Evening star., 1936-01-27

nittee advocates reSumplOH OA tAAC
airship program abandoned by the
Navy following the loss OF the Akron
and the Macon.
The committee recommended, how
ever, that the first large ai:ship to oe
built under such program should oe
used as a flying laboratory or tram
ing ship, rather than as an adjunct 10
the fleet. Instead of being used, as
were the Akron and Macon, for the
working-out of feet tactical problems
the first of the proposed new airshlps
should be employed in making ex-
tensive technical observations OF the
structure under operating conditions,
for enlarging knowledge of such ships
and the best fields for their employ
ment, and for training officers and
crew in handling airships under all
conditions of weather and service.
Comment by Navy Invited.
Todays report is being sent by Sec
fetary Swanson to various bureaus
and offices in the Navy Department
for study and comment. The Navy
General Board, which advises the Sec
retary on questions of policy, and the
Bureau of Aeronautics are expected
to play leading parts in this phase OF
the study.
Experience with large airships IN
the United States, the committee de-
clared, has not as yet been sufhcient
to give ground for wholly settled
opinion as to the character and ex-
tent of their potential usefulness,
either commercial or naval"
The report continued:
I'm view, therefore, of our ex-
pressed opinion as to the practicable
ity of the design, construction ana
operation of such airships with a rea-
sonable margin of safety and with
the presumption of capacity for USE
full service, it is the unanimous opln-
ion Of this committee that the best
interests Of the services in which air
ships give promise of useful and ef-
fective service, both commercial and
naval, require a continuing program
of construction and use.
Would Test for Size.
"And in pursuance of this opinion,
It is our recommendation that the
Navy Department should continue
with a positive, carefully considered
program of airship construction, in
cluding non-rigids and rigid ships
of small or moderate size as service
requirements might indicate. and ex-
tending to a ship or ships of large
size, to the point, at least for the
latter, Of furnishing ground for def
mite conclusions regarding the capacity
for useful naval service OF construc-
tions Of this character"
Concerning the operation of air.
ships in the Navy in the past, the
committee said: I'VE express no
present opinion, especially in the
sense of indicating responsibility for
the loss Of either the Shenandoah, the
Akron or the Macon"
Swanson Silent.
Soon after the Macon crashed last
February off the California coast, Sec
retary Swanson asked the Science Ad-
visory Board to investigate the whole
question of the future of airships IN
the Navy.
Serving with DR.. Durand on the
committee are Alfred " de Forest, as
sociate professor of mechanical engi-
neering, Massachusetts, Institute OF
Technology; William Hovgaard, pro-
fessor emeritus of naval construction
at M. l. T.; Frank B. Jewett, noted
scientist; Theodore Won Karman, pro-
fessor of aeronautics and director Of
the Daniel Guggenheim Laboratory,
California Institute of Technology;
Charles F. Kettering and R. A. Milli-
kan, prominent scientists. and Stephen
Timoshenko, professor Of engineering
mechanics, University of Michigan.
Secretary Swanson offered no COM
ment on the report, but it is known
that he has been lukewarm to air.
ships, preferring to await the SCI
entists' decision. A lengthy study
within the Navy Department is FORE
cast.