Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-05
The Graf Zeppelin.

Inc Graz Zeppelin AGAIN LdS OAOSSCu
the Atlantic from its home base at Fried
richshafen to Lakehurst, and DR.. Hugo
Eckener, the worlds greatest authority
on lighter than-air craft, has won new
international laurels with Germany's
silver pride of the skies. And again
America extends hearty greetings TO
man and ship for superior flying ac-
complishment.
Ninety-five hours out of Friedrichs-
hafen the Zeppelin settled gracefully
on the field at Lakehurst, lettering her
previous record by more than sixteen
hours. Eighteen passengers, a stowaway
and a crew of forty-one were carried by
the big ship, which covered total dis
lance of approximately 1ive thousand
three hundred miles.
That this flight will lend impetus to
the perennial discussion OF the merits
of lighter than-air craft, compared with
heavier than-air, is almost foregone
conclusion. Both types have ardent
supporters. Unquestionably Germany,
first with Count Zeppelin, and now with
DIR. Eckener, has from the beginning
taken and held the leadership IN de-
velopment of dirigibles. And with the
Graf Zeppelin she has further drawn
away from other nations.
Opponents of lighter-than-air ships,
even with the accomplishments OF the
Graf In the foreground, claim that the
big gas bags are highly susceptible to the
elements and even at their best speed
are slow compared to airplanes. On Its
previous trip across the ocean DR.. Eek
ener,s dirigible took almost a full fve
DAYS and was damaged by storm,
thereby supporting those who argued
that steamship and train travel would
have been almost as fast and Infinitely
safer.
On the other hand, lighter-than-air
supporters point out that even II
dirieible Is not as fast as the arplane
it. can with ease remain aloft without
refueling for much longer periods ana
with the development OF blue gas
which weighs the same as air, can car
ry larger pay loads. This statement Is
of course, borne out by the fact that the
owners of the Graf Zeppelin charge
only the reasonable sum Of two thou
sand dollars for a four-day trip from
the interior of Germany to the United
States. No airplane built or building
could accomplish the same result.
Although the discussion will probably
90 on forever, so will the building OF
both types of ships. Each has It's dis
tinct field-the airship for the long
hauls" and the airplane for the short
hauls." Until q new type Of motor or
new fuel is invented for the airplane 1t
will continue to be inferior to the
dirigible in flights over long distances.
Germany's blue gas marked strik-
ing advance in propulsion with no addi-
ton in weight. Until something Of the
sort is devised for airplanes the limit OF
their flights will be governed by the
amount Of heavy gasoline with which
they can stagger aloft.
When the Graf Zeppelin starts back
to its native land a few days hence 1t
will be beginning an epochal round-the-
world flight. With Friedrichshafen as
the first stop DR.. Eckener plans to cir
Gle the globe in four long jumps. If
the big ship comes through this flight
with flying colors-and there is no rea-
son to suspect that under the able
handling of DR.. Eckener she will not
it will mark another era in mans con-
quest of the skies and advance the
cause Of lighter-than-air craft to a
new high level.