The Washington herald., 1922-02-22
FALL OF ROMA
THIRD DISASTER
FOR AIR FORCES
Continued from PAGE One.

Cohtfnted from rage OHt'
onstrated its ability to Withstand
the severest weather. when sh,
cruised to Washington from Lang
ley Field for her christening here
With only three Of her six engines
developing maximum power. she
successfully fought forty-fve-
mile-an-hour head wind. and with
only two engines working on the
return trip she successfully nego-
tiated the 14l-mile journey despite
strong cross wind.
The engine trouble resulted in
substitution of Liberty motors for
the six Ansald engines with which
she was equipped. The AnsaIds. be-
cause of their unusually large cool
Ing surface. were found unsuitable
for cold climate. Four OF them
from Langley Field to Washington
and return.
Gives Up HeIium Gas.
Previous to her last fatal trim
the Roma had been debated of the
nonexplosive helium gas, with
which she made her first voyage,
and filled with hydrogen gas. This
change was made because there are
but 100000 cubic feet of helium
gas in this country today. The
Roma required 100000 cubic feet
for imitation. The helium was de-
sired for use in the experimental
fight of the new RI to be under
taken this summer
Destruction of the Roma came
just as the government had COM
pleted plans for her trans-con-
tinental flight to be made as soon
as weather permitted. On this
trip she was to have been under
command of Maj. John G. Tornell.
Capt. Dale Mabrey, who was burned
to death in the disaster, was to
nave been second in command.
Planned Trip to Pacific.
On the trip west the Roma was
to have followed the route es-
taolished for airplanes passing
through Wheeling. W. Va Colum-
bus, Springfield. Dayton. Ohio: In
dianapolis. st. Louis. Denver and
Los Angeles
In connection with the flight the
army air service had planned to
give the most extensive demon
STATIONS Of the effectiveness of the
semi-rigid type Of airship ever at
.
Before her purchase from the
Italian government the Roma was
used for two years in commercial
and passenger service. Frequent
Nights were made by her over the
Alps and from Rome to Paris, but
she was never compelled to make
forced landing.
Purchased for 500. 900
PnFPho sAA ~
eminent for 100000, the Roma
was brought to this country last
August when the disaster which
overlook the ZR-2. giant dirigible
purchased from England, put a
damper on proposed trans-At-
lantic flight for the Roma. The
War Department issued the fol-
lowing statement concerning the
Roma's contraction and purchase:
This airship is the semi-rigid
Usuelli type and is believed to be
the largest semi-rigid airship in the
world. Its capacity is 100000
cubic feet. 1t is 41G feet long, 50
feet wide and Ssh feet high. 1t
has six twelve-cylinder engines Of
$50 horsepower each or a total of
ZOO horsepower. and an esti-
mated speed of 50 miles per hour
Its cruising radius at full speed is
$500 miles and cruising speed 5000
miles.
Carried leo Passeasers.
Her carrying capacity is 100
passengers. Although originally
for commercial use, it was built
by the Italian government for war
purposes. This ship was sold to
the United States government for
approximately 100000 and would
probably cost at the present time
$1.250,000 to duplicate.
Negotiations for her purchase
began in June. 1880. and were COM
pleted about the first of 1921. She
arrived in the United States in
August. 1921, and. was assembled.
and made her first flight in this
country in November and her FIRST
onicial fight December 81"