The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-08-04


department announced today.
Description of the DirigibIe
Uncle Sam will soon become the
possessor of the British-built R-38,
the largest rigid airship yet construct
ed in any country and craft that
represents the very "1ast word in
"aerial dreadnought" designing.
Trim and smart as the quarterback
of an admiral's flagship, the R-38,
soon to be designated officially by her
new American name, ZR-2, is claimed.
to be the most formidable craft ever
to "take the air"
She is expected to be capable of
5000 miles flight at full speed-7O
miles per hour-or $500 miles at
''cruising speed" of so miles per hour.
Her specifications call for an arma-
ment of Ia Lewis guns, one-pound
automatic gun. four bombs of $50
pounds and eight bombs of 230
pounds. The machine guns are dis
trituted at vantage points so that
any form of attack, from land, sea or
air, might effectually be combatted.
The ships heavy armament serves
as an index to her character She is
designed to serve. if occasion arises,
as the general headquarters of
whole battle feet. eyes, ears and, in
emergency, an auxiliary business
end" From the compact, convenient
"skipper's" cabin close up under her
nose to the neat little machine
gunner's "nest" at the very tip of her
stern, ZR-2's arrangement and con-
struction spells efficiency and "strict-
ly business"
Without extensive alterations ZR-2
could not accommodate comfortably
a party of 65 persons as did the
Italian-built, semi-rigid airship the
Roma" after being taken over by the
American government recently. But
if submarine were sighted, ZR-2
could manoeuver into position, then
the mere pressing of button in the
captains control cabin would release
a bomb, or dozen bombs, if required,
to edo in" the enemy undersea boat.
If enemy airplanes became bother
some during this procedure, they
would not find. as was the case with
the German Zeppelins, that there was
an unprotected spot under the ZR-2's
lower part aft where they could hover
and pump machine-gun bullets into
her gasoline tanks. To meet just such
a contingency there is the stern
machine-gun nest, one situated some
so yards ahead ON the underpart of
the ship, and one in each of four Of
the ships engine cars. which are
suspended at her sides.
Should the attack come from above,
a gunner, protected from the fury of
high altitude winds in cockpit at the
top of the ship, would probably be
able to do anything necessary with
his one-pound automatic piece.
These represent some of the many
improvements, indicated by examina-
ton of wrecked Zeppelins and other
experience, which have been incor-
porated in the ZR-2.
Seen in fight, the ZR-2 viii be much
like her sister-ship R-34, of trans
Atlantic fame. But her shimmering
sides and clean appearance conceal a
confusion of interior workings" that,
to one unaccustoned to such craft, is
most bewildering.
As one proceeds along the narrow,
"man-high" corridor which extends
the entire length of the ship, he sees
a complication of criss-crossed alum
mum girders, rows of gasoline and
water tanks, what seems to be, and
actually are, acres of fabric gas bags,
and miscellany of guy wires, control
valves. pipes, swivels. hinges and
gew-gaws that defy understanding.
But after a guide who knows every
inch of the gigantic ship has made ex-
plantations, the handling of the ship
is seen to be simplicity itself.
Thus, the skipper" standing at
the wheel in his cabin, just as a sea
captain on the bridge has within
reach a miscellany of buttons, levers
and switches electrically controlled,
with which he can release ballast wa
ter, defate one or more gas-bags,
empty his gasoline tanks, start a
bomb towards an objective and. of
course, steer the ship upward, down
ward, to right or left.
He can send orders through tele-
phone system which connects up the
whole ship. for the starting or stop
ping of one or all of the ships six
propelling engines, advise his machine
gunners of the approach of an enemy
or, through the operator at his back
send observations by wireless to
flagship or land base
Comfortable hunks are provided fol
IL 81 ~R.s.e&. - 49, n...s--v-. - nR 4r