircraft carriers. This advertisement offers a tantalizing glimpse at the ZRCV airship. The ill...

14 DIE IN SHENANDOAH CRASH With this headline, on the morning of September 3rd, 1925, the Baltimore American announced the crash of the first American rigid airship. The ZR-1 Shenandoah (originally designated "Fleet Airship No. 1" represented the start of America's unfortunate association with rigid airships.  Assembled at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station the then FA-1 was copied from a wartime German Zeppelin.  The Shenandoah garnered several firsts during her short career including the first transcontinental airship flight, the first airship to launch aircraft, the first airship to moor to a ship (the U.S.S. Patoka, more about that ship later) and, of course, the first American built airship. The ZR-1 takes shape in the same hangar that would later shelter the Hindenburg. Parts for the airship were fabricated in Philadelphia then shipped to Lakehurst for final assembly.  The Shenandoah is christened after two years of construction The...

EDIT: I'm posting this a day late due to a couple issues with it. I'm considering an "AirshipModeler Report" to summarize the goings on of AirshipModeler over the past week or month as the amount of activity dictates. The A.M. Report ~ Monday, January 21st. Today I am presenting a special version of the first ever A.M. Report.   January 4th, 2013 On January 4th the first thread since AirshipModeler was attacked by malware was posted by "Dirigible_Nut".  This thread can be found here:http://www.airshipmodeler.com/forums/showthread.php?1307-It-s-good-to-have-the-forum-back!! January 7th, 2013 "Hlostoops" (me) posted a thread about the upcoming test flight of "Aeroscraft". An ensuing discussion also provided insight into the technical definition of a rigid airship. http://www.airshipmodeler.com/forums/showthread.php?1309-Aeroscraft-takes-off! January 15th, 2013 Dirigible_Nut" continued work on his model of the R-34: htt...

Great blog with both a review of modeling the Shenandoah, as well as a continuing project on the British H.M.A. R-34. jayveejayaresjunk.blogspot.com Cheers, HENDRICK STOOPS

Next year marks the 90th anniversary of the Shenandoah's all too short career. Christening of the ZR-1 U.S.S. Shenandoah CHEERS, HENDRICK STOOPS

Large passenger airships, despite their ignomius fall from favor, had started promisingly. Despite the common image of the Hindenburg single handedly causing the demise of big rigids, their type of transportation had been delicately balanced between failure and success ever since the British R101 first flew in 1929. Going back several years to 1925, Lord Thomson, the British Minister of Air, proposed the Imperial Airship Scheme, a plan to connect the far flung colonies of the “empire on which the sun never set”, with regular, reliable, and expedient airship service. Accordingly, facilities were built in St. Hubert’s Canada, and Karachi, India, with a planned site in Australia being considered. The plan was both farsighted and brilliant, perhaps too much for its own good. Two experimental ships were ordered to serve as a large test as to whether the Scheme was feasible. The first ship, the R-100, was to be built by private companies and was quickly named “The Capitalist Ship...

Quick note: The essay will be posted in 9-10 parts about every other day.  One by one the windows were opened and the people arose from softly upholstered orange chairs. A man showed his three children how far they had come from Frankfurt to New York on the skillfully painted pastel mural of the world on the far side of the lounge. Then, the dirty tops of skyscrapers, one rising above the rest, appeared from out of the clouds. The passengers waved to the visitors of the great building, then pointed towards the parks, the tall statue jutting out of the glimmering harbor, and, below them to the sleek Queen Mary, her three red and black funnels sparkling, pulling into her Cunard pier, before returning to their seats.