Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-07-09
American Officers Allowe,l
to Visit Giant Airship and
Make Inspection; Details
Of Dirigible's Constructions
Described to Press Repre-
sentative. 49,, ..,,,.. q,

NSV' i;
Hlineoaa, N. T., July e.-The
British dirieible R-s4 win start
on It's return flight before day.
break tomorrow, it was IN.
nounced positively this afternoon
by Major G. 81. Scott, her conn
mander. He expects to get away,
he said, between and O'Clock.
Mineola, N. T., July AGAIN un-
favorable winds from the east pra.
vented the giant dirigible from start.
British officers in charge Of the R-34
announced that there was no prospect
that the big airship would get away
before tomorrow.
Prospects that the R-34 would ret
away between midnight tonight and
a. m. tomorrow seemed brighter this
weather expert sent here from wash.
ington. announced that the heavy
southeast gale Of yesterday had
changed to light west winds. This
situation was favorable and would
continue possibly for 4s hours he
said. Il 3
Major G. G. 81. Cooke, navigator e
TIC uHA6AOac, O0CA81oQ IL W8S NAG1y I0lo
ship would get away about 4 O'Clock
tomorrow morning.
Inspection Pemifsed.
Odicers of the United States army
and navy aviation sections have been
permitted to inspect the ship and
Captain Samuel T. Moore of the hall
to the Associated Press representative
a description of the first lighter thaa
air ship to cross the Atlantic
Over all the R-34 is $40 feet In
length. with four cars or gondolas
suspended from the cigar shaped en-
velope. The forward gondola is oc-
cupied by the navigator and pilots
and from it all parts Of the ship ara
controlled by means OF speaking tubes
and bell signals. Here also is the
mechanism for controlling the water
ballast tanks. OF the two pilot wheels
tn this forward car, the front wheel
controls the rudder, while the side
wheel controls the elevator planes.
This car also contains the navigator's
table where he makes his charts and
here also are his navigating instru.
mentA.
In the rear Of the forward gondola
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 to the OBJ
server at a distance it resembles q
tube. The two side gondoias each
enough for two men to work. The
rear car holds two engines.
I Facts Concerning tbs Bae. s|.
While the gondolas can be seen BY
visitors to the field. little or nothing
has been allowed to filter out concern
ing the inside of the big bag. Inside
the bag is the deck of the ship. II
runs the greater part of the length of
the bag and is only nine inches wide
except at its middle where it widens
out into compartment s by 20 feet,
used by the officers and crew as din
ing saloon. The hydrogen gas-the
difting power of the ships carried
in 1s compartments inside the en-
velope. These compartments are at
the top of the ship and each is Of
about equal gas capacity and is equip
ped with an automatic hand valve
for the control Of the gas contained in
them. These gas compartneats are
Of gold beater skin, which in common
language is nothing more than the
Innings Of intestines of calves.
final imitation of these gas containers
Is made. This operation takes place
usually at the minimum temperature
Of the air when the greatest quantity
of gas can be taken into the bags.
The expansion Of gas IN the baee
is relieved by releasing water ballast
at the rate of ten per cent Of water
in 20 degrees Of rising temperature.
Also 10 per cent of water ballast h re-
leased in each $500 feet Of altttudA.
81 Fuel Tanks
When the R-34 leaves the ground
it Is permitted to rise to its equi-
libriun. or about rs high ~ It can go.
On reaching its equilibrium the en-
gfnes are started and the fight be-
gins. The fuel-gasoline and oE-h
carried in 81 tanks.
The water ballast u carried In can
vas bags Of two types. There ara
eight emergency bags, four forward
and four aft, which may be emptied
in emergency because they cannot be
controlled. Six other water bags are
sired. The water ballast contains al
cohol in sufficient amount to prevent
freezing in high attitudes
The dining saloon contains three
tables capable Of being raised to the
upper framework when not in use.
The saloon Is large enough to permit
half of the crew to eat at . time. The
food is home cooked and heated az
wanted by appliances attached to the
are served la buffet. that is the
diners stand at = cupboard. there be-
ing no chairs aboard the ship.
The men Of the crew sleep in light
hammocks along the sides Of the deck
suspended out over the bag proper,
and in case q sleeper falls from his
net there is nothing to prevent hin
- SvAe eYHa ~ No. - AA$A