Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-08
TITANIC HANGAR
READY FOR zR-2
Huge Structure at Lakehurst
Would Cover 3 City Blocks.
Doors 900 Tons
AWAIT DIRIGIBLE EAGERLY Y


Lakehurst. N. j.. Aug. S.-The
worlds largest airdrome is virtually
ready for berthing the ZR- 2, the navy's
big rigid dirigible. when It arrives here
from Howden, England, after its CROSSE
Atlantic fight.
We're ready for her now. let her
come right along" said Captain Frank
I. Evans, son of the famous admiral.
Fighting Bob" as he looked with
pride at the tremendous structure which
has reared its height on the cleared
space Of 400 acres among the scrub
pines, twelve miles from the ocean.
Every one at the station. from the
commander down TO the newest COB Is
waiting with impatience the radio
which will tell that the huge airship
has showed of on its ns-Atlantic
fight. Every mile Of fight from Eng
land. where the ER-2 was built, will
be followed by the high powered radio
plant, able to send over 1000 miles and
to receive twice that distance.
Covers Three Blocks
1t is hard TO describe the berthing
spot for the ship. 1t staggers the imagi-
nation TO see it looming up in the huge
cpcn space. Perhaps it may best be
described by saying it would COM
pletely cover three Philadelphia blocks
and stands about as high as the Land
Title Building. 1t is S03 feet long, 26t
feet wide aud 200 feet high. approxi-
mately the space covered by the ground
between Thirteenth and Sixteenth
streets and Chestnut and Walnut. 1t is
structure which stands out on the
horizon to visitor as the Rock of Glib
rnltar would t. one on an approaching
steamship.
From miles away on the railroad q
visitor can marvel at this great build
ing and watch and watch and watch as
the train moves away and still see it.
1t is to be the permanent home of the
first Of two great air cruiscrs Of the
nntion-thc ZR-2. built in England,
and the sister ship, the ZR-1. to be
built hert in the pine lands of New Jer-
sey.
Considerable Yet to BE Done
There are still a number Of things
to be done at the station before every
thing is absolutely shipshape to receive
this monster queen of the air. But it 3
a sure thing everything will be ready
when the message she's started arrives.
Beside the odd jobs. there's n personnel
of 250 enlisted men to be gotten at the
station.
Perhaps another idea of the size Of
the hangar may be gotten from n remark
made by flyer of a heavier than air
machine who said he could take Nieu-
port or Spad or one Of those small truck
machines, take off. fly, make turns and
then land. all within the walls.
The building Is of concrete, steel and
glass. amber colored to protect the fabric
of the ships envelope from injurious
rays of the sun. Two lines of railroad
tracks run through it. a dozen freight
cars in a corner look like n lump of
sugar in bucket.
Doors Weigh 900 Tons
Perhaps one of the most striking fea- :
lures of the hangar is the doors. Each
four twenty five horsepower motors.
The leaves of the doors are supported
by wheels the size of those on a freight
car.
Hugh searchlights are mounted On
ship should it arrive at night. Beside
light from these. there will be more from
scarchlights on the field and an illumi-
mated arrow on the landing field.
The landing station and hangar is
in one of the loneliest spots in this sec =
tion of the country. Work was started
clearing the land of scrub pines back in
September, 1910. in charge of Com
nander II. NJ. Eddy, who is still the
chief engineer in charge. With 500 men
and scores of tractors and tanks used
by the marines during the war, stumps
were uprootcd from the 400 acres.
Now all that remains are the last fin
ishing touches to polish off the place and
have it spick and span when the IR-2
arrives.
Warships to Stand BY
Along the line of travel to be fol-
lowed by the great dirigible across the
ocean will be five warshlps ready to
stand by should any Of its well laid
plans go wrong. Through these AMI
the radio at the hangar. the officers and
men on the airship will be notified OF
the weather ahead.
The surging Atlantic may easily be
seen from the roof of the hangar and
observers will be posted there when
the ship is known to be approaching
her destination.
When the watchers on the top dis
Germ the great shining envelope and
shout Stand by" 800 enlisted men
will rush out and prepare to seize the
lines which will be thrown out as the
airShip hOvers over the field.
Some idea of the size of the monarch
of the air may be gained when one
realizes if it were stood on end it would
reach above Philadelphia city Hall
one-third again of that building
height.
1t can make an ordinary speed of
fifty miles an hour and has n speed of
seventy five miles when pushed to tn,
limit. Under normal conditions, it car
fly 5000 miles without refucling.
And as for quarters for the men who
will make this record flight across the
Atlantic Ocean, they have every facil-
ity which would be theirs in the most
modern hotel.