Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-02
Launching of Giant Akron Saturday
Will GIVE u. S. Largest Dirigible

miles an hour. It Is estimated that at
cruising speed she can travel 10,580
miles without refueling, as compared to
6,12S miles by the Graf Zeppelin. At
speed Of f26 knots it is estimated
that her cruising range in still air
should be 1900; at 90 knots, $500
nautical miles, and at an idlins speed
Of 40 knots, in excess Of $4,000 miles.
II Men, II Oficers in Crew.
The crew Of the Akron will number
II men and II officers, including the
five plane pilots, although the airship
can be handled easily on normal cruises
by SO men and 10 officers.
Although the Ahron has been con-
structed for the Navy and is therefore
military craft, her launching Is Of
special significance in the field Of COM
r11ercial airship operation Future COM
rf1erciAl airships, such as those planned
for the proposed trAnsAt lAntic difigible
service ana tfanspacif1c service, will
follow closely In general design the pat
tern Of the Akron
The unique swiveled Advancement Of
from the internal engine room Is ex-
pected to give the new airship an I'M
usual amount Of mAf1suverability, par
ticulArly when the craft is close to the
ground. The fitting feature Of the pro-
peller gives thrust In four directions. 50
the power OF the engines can be used
to drive the craft not only forward, but
upward, downward and even in reverse.
Reversinility Is gained within the en-
an ''astern" set Of cams on the cam
shaft which may be shifted lonfi-
tudinally to bring either set into oper-
alton.
Engine Rooms 3 Feet Square.
Each CT the eight engine rooms on
the Akron has floor space Of about
8 BY feet The engines are mounted
athwart ship and each engine drives
its own propeller, through q 16-foot
transverse shaft, which carries at It's
cupboard END a tiltable housing from
which the short propeller protrudes.
The short propeller shaft, normally
horizontal, may be swung downward
through 80 degrees in a few seconds
by means Of q hand wheel located in
the engine room.
An upward thrust Of about 5000
pounds and q downward thrust Of
about 10000 pounds are expected to
be Of assistance In faocfins ana
handling the airship. When the air.
ship u IN normal flight 1t will be more
nent through the Use Of rudders thar.
to resort to the fitting propellers.
Each engine room contains the usual
engine instruments, Oil service tanks
and a specially built blower to supply
fresh air for intake purposes, crank
case ventilation and ventilation Of the
engine room itself. Signals which
guide the engine mechanic In cortroll-
ing the engines are received from the
control car BY q Mechanical telegraph
or indicator. Gasoline storage tanks
are located In the corridor nearby ana
feed by gravity to the engine car
blretor. The engine rooms are care
fully f1reproofed and each Is provided
With an automatic carbon diexide FIRE
extinguisher In addition to nand-type
FIRE extingtiishers ana other fire pro-
lection apparatus located in the en-
CINE rooms ana Immediately adjacent
thereto.
me usual method employed in the
United States to preserve equilibrium
Of the heliufn- hllea Airship, and
thereby 10 avoid the necessity Tor