The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-07-09
(py Tho Associated Press)

distance OF some Sb ydluNi thV Il"l'
10 which the visitors TO Roosevelt
field are held by the military police,
the immense British airship R-54
presents innumerablc possibilities and
many explanations OF the probable
interior mechanism Of the monster
Graf, have been advanced. Officers
of the United States army and the
navy aviation sections have been per
mi,,ed to inspect the ship and Capt
Samuel +. Moore OF the balloon sec
tion of the army, today gave to he
Associated Press representative de-
scrip,ion OF the first llghter-than air
ship to cross the Atlantic.
Control Mechanism.
The R-J4 is 90 feet in length with
four cars or gondolas suspended IRON
the cigar shaped envelope. The Tor
ward gordola is occupied by the navi-
gator and pilots and from IT all parts
OF the ship are controlled by means
OF speaking tubes and bell signals.
Here also is the mechanism FOR con-.
trolling the water ballast tanks. OF
the two pilot wheels in this forward
car, the front wheel controls the rud
der, while the side wheel controls the
elevator planes. This car also con-
tains the navigator's plotting table,
where he makes his charts and here
also are his navigating instruments.
In the rear OF the forward gopdoIa
Is the wireless room which also holds
one OF the ships engines From the
navigator's car ladder OF aluminium
runs to the ship proper above. This
ladder is enclosed and 20 the observer
AZ distance IT resembles a tube The
two side gondolas. each contain an
engine and are only large enough for
two men to work The rear car holds
two engines.
Inside is Mystery.
While the pondolas can be seen BY
visitors to the field, little or nothing
has been allowed to filter out con
cernng the inside OF the big bag In
side the bag is the deck OF the ship
II runs the greater part OF the length
OF the bar and is only nine inches
wide except at It's middle where II
wdens out into a compartment SNl
feet used by the officers and crew a,
a dining room
The hydrogen gas-thc lifting pow
cr OF the ship, carried III eighttO
compartments inside the envelope
These compartments arc a, the top o
the ship and each is OF about cQua
gas capacity and is equipped with Al
automatic hand valve for the conito
Of the gas contained in them. Ih"S
gas compartments are OF gold beate
skin. which in common language j.
nothing more than the Innings OF III
t.ktincs OF calves
Final Initiation Before Start
When ready to start on flight iht
final initiation of these gas containcr
is made This operation takes plac,
usually at the minimum temperatur,
OF the air when the greatest quantity
of gas can be taken into he bags
The expansion OF gas in the bags j.
relieved by releasing water ballast a
the rate Of ten percent OF water in z
degrees OF rising temperature. Nlsr
10 percent Of water ballaS. is release,
in each $500 feet of altitude.
When the R-N leaves the grount
it is permitted TO rise TO its equillbri.
um, or about as high as i. can 60 Or
reaching itS equilibrium the engine,
are started and the flight begins tn,
fuel--gasolne and oils carried ~
eighiy-one tanks Sixteen OF these
tanks are fixed to the framework OF
the bag structure and the others are
known as sliding tanks and can be
discarded as ballast should the occa.
sion arise These tanks are ranged
along the side, OF the deck EXCEPT for
the ones over each gondola for the
supply Of the engines
Water in Canvas Bags
The water ballast is carried in can
vas bags Of two types. There are
eigh, emergency bags. four forward
and four al, which may be cmptied in
emergency because they canno, bc
controlled Six other water bags ere
controlled by levers and their contents
can he released as desired The va
ter ballast contains alcohol IN Suiii-
cient amount to prevent freezing in
high attitudes The ship also carrie,
three tanks Of drinking water for III,
crew, each tank containing seventy
gallons
The dining saloon contains three Ia
bles capable Of being raised TO n,
upper framework when not in use
The saloon is large enough 10 permi
half OF the crew 90 eat at time. Tn,
food is re-cooked and heated as want
ed by appliances attached to the *
haust pipes Of the engines. Meal
are served la buffet, ,ha. is. the din