Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-04-27
INSPECTOR LAUDS
+ AKRON STRUCTURE.
Lieut.. Settle Says DirieibIe
Was Better Built Than
Graf Zeppelin.
BY the Associated Press.

ny INC hSSOCiuteo EEetB
The type Of workmanship that went
into construction Of the U. s. s. Akron
was described today Is excellent by
of naval aircraft at the Goodyear Zep-
pelin Corporation at Akron, Ohio.
Testifying before the naval court in
vestigating the Akron disaster. Settle
said he regarded the workmanship that
went into the Akron as superior to that
Of the Graf Zeppelin, Shenandoah and
Los Angeles.
Questioned regarding the overweight
Of the Akron, Settle said that while full
penalties were assessed the contractors
for both overweight and speed, the
overweight tended to make the struc-
ture Of the ship stronger and In no
way proved detrimental to the Akron
When asked by the Judge advocate
concerning previous testimony that
certain faulty construction appeared in
the Akron, Settle told how, on one
occasion in Akron, q joint Of the inner
ring of the main frame buckled. It
was corrected, however, and other sim
liar construction was examined care
fully and found to be sound.
Praises Akron Skipper.
In concluding. Settle asked to make
personal statement. Turning to
Admiral H. v. Butler, president of the
court. he declared:
Admiral, want to say that I re-
gard Comdr. Frank McCord as an able
and ef1cient officer in every respect.
would like very much to serve under
him on an airship were he alive today"
c. P. Burgess, designer in the Bureau
Of Aeronautics. was recalled. He gave
an explanation Of how an airship be-
haves when struck by strong gusts Of
wind.
Lieut.. Comdr Herbert v. Wiley. the
only surviving officer Of the Akron,
then took the stand for questioning on
how his airship service compared with
that of wartime German Zeppelin COM
manders Wiley said he had approx
mately 5000 hours flying time on air
ships, that he knew two German Yep
pelin wartime captains who in 1928
had told him they had less hours than
he had.
Compares German Records
He had met some German command
ers, generally considered successful dur
ing the war, he said, who had less than
800 hours. He mentioned Won Schiller.
who, he said. in 1928 told him he had
between 1900 and 100 hours.
Wiley said the instruction given air.
ship men at Lakehurst was course
as good as can be expected" He said
he didn't think 1t could be improved
upon.
The court then sought information as
to the Nfe-saving equipment on the
Akron. Wiley said rubber life jackets,
under previous orders, had been placed
under each bunk and that an inflated
rubber life raft was in place on the
last flight.
Defends Last Flight.
Decision to send q joint congressional
committee to Akron to inspect the new
Macon was reached yesterday as Capt
Anger II. Dresel, commander of the new
dlriglole, told the court of inquiry that
the weather maps furnished the Akron
did not justify postponement of the
alrshlps disastrous trip.
Capt DreSel said most OF his ideas
on handling a lighter-than-ai craft
IN q thunderstorm were obtained from
books.
Representative Delaney, Democrat, of
New York, who announced the Joint
Congressional Committee would 20 to
the Ohio city. said the inspection of
he new ship probably would be made
day 5 or 6.
Delaney had requested that the
Macon be sent to LAkehurst. N. j.,
berth of the Akron, but said he had
been informed by the Navy Department
that the new ship had not been ac-
cepted pending further trial flights
and that it would not be practicable
to have the ship at Lakehurst at the
time designated"