The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-09-20
Leviathan of Air Visits Dozen
municipalities in 8 States Dur
ing Flight Of 111a Hours.
CONTROL SEEMS PERFECT
New Workers Thrilled as Huge Silver
Sky Skinner Manoeuvres Over
Skyscrapers-Four Nearby
Cities Visited.
: **+**++*****+t*t++
FRI is $50 FEET LONG;
HAS RADIUS OF 1000 MILES !

~ X
Some idea of the size Of the X
4 Fri. the largest American air X
= ship, can be gained from study \
4 of its dimensions: Length, $50 X
\ feet, beam rs feet, and height 80 \
< feet. K
The gas bag holds 100000 4
X feet of helium. X
X The vessel has accommoda- X
4 tons for a crew of sixty-seven \
4 men and carries 5000 gallons of X
4 gasolene. Its engines develop an X
4 average of from 1900 to 2,100 X
4 horse power. and it has cruis- X
\ ing radius of 5000 miles, which X
4 means that it uses two gallons to X
y the mile X
Without helium the vessel X
\ weighs eighty-fve tons. Filled X
r with helium she is lighter than X
+ air. X
X
&**k**k+** ++k K
New York.-The Fri, the United
States Nays 6S0-foot dirigible, sue
cessfully accomplished a flight of al
nest twelve hours, during which it
few over New York, Newark, New
Brunswick. Camden and Philadelphia
before returning to the hangar at
Lakehurst, N. j., where ten months
ago egineers began to assemble the
airship.
Commander Frank r. McCrary,
Proud of his made in America" dirig-
ible, guided the Fri at elevations
which enabled those on the ground to
see at fairly close range the wonders
OF the leyiathan of the air. And If
Above the roar of the six high-pow-
cred engines he could have heard the
sounds of harbor whistles and auto
mobile horns which greeted the dirig-
ible, he would have had Immediately
audible proof that spectators shared
his pride. The Fri, it's torpedo.
shaped silvered bag agleam in the
sun. needed no press agent.
The arrival of the Fri off the low
eT end of the city was awaited by a
crowd Of several thousand, which
scanned the misty air in the direction
of Governors Island. Promptly at 11.3O
a. m. those who were looking down
the harbor saw the misty curtain part
aid a silvered PROV appear. In a
couple of seconds the dirigible was
facing its audience, beautiful in out
line and apparently under perfect, con-
troll Under the light of the sun the
cleaning silver of the ships fabric
fC med an appropriate background
for the letters FRI" on either side
oil the Prov and "U. S. Navy" on the
sides. The circular red, white and
blue emblem of the air service and
the American flag, brskly fiuttering
from the stern by the force of the
air wash" added to the picture
which thrilled the spectators.
Passing over lower Manhattan Com
niander McCrary followed a course
up the North River, the dirigible's
progress being marked by the footing
whistles of harbor craft and factories.
Street traffic in many parts of the
city was at standstill while the fly
Ing battleship" was passing in review.
Travelling northward as far as
Washington Heights the Fri turned
eastward as far as the East River and
then Travelled back to the harbor, en-
comprising the twenty-fve-mile air
route in about half an hour Return
ing to the mists over Governors Is
land the ship. lost to view, started on
its fight to Jersey cites and Philadel-
ptia To many the sight Of the Fri
passing the Woolworth Building-ths
largest dirigible greeting the largest
buiiding-wa the most impressive
feature of the flight over New York.