Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-02

valvins buoyant gas as fuel a con-
sumed and the Airship tends to be-
come light, Is to employ water re-
covery apparatus, which condenses the
moisture content of the engine ex-
so recovered on board the airship Is
ballast. Theoretically, 1t is possible TO
recover 135 pounds Of water in this
manner for every 100 pounds of avia-
ton gasoline that is burned, but this
figure will vary according to several
factors.
The normal gasoline supply Of about
$4,000 pounds Is stored in o total Of
ITO aluminium tanks OF three sizes, the
majority Of them being of 12o-gallon
capacity. These tanks are located along
side the two side corridors, convenient
to the engine rooms, and are so ar
ranged as to trim the airship properly.
An extensive system Of piping princi.
pally aluminium, permits fuel TO be re-
ceived at the bow or near rnidship and
to be circulated at will. Fuel also may
to any ether container. Oil is slowed In
eight 1.60o-pound capacity tanks, one
being near each engine room.
Forty-four Rubber Storage Bags.
The ballast system comprises some
a rubber fabric storage paes Of several
sizes connected by q system. Of piping.
q quick discharge valve which can be
operated through wire pull leading to
the control car. Some OF these ballast
bags are near the bow and stern Of the
airship and serve especially as emer-
ger1cy ballast and for correcting the
trim CT the airsnip. The remaining
bags are along the length Of the airship
and may be used in the same way for
emergency purposes. but their major
purpose Is to serve as storage bags for
recovered ballast water.
Each gas cell is fabric cylinder d.
mensioned to At its particular location
in the airship. The largest cell Is near
mldship ana has capacity OF some
$50 900 cubic feet Of heliun. It Is IA
feet long and approximately $50 feet In
diameter.
Has Phone system.
An eighteen instrument telephone
system Is provided with a master
conversations may take place stimuli
taneously over this system, or the
switchboard operator may call at least
three outlying stations simultaneously,
or he may sound all telephone alarms,
using code If desired.
The control car or room Is located
near the forward part OF the ship so as
to obtain the best possible vision for
operating purposes. The forward third
OF this control car Is the location for
rudder and elevator controls, gas and
ballast controls, instruments and other
apparatus. The middle third Of this con-
troll car Is the navigating compartment,
and the after part Of the control car Is
for access matches and ladders. An
emergency control station Is in the
lower fin. Underneath the control car
and lower fin provision Is made for de-
tachable rattan bumpers. Above the
control room are the radio and aero
logical rooms. quarters for the captain
and a Photographic laboratory.
Living accommodations are concen-
trsted nearer midship. abreast the air
plane hangar compartment. On the
port side there is q crews toilet and
wash room and seven rooms, each hav-
ing q floor area Of about by 10 feet,
and each being fitted with four can
vas-bottom hunks and locker spaces.
On the starboard side, from aft for
ward, there are the generator room,
galley, crews mess, chief petty officers
mess. officers mess and two four-bunk
rooms for officers. In order to save
weight. 1t Is customary In airships for
more than one man to use in rotation
the same bunk. and this will be done
on the Akron.
Heating System Installed.
For practically the first time in air
ship construction effort has been made
to provide heat for living spaces. Warm
air. after passing over the engine mani
folds In the forward engine rooms, is
led to a large insulated aluminium pipe
which runs under the floors of the liv-
ing spaces and forward to the control
car spaces. Registers in the floors Of
the living spaces, which may be opened
or clos:d, give the possibility Of regi-
lating the heat.
The airplane compartment Is q spe-
cislly arranged space about 20 feet long
By So feet vide by Is feet high. In
ordsr to provide entrance and exit for
the planes T-shaped hatch 80 feet
wide by about 40 feet long is provided
and may be closed by part-folding, part
sliding doors. It was necessary to pro-
vide openings in several longitudinals
for this hatch; continuity of strength.
however. Is gained by deep framing
above the compartment. This overhead
framing will carry the tracks on which
the airplanes will move to their storage
positions-one in each corner and a
fifth in the center
The contractor will deliver the airship
with the airplane compartment bare,
and the Navy Department is to supply
the necessary trapeze or other device
for landing and launching the airplane,
stowage arrangements and the airpianes
themselves. Some months probably will
elapSe before final arrangement Of
trapeSe. trolleys, etc. Is determined upon
and installed, or the first experiments
and until types Of airplanes more suited
to airship uses become available. prob
ably only four airplanes will be car
ried at one time.
located so as to cover all angles Of
approach. and some Of theSe enplace-
r1er1ts viii carry more than one gun.