The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-24
.zR-2 BIGGEST
AIRSH|P BUILT
Washington Unadvised as to
Full Crew Being on Board.
Giant Liner of Sky Bigger Than
Biggest Zeppelin.
CARRIED CARGO OF 45 TONS
Had Full Speed of Seventy-Five
Miles Per Hour.
Largest Hangar in World Built
for 1t by United States.
CARRIED CARGO OF as TONS

Washington, Aug. "a Secretary
of the Navy DENLY this afternoon was
without advices as to the explosion of
the ZR-2. but Immediately cabIed for
full details.
| Inasmuch as the flight was a trial,
navy officials here did not know
whether the full American crew was
on board when the explosion occurred.
When the ZR-2 started on her trial
flight from Howden. Tuesday, she had
on board Commander Louis H. Max
field, of the United States navy, who
has been designated by the American
navy department to bring the ZR-2
from England to the United States.
Brig. Gen. S. NJ. Maitland. the British
airmarshal; Colonel Campbell, who
| supervised the work of designing the
dirigible five other American officers,
seven engineers and four riGgers. in
addition to the regular British crew.
| Largest Air Ship Built.
The ZR-2 CR-SS) was built at the
/ Royal Airship Works, Cardingtons
Bedford, England. The ZR-2 is the
] largest airship that has ever been
built. 1t was about 100000 cubic
/ feet larger in capacity than the Ger
man Zeppelin LII. which the Ger
mans built to bomb New York City.
Her total length was 700 feet, her
! greatest diameter IS feet, total height
1 from the bottom of her suspended cars
/ to the top Of the hull was 80 feet. Her
cubic capacity was approximately g.
| 10000 cubic feet, which gave her
possible lift of approximately As tons,
which consists of gasoline, oil, crew,
cargo or armament.
Her motive power consisted of six
| 35O-horsepower Sunbeam Cossack mo-
! tors located in six power cars. She
/ had a speed of seventy-five miles (full
speed) and a cruising speed of fifty
miles per hour. She carried 0,400
| gallons of gasoline. giving her a cruis-
! ing radius of 5000 miles at full speed.
or about 5000 miles cruising speed.
The propellers on two of the power
cars were equipped with reversing
gear, to enable the ship to check her
speed at will or even fly astern.
Controlled Like Steamer.
| The ship was controlled from the
control car situated forward, which is
similar to the bridge of a ship. The
communication system consists of en-
gine-room telegraphs, ships tele-
phones and voice tubes All orders to
the power units on the engine tele-
graphs were repeated back to the con-
troll ear before being put into execu-
ton.
The ship was equipped with a radio
set. with a sending radius of about
1900 miles. 1t was also equipped with
a wireless telephone and radio direc-
ton finding set.
If the outer cover were spread on
the ground it would cover a four-acre
plot. The gas bags which contain the
| hydrogen gas are lined with gold-beat-
er's skins. Gold beater's skins are
taken from the outer covering of the
u I.YrA
gold-beater skin to each COW that is
slaughtered. There are 100000 of
these skins used in lining the gas bags
of ZR-2. The cattle sent to market
from several of our largest ranches on
western plains would have to be
slaughtered to build one airship.
Piano Wire Gives Strength.
The structural strength of the ship
depended a great deal upon piano
wire, used as stays and braces. There
were sixty miles of it on the ZR-2.
There were twenty miles of duralumin
channel section used in making the
girderS of which the hull is composed.
The crews quarters were located
in the keelway. This keelway is a
Hong corridor extending the length of
the ship, about eight feet wide and
seven feet high. There are two large
spaces fabric which are used as quar-
lters, one forward for the officers and
one aft for the men, The quarters
are equipped with comfortable chairs,
tables benches and a victrola, with a
good assortment of records. The
hunks are placed along the keelway
at varying intervals. Each bunk has
in addition to a good mattress and
blankets, a fur-lned sleeping bag
However, in the summer months this
sleeping bag is not necessary
I Required Monster Hangar.
Lakehurst. N J., Aug. 24.-The
largest airship hangar in the world is
nearing completion at the Naval Ali
Station near here. where the navy in
tends to construct the first rigid air
ship in this country. The ZR-2, the
largest airship in the world. was to be
housed in this hangar.
The structure at Lakehurst was de
signed to take not only the largest
rigid airships now built or building
but to accommodate the largest air
! Continued on Page Two.l