The New York herald., 1921-08-25
Some of Crew Leap, but Die in River;
Cause of Disaster Is Not Yet Known

uaAilSlST ttldll the fN-o4. 1iSr sdSSlelte
capacity also was greater tnan that of
her sister ship and she had a cruising
radius OF 5000 miles, in contrast with
4,9co miles credited to the R-34.
II had been estimated that the ZR-2
would be able to cross the 3,2o0 miles
to the American continent in from
three TO four days, whereas the R-S4
had occupied nearly FIVE days n her
voyage.
A telephone system wes installed in
the ZR-2 so that Commander Maxfleld
standing at his wheel in the trip across
the Atlantic could have every part or
the aircraft under his direct and inn
mediate control. Brig.-Gen. Maitland,
who met death in the disaster to-day.
was one of the officers who made the
transatlantic voyage in the R-34. He
has been in charge of the trials of the
ZR-2.
II was recalled to-day how the Amer
lean members OF the crew of the Zli-2
recently had chafed over the decision of
Gen. Maitland not to permit the giant
aircraft to leave How'd en- until sailing
conditions were perefct. Maitland was
criticised more or less for what was
considered overcautiousness.
Like the ZR-2. the R-34 ended her
career in disaster. She was cut In two
by violent wind and left a wreck out
side her airdrome near Edinburgh in
January. 1921.
This vessel had had a thrilling ex-
perience on her transatlantic flight, and
the collapse OF the ZR-2 would seem
to have afforded Gen. Maitland some
justification for his hesitancy in send
ing the Americans across seas with the
zR-2 in the face OF meteorological Odds
Major G.. II. Cooke, the navigating Off
Ger OF the R-34, telling OF his experience
with that aircraft within few hundred
miles OF his goal. when the R-34 ran
into a shallow atmosphere depression
off the coast of Newfoundland. said
THE weather was terrible. 1t seemed
as though the atmosphere was haunted
by 5000 devils. We were shaken to the
core. That night we hit everything
heavy rain, thick fog and low visibility
The ship seemed as though she was
going to break into bits. rising and fall
Ing like cork on heavy sea. At
times she seemed to stand up thirty de-
grees into the air.
"Au had been fine sailing up to that
time. The most unusual thing about
the entire trip was the extreme violence
Of the bumps In regions where they
were totally unexpected. ! consider 1t
almost a miracle that we completed the
trip successfully after what we went
through. The weather situation on the
Atlantic must be investigated thoroughly
before air travel between England and
America can be made safe and practi-
cable. With the limited information we
have now transatlantic travel Is highly
dangerous
In the construction OF the ZR-2 IL was
thought that many OF the serious defects
OF the smaller ship had been remedied.
The vessel underwent daily policing or
cleansing. Then the engineers tested and
repaired the six engines. the riggers in
spscted the controls. gas bags. valves. the
outer cover and thin surface. Constant
hull inspection on all dirigibles is neces-
sary because Of breakage of small braces
and wires. The outer cover fabric some
tines got torn or blown loose at the
joints and repairs were made imme-
diateiy to prevent the holes from becom-
ing larger. Gas bags were inspected by
Goirg over them with a leak finder. which
registered any trace OF escaping hydro
gen. The fabric in the ZR-2's bags was
very thin and light. and when II chafed
through 1t resulted In loss Of gas,
lowered purity and lift reduction.
In flight the ZR-2 was operated so
far as possible along the lines OF sea-
going vessel The ships altitude ca
pacity was $4,000 feet
The crew OF the ZR-2 selected TO bring
her across the Atlantic to the United
States included fourteen officers, ten
riggers. sixteen mechanics and two radio
met. Seventeen Of these were aboard
when the giant aircraft plunged into
the waters Of the Humber to-day.