THE SHENANDOAH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 November 1924, Page 6

THE SHENANDOAH.

FUTURE OF AIRSItIPS. THREE IMPORTANT INVENTIONS. The New York Times publishes an interview with Captain Lansdowne, in command of the great airship Shenandoah, in which he refers to three developments that have given permanence to the high-sky fleet as a factor in warfare. He named them thus: The mooring mast of the naval oil tanker Batoka, which for the first time gives the rigid airship an unlimited cruising radius. Water recovery, which for the first time frees a rigid airship from the need of valving gas en route, and makes its fuel capacity virtually the only limit on its cruising capacity. (The commander meant the recent invention of Mr. Humphrey Parker, a Gisborne boy. with which three of the Shenandoah’s five motors are equipped). The device converts the engine exhaust gases into water, which, in turn, is added to the ship’s ballast and thus compensates (a little better than 100 per cent), for fuel weight lost as gasoline is consumed. Tile third factor is helium, which, for the first time makes the rigid 'airship non-inflammable in so far as danger of fire from its own gas is concerned. Helium gas was an American war secret, and is now an American tnonionoly. “With our floating mast, our water recovery, and helium,” stud Captain Lansdowne. “we expect to get anywhere in the world, and get.back, get back.” On the recent manoeuvres with the scouting fleet off New England the Shenandoah cruised for forty hours without “valving gas,” a record. Water derived from the exhaust gases actually exceeded the weight of gasoline consumed, 'and the ship came home heavier than when she went out. Previously the “wilting” of the gas bags because of enforced depiction to offset the fuel, loss had always forced lighter-than-a.ir ships home. The Shenandoah lias found a way not only to stay out for days, hut to spare the waste of the costly helium. “Lighter-th'an-air” men draw heavily upon Admiral JelLicoe’s testimony in favour of their ships as scouts.