Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-02
D|R|G|BLE HONORS
PASSED TO EUROPE
Aeronautlcs Advisers Hold
America Has Slipped In
Aircraft Work.

The world leadership In the de-
sign and construction of rigid air
ships has passed from the United
States to Europe.
This is the conclusion of the ma
tional advisory committee for aero
nautics, an independent establish
ment charged by Congress with the
supervision and direction of the
scientific study Of the problems of
flight with a view to their practical
solution, after watching develop
ments In the lighter-than branch
of flying during the past year.
Although authority is given in the
Navy fve-year aircraft program act
for the construction of two rigid
airships of approximately 100000
cubic foot volume each, at total
cost of not to exceed $S,000.000 for
both, and also authorizes the pur-
chase of an experimental metal
clad airship of approximately 200.-
900 cubic foot volume, at a cost OF
not to exceed $500, 900, Great Britain,
Germany and Italy have made far
Their advances, in the opinion of the
committee.
Great Britain now has under con-
struction, after an extensive series
of tests, two rigid airships. each hav-
ing a volume of not less than 5.000,-
600 cubic feet. One of the airships
is built of members constructed of
duralumin, which are very similar
to those used in the Shenandoah and
the Los Angeles. The structure Of
the other Is made of stainless steel.
These two airships, practically sis
tiers. will afford a very fine oppor-
tunity for the determination of the
real merits of the two materials,
the committee holds.
Tests Aided Designers.
The beginning of final construc-
ton of these airships. the commit
tees information shows. was pre-
ceded by a very thoroughgoins
series of pressure redistribution tests
made on the old British airship R-3S
Results so far made available from
these tests indicate that they gave
very useful information to the de-
signers. Mooring masts having q
structure of novel type have been
erected at Ismailia, Egypt, as well
as in Great Britain, while an airship
shed has been built at Karachi
India. These masts have eight verti-
cal members in place of three, as in
the case of the Lakehurst and Ford
masts In this country.
Reviewing the progress In Ger
many" the committee asserts the
limitation of the size of airships
which might be built in Germany
having been removed, that country
Is now engaged in the construction
of a new rigid airship OF about
100000 cubic feet. This was oriEi-
nally proposed in connection with
the fight to the North Pole and sub
scriptions to the amount of about
one-half the cost were obtained for
that purpose. Its completion is
now being urged to demonstrate the
practicability of transatlantic air
ship traffic.
The flight of the Norge from Rome
across the North Pole to Alaska was
triumph for the semi-rigid type of
airship, which has been under de.
velopment for a number of years in
Italy," says the committee. THE
technical excellence of this type of
airship could be demonstrated in no
more striking FORM 1t adds. The
understands that the Ital.
ian airship works is preparing to
construct a semi-rigid airship Of So
900 cubic meters volume, very nearly
the size of the Shenandoah, which
Is to be ready in 1928. This airship
is intended for flights to South
America.
Purchase Italian Ships.
I'm further testimony of the high
opinion which Is held for the Italian
semi.rigid airships," adds the com.
mittee, ut Is reported that Russia
has purchased a semi-rigid airship of
the same size as the Norge and that
Japan has purcha sed two in success.
sion. The second of these Is to be
erected very shortly"
The committee firmly believes tina
the technical development Of airships
which 1t holds still lags behind that
OF airplanes," will not progress in
rapid strides until airships are built
in larger numbers and the CORE
spondingly increased opportunities
for the development Of new ideas are
available.
Aside from the erection Of prac.
tically standardized small non.rigid
airships by the Army and Navy there
has been no new airship construc.
ton begun in the United States in
the past year. However. the lighter.
than-air study has continued with en-
thusiasm for the dual purpose of
improving the existing airships and
of providing improved materials and
methods OF construction for new air
ships when they are begun. The
corrosion Of duralumin has been
studied intensively and satisfactory
methods for its protection are in
sight. Satisfactory substitutes for
the gold-beater's skin fabric used in
earlier airships likewise have been
developed and are now being used in
the construction of gas cells
Methods for the design of new girders
of the Zeppelin type are being derived
from tests of these Orders, and
methods for analyzing the distribu-