Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1916-08-24


says 1t Is, and perhaps people might
just as we'll pocket their scepticism,
sit tight and prepare to welcome the
aerial wondercraft. The doubling
Thomases were bowled over for keeps
when the U-boat Deutschland poked
her nose in through the capes OF the
Chesapeake, and, without other aid
than her beautifully running Diesel
motors, headed for Baltimore at a
tidy clip, writes Robert G. Skerritt In
the New York Sun.
The transatlantic Zeppelin and the
cargo carrying airship are no longer
merely technical possibilities; they
are probabilities. Credible reports
from abroad bear this statement out.
The fact Is the Germans have lately
completed and tested naval super
Zeppelin, one Of numerous class now
under construction, which surpasses
by wide margin anything Of the kind
heretofore built by the Teutons. So
far in advance is this type that the
spanning Of the Atlantic becomes
measurably near.
The Germans have striven hard to
keep the details Of this monster air
craft from the outside world, but the
inevitable leak has developed via Lake
Constance-that body Of water over
which the Germans and the Swiss ex-
ercise divided sovereignty. An Ell
terprising Swiss Journalist learned Of
what was going on at Friedrichshafen.
and his story was promptly printed.
Despite diplomatic efforts the paper
got abroad and the information Is now
available here.
New super.zeppelIn.
Some idea of what the newest Yep
pelin, or rather super-Zeppelin, repre-
sents in the way Of aeronautic devel-
Opment can be gathered from the fact
that the cubical capacity Of her gas
bags Is 100 per cent greater than that
of the largest naval Zeppelin In COM
mission when war was declared. That
Is to say, this titan Of the air can
stow $4,000 cubic meters of gas within
hSI outSL hlS lCpI
sents a lifting power equal to the
raising Of substantially 81 TONS The
dead weight Of the vessel Is matter
Of 40 tons, and in the language Of the
technicist this leaves margin Of 21
tons for the carriage Of useful load.
Until the advent Of this super-type
the longest Zeppelin had total
length Of 46S feet and gas content Of
from 10000 to 10000 cubic meters.
The airship which lately made sue
cessful trips over Lake Constance
has a hull nearly 7SS feet long.
And in the matter Of shape, Count
Zeppelin has made decided departure
from his previous dirigibles. He has
lower resistance to the air, and there
fore per unit Of horsepower he OBJ
tains a speedier and withal a more
manageable and economic craft.
Considered from a military point of
view these gains are Of the greatest
Importance. With cOntrolability and
added speed the builder secures longer
range, added weatherliness and powers
Of offense and defense Of an excep-
tional order.
Driven by Seven PropelIers.
According to the cabled reports the
super-Zeppelin Is driven by seven pro-
pellers. There are three on each side,
supported literally by outstanding fins,
and the seventh propeller projects aft
from the rear gondola. This arrange
ment Is influenced by the modified
form of the after body Of the hull.
The super-Zeppelin has three gon-
dolas In which are placed the motive
power and fourth gondola or central
control station which Is partly housed
within the body Of the keel. The lat
ter forms in addition to the backbone
Of the craft connecting passageway
fore and aft by which all Of the cars
can be reached under cover.
The gondOlas are all armOred with
thin steel plating Of special sort
which has unusual defensive proper
ties. The central station or car Is the
navigational position and also the
point from which bombs or a new type
Of aerial torpedo can be launched. The
launching apparatus reflects the ex-
perience Of the war. The discharge is
controlled electrically and 1t is said
that much greater accuracy in hitting
Is obtainable than has been possible
heretofore.
Each of the englne-bearing gondolas
carries an armament consisting Of a
new model Of semiautomatic gun and
number of machine guns. But there
are other directions In which the
super-Zeppeln has increased her pow
ers Of attack. Forward and aft on
each side are housed rapid-frers.
These are installed inside recesses
within the outer envelope and are nor
mally concealed, In time of action,
the shetering cover Ia dropped and
the guns stand out where they can
command wide angles Of fire laterally
and In vertical plane. This Is dis
tinct departure.
Offensive and Defensive.
On top of the airship near the bow,
Is an eighth gun emplacement and
the weapons there are machine guns
and a novel type of small rapld-fire
mortars. This feature is designed to
deal particularly with attacking aero
planes that might seek to assail the
diridbls from aloft the most prom
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