BRITISH AIRSHIPS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 56, 29 November 1929, Page 11

BRITISH AIRSHIPS

REASONS FOR BUILDING TWO SIMULTANEOUSLY DIFFERENT DESIGNS TRIED OUT M.P.’S ABANDONED FLIGHT (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. November 28, 5.5 p.m.) Rugby, November 27. Questioned in the House of Lords last night as to why the Air Ministry had built the two airships, RlOO and RlOl simultaneously, Lord Thomson, Air Minister, said they were trying out two sorts of designs, and the differences were very marked, notably in that RlOl was equipped with Diesel engines, whereas RlOO had ordinary petrol engines. Regarding the circumstances in which the flight arranged for Members of Parliament was twice abandoned, Lord Thomson said that in a period of sixteen days during which the flight might have taken place there were only two that were unsuitable, and those happened to be the days selected. On Saturday last the conditions were remarkable. On that day the British battleship Malaya was held up for thirty hours from getting into Plymouth Harbour. All along the east and south coast shipping was held up, while a great 20,000-ton liner was weather bound at Liverpool. Football matches were abandoned, and conditions were entirely abnormal. He would not fix a definite date again for the Parlimentarians’ flight. JOY RIDE POSTPONED UNTIL NEW YEAR (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Rec. November 28, 7 p.m.) London, November 27. The Parliamentarians’ joy ride in RlOl is definitely off until the New Year. It is improbable that the airship will be aloft again before the spring,