Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-02
QUEEN OF THE AIR
J LAUNCHING AUG. 8
First Lady to Be Central
Figure at Akron Ceremony
in Huge Hangar.
By GEORGE T. HATTIE.

AKRON, Ohio. August 1.-When the
two main DOCS of the Goodyear eco
pefan hangar, each Weighing 600 tons,
slide open next Saturday, August 8,
everything will be in readiness for the
elaborate christening ceremonies Of the
new queen Of the air, the United States
Navy dirigible Akron. The ceremony
win take place before a vast and dis
tinguished assemblage, including Mrs.
Herbert Hoover, in what is perhaps the
largest and most unusual structure OF
its kind In the world.
Workmen today are busy putting the
finishing touches on the huge airship,
including installation Of lights, plumb
ing and other auxiliary equipment;
with completion Of the airplane hangar
framework aboard the zeppelin: with
installing the gas cells, and with the
attachment of the remainder of the
fabric covering.
The installation of the gas cells is
one of the final steps in the assembly
of the airship proper. Three Of the
~ cells already have been put in place.
Detail Of Ceremonies.
Ceremonies at the christening will
consist of initiating three gas cells with
helium gas, stationing a ground crew
on the handling lines, and releasing the
ship from the supports on which 1t was
built The ship will be allowed to raise
a few feet into the air. This process is
termed being "air born and is analo-
gous to the launching of ship.
Following this ceremony the giant
airship will be formally christened the
akron" by Mrs. Hoover The First
Lady will release a flock of white pig
cons from within the airship's control
cabin as part Of the service.
The ship will not be flown on the day
It is christened nor will it be taken
from the dock. A considerable number
OF odd jobs Will remain to be completed
before that is advisable. The first test
flight will be made about two weeks
later.
Meanwhile, officers and members of
the crew are in Akron, ready to take
charge of the ship at any time. They
arrived here July 81 and have been
and fam1liarizing themselves with the
tasks which they will perform when
the Zeppelin Is in flight.
Rosendahl Made Captain.
The crew is in charge of Lieut.
Comdr Charles E. Rosendahl, who has
been named captain of the Akron. All
aboard the Navy dirigible Los Angeles,
and Lieut.. Comdr. Bertram j. Rogers,
Lieut.. Comdr. RoSendahl and Lieut.
Conldr Herbert Wiley have served as
captains on that craft. The IL officers
and crew Of SO men assigned to the
Akron, in effect, are loaned to the
Goodyear-zeppelin Corporation. AS ex-
planned by Lieut.. F. G. W. Settle, chief
of Navy Inspection Bureau, the airship
does not belong to the Navy until it
is accepted and commissioned as a
naval vessel.
Plans are being made to surround the
christening program with a heavier
than-air exhibition. including flight
maneuvers by squadrons of Navy planes
from Anacostia and Marine planes from
Quantico. Three hundred aircraft, in
Guiding planes of all types, autogiros
and blimps, will congregate at the mu
unicipal airport on christening day.
Arrangements are being made to enter
tain more than 100000 visitors.
Feat Watched World Over.
Completion of the giant airship
marks the success of an engineering
feat that is being watched with inter-
est all over the world Work was &C.
tually started on the craft on Novem-
Der 7, 1929, when Rear Admiral Mof-
felt drove a golden rivet into the mas
ter ring. 1t is twice the size of the
Graf Zeppelin and cost $4,000, 900. It
will carry fighting planes and 16 guns,
but is so designed that it can be cen
Verted into commercial ship end can
accommodate 100 passengers
The hangar, erected before work
was started on the mammoth ship also
Is considered remarkable engineering
feat This structure was completed in
4 months at a cost of approximately
$2,225,000 1t Is Its feet long, 325
feet wide and 211 feet high. 1t is the
largest building in the world construct
ed without interior supports.
When the Akron is finally turned
over to the United States Navy, its
future home will be at Sunnyvale,
Calf. Its new home there will closely
resemble the local hangar, although it
will be somewhat smaller. According
to plans, the Akron's new home is to
be Lib feet long, 308 feet wide and
180 feet high. 1t is to be built Of steel
trusses on concrete foundations.
Copyright, 1881, by Consolidated Press.