The post Today in 1921: Crash of Airship R-38 / ZR-2 appeared first on Airships.net.

Although it was published a few years ago I have not yet read the book — my copy is now on the way — but knowledgeable friends speak highly of it. The only criticism I have heard relates to the publisher’s decision to use a photo of LZ-127 on the cover. 🙂

Please feel free to post your own thoughts and reviews of the book in the comments.

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And it’s always flattering to be quoted by the BBC.

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An Avoidable, Political Catastrophe

The crash of R.101 was predictable and — more tragically — probably avoidable; the ship was doomed by mechanical problems that could have been repaired and operational mistakes that could have been avoided.

R.101 was paid for by Parliament, built by a government agency, and controlled by the Air Ministry, and in an attempt to compete with the privately-built R.100 (which had just successfully crossed the Atlantic) and the German Graf Zeppelin (which had just successfully flown around the world), and to fulfill personal ambitions of the Air Minister, Lord Thomson, the government dispatched R.101 on a flight to India for which the ship was not prepared.

R.101 was conceived and built as an experimental platform — a chance to try new and innovative techniques — but political forces insisted the ship be operated as fully-capable commercial vessel. Problems — inherent in any experimental design — were never fixed; flight trials were sacrificed in favor of VIP sightseeing; and the ship’s officers were pressed to make a flight to India for which the airship was not ready, without regard to weather, and with a load of fuel and unnecessary cargo that exceeded the ship’s abilities.

During research at the UK National Archives I had the chilling experience of holding R.101’s Airworthiness Certificate in my hand; a document that should never have been issued. (photo, Dan Grossman)

Fixable Problems and Final Disaster

R.101 emerged from construction much heavier than expected, and with engines that were half as powerful and twice as heavy as planned.

In an effort to increase lift the ship’s ingenious gas bag wiring system — which was specifically designed to keep the bags from chafing against the ship’s frame — was let out; the gas bags rubbed against the framework as predicted, creating thousands of holes and a massive leakage of lifting gas. Even after the ship was cut in half to insert an extra gas bag for additional lift, this problem was never fixed.

The ship’s fabric covering was deteriorating and needed to be replaced, but in the rush to fly to India the most important section of rotted fabric was left in place.

And despite marginal disposable lift, the ship was overloaded with fuel for the full flight to India, despite a planned refueling stop in Egypt, and with the personal baggage of the Air Minister, Lord Thomson, who brought crates of silverware, china, champagne, a carpet, and his 20-year old valet. To compensate for this unexpected weight R.101 had to drop most of its emergency ballast at the mast just to depart.

The ship had never been flown at full speed, or on all engines, or in bad weather. But on October 4, 1930, the ship was dispatched to fly on all engines into a known storm, at a time of year known for bad weather, despite the recommendation of airship officers and meteorology experts.

After struggling to maintain altitude over England and the Channel the ship crossed into France, where rain and wind damaged the unrepaired fabric at the nose of the ship and broke open gas bags in the bow, releasing the ship’s lifting gas. The overloaded and under-ballasted ship settled into a hillside in northern France and moments later the ship’s hydrogen erupted into flame. Calcium flares in the control car may have ignited, activated by exposure to water, but whatever the source of ignition, the fire destroyed the ship in minutes and killed most of those onboard, including Lord Thomson.

A Good Ship, Poorly Used

R.101 was a good experimental ship that, with necessary repairs and proper operational procedures, could have been a safe platform from which important lessons could have been learned. She was intended as a prototype from which the British could learn how to build future commercial vessels, but the Air Ministry foolishly treated the ship as a finished product ready for intercontinental passenger service.

The Aftermath

In the wake of the R.101 disaster the privately-built R.100 was dismantled and Britain never again operated a rigid airship.

The future of the passenger airship would belong to Germany, at least for the next seven years.

Memorial and mass grave at Cardington for victims of R.101 (photo, Dan Grossman)

The post British Airship R.101 Crashes, Killing 48 – This Day in 1930 appeared first on Airships.net.

Film footage of the British dirigible R101, which crashed in the early morning hours of October 5, 1930 in Beauvais, France during its first commercial flight.  The crash and ensuing hydrogen fire killed 48 of the 54 passengers and crew.

The immediate cause of the accident was the deterioration of defective fabric covering the ship’s bow, but the ship was overweight, poorly designed, and insufficiently tested.

R101 was known as the “Socialist Ship,” since it was built by the British government in competition with the so-called “Capitalist Ship,” R100, built by the private firm of Vickers.

Duralumin salvaged from the wreckage of R101 was used in the construction of the Hindenburg.

More information about R101, R100, and other British airships is available at the website of the Airship Heritage Trust.

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R34 arriving at Mineola, New York. July 6, 1919.

At approximately 9:00 AM on July 6, 1919, R34 arrived at Mineola, New York after crossing the Atlantic from Scotland, and Major E.M. Pritchard parachuted from the airship to the ground to supervise landing operations.

R34 had departed East Fortune, Scotland on July 2, 1919, and completed the 3,130 nautical mile journey to America in 108 hours and 12 minutes.

Zachary Lansdowne after arrival of R34. July 6, 1919.

The ship was under the command of Major George Herbert Scott, who was later killed in the crash of the R101 in October, 1930.  Also aboard was American naval officer Zachary Lansdowne, who later served as captain of the United States Navy airship Shenandoah.

Just before midnight on July 10, 1919, R34 departed New York for its return to the United Kingdom, arriving in Pulham, England after a flight of 75 hours and 3 minutes. It was the first round-trip crossing of the Atlantic by air.

R-34

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