The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-03-18
FIRST DIRICIBLE
OF u. S. NAVY is
PRIMED FOR AIR
Pioneer Lighter Than At
nosphere Craft Ready
For Use.


| Hartford, March 1S-The compile
ton during the last week of the dirigi-
BILE aIrship DIN. which has been
assembled for the inspection of naval
officers at the state armory in Hart
ford, marks in the estimation of lead
| ing experts, one of the most important
steps of the United States navy, and
is to be used a training ship for
the instrd ction of pi1its. Experts
in aeronautics. believe that this is the
first of what is to become one of the
most important features of national
defense.
The envelope which waS-manufac-
tured at Naugatuck, is 175 feet long.
35 feet in DIANE ter, and has capac-
ity of LA, 800 cubic feet of hydrogen
gas The gondola, which is capable
of carrying a crew of eight men, is
20 feet long, and five feet wide, and
is so built as to float on the water
The entire aircraft stands SO feet
high, weighs 5000 pounds, and, has
a lifting capacity. of 1000 pounds use
full load.
The greatest care possible has been
taken and no expense has been spared
to make this balloon absolutely safe
for the persons who navigate it. The
wreck of the Vanniman balloon at
Atlantic City, with the loss of five
lives and the cost of some SIS, 900 to
100000, to the Goodyear interests
who built the balloon, is still reTnem
bered. Every portion of the cloth
that went into the envelope of this
balloon, was examined with the aid
of a strong light, and wherever the
warp or woof threads appeared to be
separated or thinner than usual,
they are in almost all goods, these
parts have been reinforced, although
the cloth was absolutely new, so that
| = to-, he
strength of the fabric. The conse-
quence is there is a large margin of
safety in the strength <of the enYel-
ope.
The same with the gondola-a very
large margin of safety has been OBJ
served while the balloon for its size
is undoubtedly more powerfully en-
gined than any now in existence.
The state armory at Hartford, was
the only place large enough in Con-
necticut to- permit the assembling of
this big ,airship.
Through the courtesy of General
George M. Cole, the Connecticut Air
craft Co, which built the DN-1 for
the navy has given the use. of the
state armory.
1t is expected that Captain Mark
L. Bristol, head Of the navy aeronau-
teal service. will inspect the aircraft
at Pensacola, Fla, where the govern
place the first ascent will be made.
Captain Bristol realizing the impera-
tive need of this government for air.
craft recommended to Congress the
past month an appropriation Of $1S.-
100000 for aircraft alone. He has stu
died the imperative need of the Unit
ed States and has declared that the
fleet Immediately needed by the navy
department to provide for anything
approaching adequate service calls
for 128 air craft including five dirigi-
bIes This does not include the 1 SO
| additional aircraft that Captain Bris-
told claims should be operated from
Is naval shore stations under the pa
troll service. In this service he claims
Is dirigibIes are needed.
The European experts who have
been working on~the DNT1 to COM
struct this first dir1gible for the Unit
ed states navy are authority for the
statement that only those who have
been in close touch with aeronautics
in Europe can realize what strides the
nations have taken there in the man
ufacture Of and equipping of air
craft 1t is estimated by those, and
others conversant with affairs, that
upwards of $780, 100000 has been
spent at present in aircraft building
by the nations of Europe. The pass
enger service before the war in one
section of Germany is said to have
netted the company in profits over
half a million dollars and great strides
have been made in aircraft since that
time.
The report of the last dirigible
turned out by Germany for the navy
was that she made 8, record trip of
70 hours travelling at the rate of 50
and 100 miles on< the average, and
was in touch every thirty minutes by
wireless with the home station. The
ship carries a useful load of some II
tons, has its own dining room, kitch-
en-, baths, and sleeping compartm envs.
While the first dirigib1e built by
the Connecticut Aircraft Co, is a
small non-rigid affair compared to
the Zeppelins in the other side,
this company is already working out
plans for the construction at once of
larger ship of the rigid type and built
on the lines of the latest models from
the other side.
E. H. Dillon & Co.. 11O5 Main
street are headquarters for stylish
millinery importing all our foreign
goods direct from Paris and purchas-