The New York herald., 1921-08-25
2R-2CALLED WORLDS
GREATEST AIRSHIP
Represented Last Word in
Dirigible Construction
and Was Distinctive.
SIX CARS SLUNG HIGH
Another Improvement Lay
in Double Rudder and
Elevator.
DELICACY OF CONTROLS
Metal Bracings Declared to
Have Been Strongest Yet
Produced.

AS she sped majestically above the
Humber yesterday a moment before
the explosion that plunged her to de-
struction the ZR-2 was supposed to
represent the last word in the rigid
type of dirigible construction.
The airship ITSELF designed originally
by Col. Campbell of the British Air
Service and designated then as the
RIBS, was sold by the British Govern
ment to the United States for 100000.
An equal sum has been expended In
constructing the gigantic hangar at
Lakehurst, N. J., in which the levi
athan- of the air was to have been
housed if she had made successfully
the transatlantic voyage. Other in
cidental expenses, including the cost of
numberless experiments and the send
ing OF the officers and crew abroad to
man the aircraft for her homeward
fight. raised the Governments total
investment In the ZR-2 enterprise to
approximately s5,o00,000.
Writing from Cardington, Bedford,
England. last June. Minott Saunders.
a former United States air pilot, gave
to readers of the magazine section OF
THE New York HERALD this description
Of the mammoth dirigible. comparing
many Of her features with those of the
R-34, which made successfully from
England to Mineola. l.. l., and return
A. hn nr1 G.
atlantic crossing by a lighter than air
dirigible:
American Colors ON Rudder.
''The ZR-2 stands to-day the worlds
greatest airship. beautiful achieve
ment in construction and design. II IS
painted steel gray, with the American
colors on rudder and elevator, and nose
built to tic to a mooring mast. II
is distinctive in many respects. In
addition to being the largest and most
comfortably equipped airship ever con-
structed, 1t excels in many important
features. or these perhaps the most
noticeable Is the position of the engine
carriers. The six cars are slung high
SO that when the airship is moored as
close to the ground as possible the car
riers will still be in the air. This was
originally done because there was no
hangar in England large enough TO hold
the ship II the carriers were slung Ike
on the R-34, but the change has been
developed to the greatest advantage.
Another departure and improvement
is seen in the double rudder and elevator.
They are designed like the latest air
plane control surfaces. with overhanG,
and not squarely defined as on airships
now in use This will give vastly
greater efficiency and delicacy 70 the
controls. The metal bracings OF the
ZR-2 are lighter but stronger than any
thing previously produced for this pur-
pose. The bag contains sixteen bunks
in a handsomely fitted UP room, where
the crew can sleep.
.'The runway through the centre Of
the ship begins at the very nose, whefe
the crew will go aboard from a mooring
mast. a sturdy flight OF stairs leads
down and then the walk continues All
until another flight of stairs leads down
into the vertical stabilizer. There y
also a runway on top of the bag. ~ mas
no railing. but there is strong rop
running along the floor which man
can pick up and hold on to as ne Walks
back and forth.