Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-15

week. This dirigible, to be known vari-
ouSly as the ZRS-4 and the u. S. S.
Akron, will be the largest aircraft the
world ever has seen.
The Akron, operating with the fleet,
will combine the functions of a cruiser
with those OF an aircraft carrier, bring
ing to both the speed and freedom of
action of an aircraft. For scouting
purposes, according to David S. ingalls,,
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for
Aeronautics, the Akron should prove as
effective as six cruisers, commanding at
one time twenty times the area visible
from a surface vessel.
Five single-seater fighting planes will
be carried by the Akron. They will be
carried in hangar" inside the body
of the huge craft and may be launched
or taken aboard at WILL Mr.. ingalls,
said. The planes may act extensively
or as a defense for the dirigible. In
addition to this defensive force, the
dirigible will mount 16 machine guns
of 50-caliber size, having a range CT
5000 yards and hitting power of five
tons.
Completion of the Akron. now two
months ahead of its construction sched-
ule, will clear the way for construction
CT the zRS-5. to be a sister ship The
Five" is to be completed by December,
1882.
Airships Are Unique.
These two air monsters are to bring
to the dirigible art several unique fea-
lures. They will differ in appearance
from all the giant rigid airships Of the
world, being far thicker in comparison
to length. making them stubbier in
appearance. The added girth, however,
will make them more efficient, the
shape being a more natural stream
line. and will make them much
stronger.
They will be powered with motors
mounted inside the hull, another in
novation in dirigible construction. The
propellerS, which have had a fixed
mounting in dirigibles of the past, will
be swiveled in the new Navy ships. so
they may be used to drive the ship for
ward. backward or upward. The pro-
pellers may be used as efficient brakes
to curb forward speed for moorings.
They will be the first airshipS de-
signed as airplane carriers. The
hangar" will be in the bottom of the
ship about amidship with an opening,
normally closed by trapdoors, in the
bottom. A "trapeze" arrangement will
be used to catch the planes as they
come aboard in flight. to launch them
and raise and lever them into and out
For commercial purposes dirigibles
even larger than the Navy ships will
be required. the Appropriations Com
mittee was told. The plans outlined by
Mr.. Litchf1eld call for dirigible of
$500, 000- cubic-foot capcity as a mini
mum This is 100000 cubic feet larger
than the Navy airships. For trans
atlantic service, the committee was told
by Comdr Jercme Hunsaker. former
Navy airship expert, the $500, 600
cubic-foot airship is an inefficient size
If proper provision be made for safe
fuel requirements aboard a ship of this
size, he said. the number of passengers
that could be carried comfortably would
not pay the expense of operation. In
creasing the ship by 100000 cubic
feet. however, he said, would almost
double the pay load capacity.
Airships for Sea Traffic.
Backers of the airship are planning
only for overseas traffic. At the pres
ent time, Mr. Litchfield said. the COM
mercial future of the airship is dis
tinctly in overseas traffic. He said
Our thought is this, briefly. that
there is lust as much possibility Of air.
ships making the big advance in trans
portation as compared with steamships
as there was when steamship perform
ance built I'm a great traffic as COM
pared with the old sailing shin. The
stes nship cut down the time of cross