The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-09
D|RIC|BLE TO
BEGIN FLIGHT
FOR ENGLAND
IN "a HOURS
R-34, Giant British Airship,
Ready to Start on Southern
Route When Weather is Fa-
vorable.

vorable.
PLAN. N.DAyBREAK START
(By Associated Press)
WASHINGTON, July e.-Favorable
weather for the return of the British
cirigible R-34 over the southern route
to Europe during the next "a hours
was forecast in the weather report
sent to the commander Of the airship
today by the navy department.
HENSLEY TO BE OBSERVER
NEW YORK, July 9.-Colonel Will
liam N. Hensley, Jr., who will be the
American observer aboard the R-34 on
its return flight has been authorized
by the war department to continue
observations in Europe after he has
landed at East Fortune. Scotland.
Colonel Hensley takes the place for
the return trip Of Lieutenant Com.
mander Zachary Landsdowne, U. S. N,
who was the American observer on
the R-34 on the westward journey.
Colonel Hensley will study all the
France. He is recognized as one of
the foremost authorities on ballooning
in the army.
READY TO SAIL
MINEOLA, n. Y, July 9.-Again to-
day unfavorable winds from the east
prevented the giant dirigible from
starting on her return trip to England.
British officers in charge of the R-34
announced that there was no prospect
that the big airship would get away
before dawn tomorrow. 1t was made
clear, however, that the start would
be made at daybreak tomorrow or on
Friday, for at that hour the maximum
amount of gas could be taken on in
the gas bags.
The airship is ready to sail in the
air to the east at any time that her
commander, Major G. H. Scott, decides
that weather reports presage a sue
cessful return voyage. In the face Of
reports of winds in the east. condi-
d. tton unusual at sea at this time OF
year, Major Scott and his navigating
officers considered it less of hazard
to remain in the open at Roosevelt
Field than to risk disaster in a high
wind over the Atlantic.
The crew Of the R-34 enjoyed a night
off last night, but the 600 men of the
army and navy aviation units were
held in nearby barracks to be called
in case the big bag became unmanage-
able. Scarcely any wind was blow.
ing early today and it was predicted
that all danger of disaster from winds
had passed.
Although Major Scott declared that
the airship was ready to start at any
time the weather reports were favor
able, mechanics were busy again to-
day inspecting the ships engines and
other machinery already in perfect
condition.
Description Of Dirisibie.
At a distance of some 200 yards
the limits to which the visitors to
Roosevelt field are held by the mill
tary police, the immense airship pre-
sents innumerable possibilities and
many explanations Of the probable in
terror mechanism of the monster
craft have been advanced. Officers
of the United States army and the
navy aviation sections have been per
nitted to inspect the ship and Cap
tain Samuel T. Moore of the balloon
section of the army today gave to Th5
Associated Press representative de
scription Of the first lighter-than-ail
ship to cross the Atlantic.
Over all the R-34 is $40 feet IL
length with four cars or gondolas sus
pended from the cigarshaped envel
ope. The forward gondola is occu
pied by the navigator and pilots anc
from it all parts of the ships are con
trolled by means of speaking tube:
and bell signals Here also is tn,
mechanism for controlling the waite
ballast tanks. OF the two pilot wheels
in this forward car. the front whee
controls the rudder, while the side
wheel controls the elevator planes
This car also contains the navigator
plotting table where he makes hi
charts and here also are his navigat
ing instruments.
In the rear of the forward gondol;
is the wireless room which also hold
one Of the ships engines. From tn
navigators car a ladder of aluminium
runs 10 the ship proper above. Thi
ladder is enclosed and to the observe
at distance il resembles a tube. TIL
two side gondolas each contain an en-
gine and are only large enough 70
two men TO work. The rear car hold
two engines.
While the gondolas can be seen b.
visitors to the field, little or nothin
cerning the inside of the big bag
Inside the bag is the dack of tn
ship. 1t runs the greater part o
the length of the bag and is onl
nine inches wide exsept at its middl
where it widens out into a compart
ment by 90 feet. used as the officer
and crew as dining salon.
Rises to Equilibrium
The hydrogen gas-the lifting pow
er of the ships carried in eightee
compartments inside the envelope
These compartments are at the to
of the ship and each is of about equa
gas capacity, and is equipped with a
automatic hand valve for the contrc
of the gas contained in them. Thes
gas compartments are of gold beate
skin, which in common language
nothing more than the Innings of il
testines of calves.
When ready to start on flight tn
final initiation of these gas container
SC uoda This oDera tion takes n1ac