Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-07-04
UNITED STATES
HAVING MAMMOTH
AIRSHIP BUILT
British-BuiIt R.38 Said to
Represent the Latest
Work in Aerial Dread
nought Designing.
fBy The Assoclated Press.l

London, July 9.-Uncle Sam will
soon become the possessor of the
British-built R-SS, the largest rigid
airship yet constructed in any
country and craft that represents
the very 'last word in aerial
dreadnought' designing.
Trim and smart as the quarter
deck of an admirars flagship, the
R-3S, soon to be designated Off
cially by her American name
ZR-2, is claimed to be the most
formidable craft ever to take the
air."
She is expected to be capable of
5000 miles flight at full speed
20 miles per hour-or $500 miles
at cruising speed" Of so miles
per hour.
Her specifications call for an ar
mament of fourteen Lewis guns
O one-pound automatic gun, four
bombs of $40 pounds and eight
bombs of $50 pounds. The ma
chine-guns are distributed at van
tage points so that any form of at
tack, from land, sea or air, might
effectually be combatted.
Ships Heavy Armament.
The ships heavy armament
serves as an index to her charac-
ter. She is designed to serve, IL oc-
casion arises, as the general head
quarters of battle fleet, eyes, ears
and in emergency, an auxiliary
"business end" From the compact.
convenient shippers" cabin close
MP under nose to the neat little
machine gunner's NEST" at the
very tip of her stern, ZR-Ts ar
rangement and construction spells
efficiency and strictly business"
without extensive alterations,
ZR-2 could not accommodate COM
fortably a party of sixty-five per-
sons as did the Italian-built, semi
rigid alrship Roma" after being
taken over by the American gov
eminent recently. But If a subma-
rine were sighted, ZR-2 could ma
neuver into position, then the
mere pressing of button In the
captains control cabin would re-
lease a bomb. or dozen bombs, II
required, to "do in" the enemy I'M
dersea boat.
Stern Machine-gun Nest.
II enemy airplanes became both
ersorne during this procedure, they
would not find, as was the case
with the German Zeppelins. that
there was an unprotected spot I'M
der the ZR-2's lower part ait
where they could hover and pump
machine-gun bullets into her gas
oline tanks. To meet just such a
contingency there Is the stern ma
chine-gun nest, one situated some
fifty wards ahead on the under part
Of the ship, and one in each OF
FOUR of the ships engine cars,
which are suspended at her SIDES.
should the attack come from
above. a gunner protected from
the fury of high attitude winds in
q cockpit at the top of the SHIP
would probably be able to do any
thing necessary with his one-pound
automatic piece. .
These represent some or the
many improvements, Indicated py
examination of wrecked Zeppellns
and other experiences. which have
been incorporated in the ZR-Z.
Interior Workings.
seen in flight. the ZR-2 will be
much ike neT blSlot -atiAP ~
transatlantic fame. But ner
shimmering sides and clean ap..
pearance conceal a confusion OF
s.interior workings" that. 10 one
unaccustomed to such craft, is most
bewildering.
AS one proceeds along the mar
row, "man-high" corridor when
extends the entire length or the
shin he sees a complication Oh
criss-crossed aluminium girders'
rows of gasoline and water tanks,
what seems to be, and actually are,
acres of fabric gas bags, and a
miscellany of guy wires control
valves, pipes, swivels. hinges ana
rew-gaws that defy understand
ing. But after a guide who knows
every inch of the gigantic bulk mas
made explanations, the handling or
the ship Is seen to be simplicity
itself.
Thus. the skipper" standing at
the wheel in his cabin, Just as
sea captain on the bridge, has with
in reach a miscellany of buttons
switches and levers, electrically
controlled. with which he can re-
lease ballast water, deflate one or
more gas-bags, empty his gasoline
tanks, start a bomb towards an