Evening star., 1924-10-13

Delivery of the German made ZR-3
from the Friedrichshafen plant to
| the Navy air station at Lakehurst,
will bring to this country the first
| type ever to be flown under the
American flag.
While the ship Is in custody Of the
Navy and is listed with naval air.
| craft, she was designed and built for
commercial use and under present
plans will be used by the Navy to
demonstrate the practicability of
commercial aircraft traffic in the
United States.
but somewhat larger than the Navy
dirigible Shenandoah. While the
Shenandoah was the first vessel of
the kind ever built in the United
States, however. the ZR-3 was num-
bered 126 at the Zeppelin plant and
Is the product of more than 25 years
of German experience in dfrigibie
construction and operation. including
the German war fleets. She is the
last word in lighter-than-air design,
and will form the foundation for the
building Of future American CONNER
cial fleets IL this proves to be prac-
ticabl form of transportation in the
United States
SAipS Under Allied Control.
At the close of the war, the allied
powers and the United States re-
stricted the Zeppelin firm to the con-
struction of ships Of not more than
10000 cubic meters gas capacity. al
though the last of the war service
Zeppelins built by the plant had ap-
preached a 70.000-cu ic-meter capac-
ity. Peace terms also provided for
the apportionment among the victori-
Gus powers Of Zeppelins to be surren-
dered by Germany, two such craft be-
ing assigned to the United States
Two German dirigibles were destroyed
in their sheds, however, and the
ZR-3 Is a replacement vessel for the
two destroyed.
By agreement with the allied pow
ers the Zeppelin plant was permit
ted to build one ship Of 100000 cubic
meter capacity for the United states
in place Of the two ships OF 10000
cubic meters capacity each. This was
necessary in order that ship or
sufficient size to cross the Atlantic
might be constructed. The allied
powers waved the size restriction.
however only on the condition that
the big ship should not be used by
the United States for military pur-
poses.
Contracts with the Zeppelin com
pany were completed in June. 1877,
and a group of American naval offi-
GERS was sent to Friedrichshafen to
watch progress on the vessel day by
day They were cordially received
by the German concern, Which oe-
sired to demonstrate it's knowledge
of the art Of building air cruisers.
Equipped for PnssenEer~.
The ZR-3 has an overall length
of 656 feet, 4 diameter of 9o1 feet,
a gas capacity of 2,400. 900 cubic feet.
is driven by, five 40U-horsepower en-
Gines giving a total of 1000 horse
power and is expected to reach a
maximum speed of nearly 80 miles an
hour. She Is a fully equipped pas
senger vessel with accommodations
for 30 passengers in addition to the
crew, the passenger modatlons
comparing favorably with those OF
modern sleeping cars and including
an up-to-date electrical kitchen. The
passenger cabin is divided into hve
compartments, which have large win
dows furnishing wide view or the
country below as the ship is In Night.
The ship will require an operating
crew of about "a men. and the quar-
ters OF the crew are in the cor
ridor'' within the envelope OF the yes
sci, while the passenger cabin ana
officers quarters are secured r1g1diy
TO the keel at the forward end OF the
ship.
The ZR-3 was equipped in construc-
ton with the bow mooring mechan-
ism similar to that designed IN the
United States for the Shenandoah.
The ship may be either moored at the
mast at Lakehurst or placed WITHIN
the hangar already awaiting her and
which is big enough to house both the
German built craft and the Shenan-
doah at the same time. The Lake
hurst hangar Is so large that the Cap.
itol at Washington could be placed
within it with little difficulty, or the
Woolworth Building in New York. ly-
ing on it's side, could be easily accom-
modated without touching the roof or
side walls.
Takes SOutherly Route.
The direct route from Friedrich
shafen to the east coast of the United
States is about $500 nautical miles.
To get the advantage of favorable
winds and other conditions, however,
the ZR-3 will take a southerly course
across Southern France and via Cape
Finisterre and the Azores to the South
of the Bermudas and thence to Lake
hurst, a distance Of approximately
4.500 nautical miles. The trip will be
made with experienced German Of
ficers and men in charge. The ship
carries more than 33 tons Of gasoline
besides her oil supplies, water for