IMPERIAL AIRSHIPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20072, 9 October 1928, Page 8

IMPERIAL AIRSHIPS.

PROGRESS OF CONSTRUCTION OVERSEAS BASES UNDER WAY. The progress made in the construction of the State airship R 101 was officially disclosed recently to visitors to the Royal Airship Works at Cardington, the future home station for Empire airship services. No date, was given officially for-the completion of this 5.000,000 cubic feet capacity ship, with its accommodation for 100 passengers, but there seems to be a general impression that she will be ready to go to the adjacent 200 ft. high mooring tower by the end of the year, says the aeronautical correspondent of the Times. SiVith this in view five mooring towers within the Empire are being com? pleted in 1929, and the position of these Empire bases shows that there is a wido range of the world open to this airship The bases are:— Cardington, Bedfordshire.—Home basn Two sheds, 812 ft. long, 180 ft. wide, and 157 ft. high. One mooring tower com plete. -Egypt, Ismailia.—Mooring tower com plete. India, Karachi.—Mooring tower, cie<tion about to begin. Shed, 850 ft. by 180 ft. by 170 ft. high, almost complete Canada, St. Hubert.—Mooring tower to be completed early in 1929. South Africa, Groutville, near Durban of mooring tower surveyed. Con struction not yet begun, but"it is expected tenders will be called in the near future. These bases may be taken to be available when R 101 is ready for Empire trials, and further additions expected are as follows: Australia.—Purchase approved of site near Perth. New Zeaiand.—Site earmarked and meteorological service reorganised to meet airship requirements. Presuming that the ship is ready by the end of this year, it is expected' that the home trials will occupy from three to six months, so that the first Empire flights, presumably to Egypt and India, DV™ P in tlie autumn of 1929 a. ' tho airs hip being built by the Airship Guarantee Company at Howdeti, is also expected to be ready about the end of the year, but, as she has petrol engines, flights to the tropics will not bo p>:>ssible, and Commander Burnev is anxious that demonstration flights' shall " IJ ma . de . to . America to enlist financial support in the United States for a commercial service with bigger ships.