The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-21
BY ERNIE PYLE
scripps- Howard Aviation Editor

BY ERNIE PYLE
scripps-Howard Aviation Editor
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.-Once
inside the hull of the U. S. S. Akron,
you are in self-sustaining little
city.
You could live in it for months,
without ever coming out, and prob
ably not even get bored. You could
explore it for a week. and still find
new things. There are lots of places
to go. Ii is even possible to get lost
inside the thing.
Like steamship. it has compan-
ionwayS running to every nook and
Granny. Only they are not really
companionwayS. They are catwalks,
nine inches wide, and you have to
be careful. If you fell off you might
plunge right through the fabric and
on out into the big outdoors.
Many persons have inquired
whether the crew actually rides in
side the dirigible. Yes. In fact,
everything is inside the dirigible,
except the control car, which pro-
trudes from the bottom of the ship.
And only few men are there. on
watch.
Finished for Living
There are three little "communi-
ties" inside the Akron. These COM
munitieS are finished for living, as
one would speak of the interior of
a house being finished. The rest
of the ship is like buildings attic,
filed only with gas bags, machinery
and empty space.
One of these communities is lust
above the control car, on the floor
of the airship's frame. The other
two are back and over one on
each side of the ships curved hull,
about third Of the way up.
The community above the con-
troll tower consists of seven rooms;
three on each side of a hallway, and
one at the end.
The room at the end is photo
graphic dark room. On the right
side of the hallway is a room with
four hunks for officers, next comes
one with two hunks, and next the
shippers private stateroom.
On the other side of the hall is
radio room, weather bureau
room and an Office. These rooms
are about the size of a steamships
Stateroom, and are finished nicely.
The Crews Quarters
From this community one walks
up steps toward the ships side I'M
til he reaches the long catwalk
which runs the full length of the
dirigible on either side, just inside
the fabric covering.
He turns aft, walks about 100 feet,
goes back down flight of steps,
and enters another communicative
crews quarters.
This consists of eight rooms in
a row. There are two double-deck
aluminium beds in each room. Cam
vas is stretched tightly across the
bottom of each bed.
There are no sheets or blankets.
On each bunk is a heavy fur-lined
sleeping bag. When the boys come
off watch they undresS and crawl
into their sleeping bags. But they
don't really need such protection.
Tor the rooms are well heated.
1t Has No Baths
At the end of the row of rooms
is a large washroom, with four la
vatorieS, mirrors above them. There
are no baths. Paper towels are
used. All rooms are by 10 feet.
Running in front of this row of
rooms is a sort of promenade deck,
about three feet wide. It's outer
margin joins the outside hull of the
dirigible, and slopes upward. Large
windows are set in this wall The
sailors can lie in their hunks, pull
back the curtain at the door. and
look down through the nearly hori-
zontal window at the earth far be-
low.
The community" on the opposite
side of the dirigible is half COM
posed Of additional crews quarters
-four staterooms and washroom.
The other half consists of the mess
rooms and galley.
There is separate dining room
each for the officers, the chief petty
officers and the enlisted men. There
is one large table in each room,
seating eight men. Two white suit
ed Filipino mess boys serve.
Burns Popane Gas
The galley is twice as large az
the ordinary apartment kitchen,
and has gas ranges, burning popane
gas, electrical coasters, refrigerator
and so on. AS the Akron sometimes
stays up for days at time, its crew
is fed full, appetizing meals, with
dessert and everything. There is no
sandwich and cocoa-cola diet on
the Akron.
All chairs and tables are made Of
aluminium. You can pick a chair
up with one finger. Even the "sil-
verware" is aluminium.
The men eat off paper plates, but
the serving dishes are of light, un-
breakable beetleware. Meals are
served three times a day, but like
on q steamship, you can get coffee,
toast and apples any time you want
them.
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