The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-08-25
NAVY HOPES TO
CONTINUE A rigid
.AIRSHIP PROGRAM
ALTON OF PLANS CONFIDENT
Ly EXPECTED BY NAVAL
AERONAUTICS

Washington, Aug 25.-Despite the
loss Of the ZR.2 before actually be-
coming naval property. officers of the
naval bureau of aeronautics conf
denly hope the navy will be permitted
to continue its rigid arship program.
They point out that America already
has a gigantic hangar at Lakehurst
y. j., completed at cost of $1,000.
eco and capable Of housing two ships
of the size Of the ZR.2, as well as
other complete facilities.
Although appropriations were stop
Led before the ZR-2 was completed,
most of the necessary duralumin
structural material was already man
ufactured and awaiting assembly,
uuch OF the envelope has been fab.
ricated and nearly all the material
for her completion which was pur-
chased at cost Of about million
dollars For months the naval gas
extracting plant at Fort Worth. Tex.
as. has been storing helium gas and
sufficient gas Of this type has been
assured to fill the envelope Of n ship
as large as the lost ZR-2.
Plans Of the ZR.2 called for an
airship Of slightly smaller sizC
than the zR.2 a length OF $40 feet
diameter about so feet and gas Gu
plcity of approximately 200 cubic
feet. The total cost is estimated al
{2,500,0 900. While designers OF tn,
IR-2 departed somewhat from tn,
structural lines Of the Zeppelins, tn,
naval designers, layed their plans 70
4 ship Incorporating the last devel
opments of the original rigid builders
the Germans Of whose plans more thar
l0C were filed here for reference.
Still without details as TO the caus,
Of the ZR.2 disaster today. naval aero
nauts We're loathe 10 accept the ny
drogen explosion Theory. advanced II
early dispatches from England The!
were rather inclined 10 think tina
some structural weakness had dcyel
o. cpcd or that the girders and frame
which were strained in the July /
flight failed and caused gasoline o
hydrogen leaks. IL gasoline or hydro
: gen came into contact with the eX
= hausts OF any Of the six B engine
. swung beneath the great envelope al
explosion could readily have bee,
! caused II is said.
$ The reports that the ship fell h
! two places. however. tends to caus
belief in naval circles that structural
: failures Were the prime cause of tn
, disaster. brought about perhaps b
Z. too sudden u strain on sofe woal
, part.
Every member OF the crew an
. passengers of rigid airship, IL Wa
. said at the office OF the chief of IN
% naval bureau Of aeronautics. is cquiT
ped with regulation safety parachute
and life prnservers
The combined equipment Is fitte
into u compact bundle not large
] than satchcl and provided with
hook ami a handle and IL dangc
threatens a member ut crew has bu
To attach the hook to his life be-
/. and leap over tho side To sHfct!
|, Officers infer from late reports ,
the disaster that many OF the Crc'
must have been Killed outright b
tLc force of the explosion, OF stunnc
: leforc they could Jump clear u IN
wreck.
II Is not thought that the nav
, N,ll cndcayor tu participate from Ems
Ltnd any OF her remaining rigid a
ships. hut that construction Ia Amv
lea will bc undertaken II others al
= | authorized