Imperial Valley press., 1915-04-21
UNCLE SAM BUYS
TWO DIRTGIBLES

NeW OK, April ~ Y NIT odlll
today opened bids fer the eonstruc-
tion cf two dirigible balloons for the
United States navy. This is regard
ed as the first sJep toward the test
ing out by this government Of the
value of the Zeppelin type Of air craft.
which has already played a prominent
part IN the European war.
Henry Woodhouse, chairman of the
dirigiblc committee of the Aero Club
of America received from the navy
department last month a batch of pro-
posed blanks and through the efforts
of Mr. Woodhouse it is believed New
York aeronautical circles have become
interested in this latest effort on the
part of the navy to bring its air craft
efficiency up to the high standard
maintained by European powers.
The proposals call for the manu-
faeture of two dirigibes of the non
rigid type. which will not be over 175
feet long by so feet high and 35 feet
wide, capable of carrying a load o.
1000 pounds or more. Uncle Sans
new dirigibles must also be able to
ascend to at least 5000 feet with a
full load without disposing of ballast
and must be able also to come down
not slower than feet per second.
It's not an easy matter to build
an airship under such rigid qualifi-
cations. Not only must the craft have
a speed of % miles or so per hour,
but must he able to keep up such
speed for at least 2 hours. She will
carry a car with an enclosed body,
sufficient to carry crew of 8 men
Another unusual feature of the new
navy airships will be their ability, as
specified in the proposals of contrac
tors, to rest lightly on the water with
out damage and also to move through
the water at slow speed.
When completed the new dirigibles
will he set up at the navy aeronautica,
station, at Pensacola. Fla, where Il
number of trials will be made 10 see
that the air craft come up to all re-
quirements. Some of the stunts they
must perform are interesting.
The first test will be for speed, with
the drigible loaded to capacity. She
will make runs over a measured
course and navy officers viii thus be
enabled to check up accurately on he
real speed. The second test will show
the crafts ability to climb" from
the surface of the water up to and
beyond the specified altitude at full
speed
Once in the air, her height will be
taken with a barograph and she will
begin the descent in an effort to make
the six-feet-a-second requirement
specified in the contract. After these
tests are made, the .airship will be
required to fly steadily for hours
at a speed of % miles per hour o.
more. She must, during this tria|
maintain rea sonably true course
acress q 15-mile puffy wind. In this
same 15-mile wind, the dirigible. must
be brought to and moored to moor
ing mast released after / hour, re
sumo flight and then return to the
housing she'd The final test will be
for leakage. The conditions of the
contract specify that the big ballooa
must not leak more than [ per cen.
in 81 hours.
The navy department is throwing
upon the contractor the responsibility
for training pilot and crew, drawn
from the navy ranks, who will b.
taught to manage the big air craft.
Until the contractor has given them n
thorough course in acronautics $1,000
of the contract price will be withheld
The dirigibles specified in the navy's
contracts are the first bought by this
government and New York dirigiblo
enthusiasts regard the outlook as very
encouraging.