The New York herald., 1922-02-22
ROMA SERVED ITALY
WITHOUT A MISHAP
Once Made Passenger Trips
Between the Capital and
Paris.
OTHER AIR DISASTERS
Destruction of the IRE and
Other Lighter Than Air
Craft Is Recalled.
OTHER AIR DISASTERS

sixteen OF the American officers and
crew who were being groomed for the
transatlantic flight Some similarity is
seen between the fall OF ZR-2 and the
disaster at Norfolk, inasmuch as both
machines seemed to have bucSled first
as though having succumbed TO struc-
tural weakness and then having caught
fire during descent or after landing.
A thorough investigation of the cause
of the British disaster was immediately
started by the British Air Ministry, bat
the report has never been made public.
although a dispatch from London yesscr-
day stated that Sensational disclosures
were about to be made. At the air con-
ference in London on February 1t was
stated that research work in the dirisi-
BILE field had gone far ahead of practical
design. and in the light OF what the
British experts know now about this
character of construction the failure OF
the ZR-2 could have been foretold.
Was OF Scmi-Rigid Design.
The Roma differed from the ZR-2 in
that it was of semi-rigid design and was
the largest dirigible in the world OF this
make 1t was the product OF italian
workmanship and design and was re-
garded as having been the last word
In that type of airship, The Italians
have specialized in the semi-rigid dirigi-
bles for many years and were consid-
cred to have gone further along the path
of progress In this particular field than
any other country. as 1t was found that
these machines were eminently suited to
sess!ng the ability to travei at great
heights, although never regarded as a
particularly speedy type of ship.
They were used with great success in
bombing operations along the Italian
front and over the Alps. The purchase
of the Roma by the United States Gov
ernment was looked upon as a military
experiment TO see If dlrigibles of this
construction could be adapted to use in
this country. Some aeronautical experts
have declared that the large proportion
of accidents that have attended the
lighter than air machines In this coun-
try prove that the static conditions are
such as to prevent success in this field,
although it has also been pointed out
that IL the ships are properly "bonded"-
that is IL care Is taken to see that elec-
trical currents are reduced TO the same
potentiality--the risk of accident would
be lessened.
1t has been pointed out also that this
type has been successfully flown in Italy
for many years with comparatively
slight losses and that Italian air experts
have become thoroughly familiar with
the defects as well as the virtues of the
craft. while to American flying men it
Is more or less in the experimental
phase. In Italy. also. there is less like
lihood of encountering high winds and
static conditions are much less violent
Served italy Several Years.
The Roma was 40 feet long, with a
capacity of 1.193.000 cubic feet Of hydro
gen gas, while the ZR-2 was 700 feet
long and had capacity ot 2,750, 900
cubic feet. Fully loaded she weighed
thirty-eight tons. including raw. ballast.
fuel and other supplies. She had only
recently been equipped with Liberty
motors after the Italian engines failed
to give satisfaction during several trial
fights. The giant airship was con-
structed at Ciampino. Italy, under direc-
tion OF the Engineer Prasonc and Col.
Cracco. two of the foremost balloon
builders In Italy. She had heen in ser
vice In Italy for several years. and had
made many successful trips with passen-
gers and at one time was engaged in a
regular passenger service between Rome
and Paris.
After asscmblage here however, 1t
became evident that air conditions were
very different from those on the Con-
tinent and trouble was experienced with
the new craft almost from the outset
On December 81 the ship was flown to
Boiling Field at Washington and there
formally named by Miss Fonrose VAIN
wright, daughter of the Assistant Sec
retary of War. During these ceremonies
officers experienced difficulty In keeping
the ship on the ground, and the fight
from Langley Field proved u most diff
cult one in the face Of forty-fve mile
head wind.
The United States Government paid
5000, 600 for the craft and at the time
OF the purchase the War Department
said 1t could not be duplicated for ST.
100000 Although 1t was originally in
tended TO fly the Roma across the At
lantic. this plan was given up and she
was dismantlcd In Italy and the parts
packed away in the hold OF a naval
collier whlc'. landed at the New York
Navy Yp,d last June. The work OF
assembling the airship began early last
fall and by November Is the ship was
ready for her trial flight.
Planned Commerc.nr Route.
The Air Service had made ambitious
plans for the Roma, one OF which was
to place her In commercial service be-
tween Chicago and New York as an ex-
pertinent in this field OF aviation. and
another plan was to attempt trans
atlantic flight.
The last fatal accident among the
lighter than air machines In this coun-
try occurred in July. 1919. when ten
persons were killed In Chicago by the
fall OF Goodyear drigible which ex-
ploded In the air and crumpled In flames
on the Illinois Trust and Savings Bank
building. Many zeppelins were de-
stroyed during the war from other than
military aggression and these disasters
caused many experts to believe that
the future OF the conquest OF the air
lay with the airplane rather than the
gas bag.
-Four out of the first twenty Zeppellns
built In Germany prior to and during
the war we're consumed by fire, some
OF them through explosions occurring
while In the air and others by fire while
anchored at their hangers. Several
large craft of the semi-rigid type have
been lost through having been blown
from their moorings both here and in
England.
The famous R-34 which flew from
England to Long Island and back in
the summer Of 1919 was wrecked in
gale while anchored outside the air
drome in Howden, England. on jan
uary |, 1921. On August 81 OF last
year the Dc, then the largest dlrigible
- H.. .s.r.I