Evening star., 1933-04-04
OF M|SHAPS
| MET BY D|R|G|bLE
Akron CIassed as Expert
mental Type Craft Due to
Tremendous Size.


mental type. Because Of the uncertain
factors involved. 1t is recalled. the
Akron came out of its construction
hangar weighing 10000 pounds more
than the contract specifications and
$4,000 pounds In excess of the penalty
limit.
Despite its great excess of weight, the
Akron was accepted by the Navy De-
partment, the contractors paying a pen
atty for their failure to comply with
specifications.
The Navy Department at the time
declared that the excess weight would
not seriously hamper the usefulness of
the Akron and that she would be ac-
cepted on the basis of her ability to
measure up to other qualifications as to
flight characteristics
The contract specifications for the
dead weight Of the airship with all
parts permanently built into the struc-
ture, including engines, with cooling
water, water-recovery system, fuel, oil
and water tanks, handling lines and all
permanently installed parts, was set at
2zl 600 pounds. The Akron was scaled
at $4,000 pounds In this condition.
Total Weight zoo Tons.
The total weight Of the airshin with
crew and full military load aboard was
approximately 200 tons, making her bv
far the mightiest craft in which man
ever undertook to conquer the air. To
lit this giant weight the Akron,s pas
ceus, the largest of which Contained
i,UUU,OO0 cubic feet, were designed To
hold 6,500.000 cubic feet of heiium.
another factor which alarmed ana
distressed the Navy Department and
the public was the report of attempts
70 wreck the Akron through criminal
syndicalism. Paul F.. Kassay, former
hungarian naval officer, was arrested
Marcn 70, 1881, while employed as a
mechanic ON the Akron framework He
was indicted two days later, but when
the case came up In the Ohio courts
charges OF syndicalism were dismissed.
It was charged that Kassay, who was
employed as a riveter on the Akron
framework during the Winter and
Spring OF 1881, put water on the riyets
ne drove and froze them in place. i'm
properly heading them so they would
appear tight to the inspector but would
come out after the ice melted. Hum
dreds OF rivets were replaced before
inspectors were satisfied that the faults
had been corrected.
Given Thorough Tests.
Because Of the excess weight and the
kassay scare, the Akron was subjected
70 the most thorough inspection and
performance tests. The trial flights
began September %, 1881, and preiim-
mary acceptance was not approved by
Secretary of the Navy Adams until Oc-
tober 20, nearly month later.
throughout the construction and
trials OF the Akron the contractors and
the Navy felt their way with the great
est care. Every part was tested dur
ing construction and the whole struc-
ture was tested step by step. Hun
dreds Of tests were made on girders,
Joints, fittings, fms, rudders and various
items of installation and equipment
As the airship neared completion many
ground tests were made, including hog
ging and sagging tests, inclining tests,
electrical bonding and insulation tests,
testing OF fuel lines, control systems
and other apparatus.
She was subjected to more than IS
hours of trial flights under the terms
Of her contract, including deceleration
tests, turning circles, altitude trials,
dynamic lift, pressure equalization, de-
Election and strains within the structure
speed and other factors.
'"The design of the Akron" the Navy
reported at the time, represents a
special effort to stress safety from
every standpoint. Structural integrity,
accessibility for repairs, insurance
against breakdown of any essential
operating feature, protection against
fire and means for extinguishing fire
are some Of the major safety features
Of the airship's design"
Met Accidents Twice.
Twice during her operations from
Lakehurst the Akron was damaged
while being handled on the ground,
her lower fin suffering both times. On
one occasion the entire lower fin was
demolished and the fin and part Of
the hull structure were replaced. This
accident occurred February %, 1882, Ia
the presence of members of a Con-
gressional committee waiting to take
an inspection flight in the Akron.
The Akron was laid up for many
weeks for repairs, after which the con-
gressional committee made the delayed
hight. The accident resulted in extern
siye congressional hearings. during
which the matters of excess weight and
the Kassay charges were aired. After
the hearings the committee gave the
Akron clean bill of health.
The second accident. of similar ma
ture. resulted in comparatively minor
damage. Neither accident was held to
be the fault of the airship but to the
difficulty of handling so huge a craft
on the ground during gusty, unsteady
winds. 1t was the opinion of naval In
spectors that the repairs were entirely
adequate and that the strength Of the
Akron was not impaired.
Pounded During Storms.
During the congressional investiga-
tion of the Akron accident, 1t was re-
called that the Shenandoah also was
damaged in the same way and the be-
lief was expressed that structural weak
ening resulting from the accident may
have been a contributing factor to her
breaking In two in line squall over
Northern Ohio few months later. For
this reason the committee went
thoroughly into the question of whether
the Akron's frame could have been
strained and weakened by the shock
Of the blow which demolished the huge
lower fin.
Many naval experts and construction
engineers were consulted on this point,
but succeeded in convincing the COM
mittee that the damage had been fully
iCHRnCo anu tlldI tllC AhlOil IldQ IlOO
been weakened in any particular by the
accident.
The Akron also was subjected to q
terrible pounding when she was caught
in thunderstorms over Texas on May
10 and IL. 1882, while making her cele-
brated flight to the Pacific Coast. The
Akron weathered in splendid shape
what later was declared to be the heav-
lest storm ever successfully fought by
a large airship, arriving at her destina-
ton, Sunnyvale, Calf, "a hours behind
schedule. In landing her there three
sailors were dragged into the air on her
handling lines and two Of them dropped
to death, the third being raised into
the airship.
For weeks thereafter the Akron was
engaged in maneuvers with the Pacific
Fleet, cruise up the length Of the
Pacific Coast, and her return to Lake
htrrct oil vx-ifH rI {v,nt