Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-24
NAVY BEGINS WORK
ION OWN BIG A|RSH|P
First AII-American Craft Un-
der Way-He|ium Gas
. to Be Used.

Work is going on in earnest on the
fabrication and erection of the Nays
American built airship. Producing
the parts has kept the huge naval
aircraft factory at Philadelphia busy
FOR more than year. and after ex-
haustive tests of all elements of the
framework the duralumin metal
bracing is being shipped to the mann
moth airship hangar at Lakehurst.
N. j.. the largest building Of its kind
In the world. Here the parts are
being assembled into the first rigid
airship to be built In America.
Called the FRI. this ship is Amer
teristics are based on measurements
or the German LAG, which was
brought down intact in France during
the war. This was Germanys most
Famous airship and her type remained
the standard for further additions to
the German airship feet Based on
this type. and further improved from
latest information of German rigid
advances, tested at each step in con-
struction. and inflated with the fame
less helfum gas, the FRI will be the
very finest rigid airship ever con-
structed
The completion of the big hangar
,, and the tall mooring mast to which
the ship will be attached when taxi
ing on and discharging passengers
and load. came simultaneously with
! the final tests of the wetlike rings
and longitudinal members of the
ships framework. Great wooden
staging and cradles for erecting the
ship have been set in place inside
the hangar and the foundation work
for the craft started. In the last
week trainloads Of metal shapes and
where Navy constructors schooled in
alrshir erection in Europe have
started operations.
An-American ship.
In every sense this is an American
punt airship. and will be set up and
housed In an American-buil hangar
| OF characteristic American design.
| Behind all this American industry is
| cooperating with the Navy Depart
went to the full The design and
erection of the building TO house air.
\ ships called for the best engineering
| skill. otherwise its vast size would
! nave been menace instead of a prac-
teal solution of the problem.
Only the solution of almost instan-
| taneouS manipulation of the hundreds
OF windows ventilating the shed per
fectly assured success. for exact ven
| tilation is required to preserve the
fabric OF rigid airships, and sunlight
! must be kept from the exposed bags
of gas. The sash. operating devices
4
suns rays were designed. built and
| erected by the Detroit Steel Products
| Company.
Duraiumin Alloy Used.
| For the duralumin. the aluminium
alloy used for truSses. IL was neces-
sary for the Pittsburgh and Cleve-
land laboratories of the Aluminium
I Company of America to make COM
plete and minute tests of allows and
! hay 10
product from start TO finish. The
Rausch Machine Tool Company of
| Brightwood, Mass. also engaged in
| this work. with the result that after
an enormous amount of checking-up
tests by government bureaus and
er duralumin has been developed than
any before produced. This is hailed as
a distinct American achievement Of
| Importance.
Authorities declare this co-opera-
tive phase in building the ZR-l and
the Lakehurst plant has been OF ut
most value to aeronautical progress
| in this country. The advance in air
ship enterprises in the United States
has induced the Aluminium Company
of America to place contracts for a
new plant at Pittsburgh for the roll
J ing and shaping of duralumin for
| airships. Success has been attained
in drawing duralumin tubing. never
produced before outside of Germany
and the various interests now con-
| templating the building and opera :
tion Of rigid airships in America or
throughout the world now may pur-
chase all their materials in this coun-
try. The Navy Department is receiv-
ing high praise for its forward action
in building the Fri. in view of the
encouragement its success gives to
private capital to engage in rigio
airship enterprises.