Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-08
NAVY TO LAUNCH
D|R|G|BLE AKRON
100000 Expected at Chris
tening of Giant Ship by
Mrs. Herbert Hoover.

AKRON, Ohio August 8 P.-
Mrs. Herbert Hoover and her en-
tourage OF washington officials ar
rived here at "a am. today. She
is scheduled to christen the zeppelin
Akron this afternoon.
BY abe Associated Press.
AKRON. Ohio, August S.-This city
and many thousands Of visitors joined
with officials of the United States Navy
in the celebration here today of one OF
the most important events in the history
Of aeronautics, the launching and
christening of the worlds largest air.
ship. the Akron.
The new dirigible. as long as several
city blocks. and as high as l5-story
building, was to be christened this
afternoon by Mrs. Herbert Hoover, wife
OF the President. At the same time, it
was to be freed from its cradle and
fioated about 40 feet along the interior
OF the giant hangar, which has covered
it during the two years it has bsen I'M
der construction.
100000 Crowd Expected.
A crowd of 100000 persons was ex-
pected by officials in charge to attend
the ceremonies at the Akron Municipal
Airport. The program, similar TO the
launching and christening of battle
ship. was to begin at 2;30 pm, Eastern
standard time.
Not since the Montgolhsr brothers at
Annanoy. France, in 1888 sent up their
35-foot paper balloon has the launch
ing of a hghter-than-a craft created
so much attention as that of the $780,
O0O-cubic foot. helium- filled Akron.
This huge ship built by the Goodyear
Zeppelin Corporation for the Navy Is
the product CT years of accumulation OF
knowledge of Zeppelin construction far
exceeding the dreaI IS Of Count Ferdi-
nand Zeppelin half century ago. 1t Is
a marvel CT aeronautical engineering, ac-
complished under the direction of the
veteran Zeppelin builder, DR., Karl Arm
stein.
Mrs Hoover to Christen.
Mrs. Hoover was to ehriSten the ship
by pulling a cord TO release a flock OF
hon1ing pigeons nestled in hatch in
the nose CT the dirigible A 100-piece
band will play The Star Spangled BAN
ner." while a chorus of 500 voices Will
sing.
Speakers besides Mrs. Hoover we're to
include Paul w. LitchfieId, president OF
the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation,
Rear Admiral William A Mcffett. chief
OF the Navy Bureau of aeronautics, and
David S. ingalls, Assistant Secretary
of the Navy in charge of aeronautics
The christening and launching in
the afternoon, will be followed by ban
auet tonight for 900 persons including
Army Navy and Marine Corps officers,
aviation and technical experts, newspa-
per men, diplomats and other public
of1cials.
Notables to Attend.
Among the notables at the christen-
ing were to be George White, Governor
OF Ohio: Mayor G. Lloyd We'll of Akron,
Capt. George w Steele, former COM
Comdr Garland Fulton. in charge Of
the Lighter Than-Air Division OF the
Bureau of Aeronautics.
Before the christening ceremonies
the doors of the hangar we're swung
open TO permit the entrance of the
spectators TO the enormous room where
the 6irigible rested like a chrySalis of
a butterfly ready for flight. During the
launching $50 Army. Navy and civilian
dock
The Akron is the first of q pair OF
dirigibles ordered for construction here
BY the Navy. Ofhctals of the construc-
ton company anticipated authorization
for the start OF construction o. the SIS
J Ger ship within six weeks.
Equipped for Fighting.
The complete Quitting of the Akron
is to include everything essential for
scouting bombing and serial combat
I It Will carry five fighting sirplanes
which may be released in midair, and
will be armed by large-calber machine
guns The estimated maximum speed
is 1913 miles per hour, and II is to have
a cruising range at speed Of so miles
an hour of lo.580 miles
! Although enough helium gas vas
placed in the APRONS IL gas compart-
msnts to lift it from its cradle today,
the imitation viii not be completed until
later, when the first trial flight is made.
! about September /.
| Mrs. Herbert Hoover left last night
Continued on Page 2, Column So