Omaha daily bee., 1921-08-25
a. Killed When
Giant Airship
Explodes in Air
Airship Passing Over City of
Hall When it Breaks in
Two and Bursts into
Flames.


Largest Craft in World.
The ZR-2 was the largest dirlgible
ever built, the dimensions being as
follows. Length, COS feet; diameter,
IS feet: capacity. 100000 cubic
feet, total lifting capacity, IS tons.
The air craft was operated by SIX
engines. She was estimated to have
cruising radius of 6O miles per
hour, giving capacity to make an
aggregate of 5000 miles OF unln-
terrupted flight. She had capacity
for officers and crew OF AZ men. The
gasoline supply was 10000 gallons.
II was estimated that she would
cross the Atlantic in 70 hours.
The huge aircraft had four gon-
dolas suspended from, the frame
work. These provided sleeping ac..
commodations for the officers and
crew and an electrical apparatus for
cooking meats. Her wireless set was
expected to keep. the monster craft
in touch with both shores OF the
Atlantic and to have radius ex-
ceeding $500 mites.
3 1du hump lCiiOSASy:
A London dispatch of Sunday last
quoted the Observer as asserting
that during the first trials OF The
ZR-2 a tendency of the giant dirig-
ible to "hump' developed, and that
an inspection revealed the fact that
certain girders had bent and that
lattice work had buckled under the
lsat
taken. the newspaper said, including
considerable reinforcement of the
framework along much of the air
ships length. In addition to the
structural trouble, the Observer as
serted, the ZR-2 had been handi-
capped by engine difficulties.
The purchase price Of the ZR-2
was to be 100000. This, it is as
sumed, was to become effective after
the aircraft had completed its trials
and. was delivered to and accepted by
the American authorities. The Brit
ish builders and the air service had
been careful to avoid premature
delivery, as they had wished to be
assured that everything connected
with the structural arrangement of
the dirigble was in satisfactory con-
dition. 1t was for this reason chief
ly that the flight which terminated
SO disastrously today was begun. The
monetary loss. under the circum-
stances, apparently falls on the con-
tractors and those instrumental in
building the ship.
Civ C,yry;ynru Cavnd
1t Is known that at least six survi-
vors have been picked up, one of
them with broken leg and one se-
verely burned.
A Hull message announces that
the badly burned body of Ensign
Marcus Asterley" was taken to the
mortuary. II added that Captain
Swean, the British officer who COM
lllanded the ZR-2, was unharmed. It
is assumed here that by "Asterly" is
meant Lieut.. Marcus H.. Esterly,
American radio officer of Washing
ton. D. c.
1t was while the ZR-2 was cruis-
ing over Hull that it was seen to
emerge from the clouds and sudden-
ly break in two. One portion ap-
peared to rise in the air. The other
descended slowly and fell into the
Humber
Six Americans Aboard.
One explosion occurred as the
ship was falling and another after it
touched the water. The wreckage
floated on the water about 200 yards
from the riverside quay and con-
t;nued to burn.
1t is learned that the American
officers on board the dirigible were
Commander Louis H. Max6eld,
Washington, D. c.; Lieut.. Com-
Inander Emory Coil of Marietta, o.;
Lieut.. Marcus H. Esterly, Washing
ton, D. c.; Lieut.. Henry w. White,
Clear Water, Fla, and Lieut. Charles
G.. Little, Newburyport. Mass.
Survivor Tells Story.
One of the survivors, named Bate
man, of Halifax, said he was in the
tail Of the ship making photographs
when the rudder was turned sharply
to the right, bringing the airship
from the center of Hull toward the
Humber. One of the main girders
failed to stand the strain it appeared,
and the disaster resulted. The turn
Of the ship carried it over the Hull
pier, where it descended, a burning
mass, the crowds running for safety
in fear that the burning monster
would fall in the streets.
y, The following British officers are
known to have been on board for
the fight:
Air Marshal S. NJ. Maitland, Lieut..
A. H. Swan, Lieut.. I. c. Little,
Lieut.. R. S. Montague and Flight
Lieutenant Thomas.
American is Saved.
The Press association had mes
sage from Hull shortly after s D. NJ,
saying that Ensign Marcus Esterly,
one of the American officers who
had been reported lost, had been
saved.
Reports from Hull, timed 7 p. m,
places the number of men who
descended by parachute at four.
Bateman the Halifax man, who was
making photographs at the rear of
the ship, fell into the water from
the dirigible. The report said that
three bodies had been brought 10
land.
Part Of the wreckage, it was
added, had sunk to the bottom OF
the river.
Air Chief Is Lost.
Air Commodore Maitland, who is
reported to have been lost with the
ZR-2, was one of the foremost ol
the British air pioneers and his loss
if confirmed, will be deeply felt
Many rumors have been ahoat fol
the last few days concerning the
stability Of the airship and Com