NEW BRITISH DIRIGIBLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20385, 14 October 1929, Page 11

NEW BRITISH DIRIGIBLE.

RlOl OUT OF HANGAR.

CROWD OF 5000 PRESENT.

MOORING PROCESS A SUCCESS.

HANDLING PROVES SIMPLE.

Australian Press Association—United Service (Received October 13, 5.55 p.m.) LONDON. Oct. 12.

At, daybreak to-day 400 men .look the new airship RlOl from her hangar at Cardington and safely affixed her to tho mooring mast.

Tho great dirigible made a perfect emergence. Sho looked slato-grey in the early dawn, but was transformed into shimmering silver when tho sun rose. The mooring crew pulled her a mile to tho mooring mast. A cable was attached and then tons of ballast were dropped.

Tho airship rose to the summit of tho mast and swung prettily in the brcozo amid (lie cheers of 5000 spectators. The first to go on board was tho designer of tho R 101, Lieutenant-Colonel Richardson. Ho was followed by Air-Marshal Sir J. F. Higgins. Colonel Richardson sent a message saying lie was delighted with tho ease with which the dirigible was handled compared with the difficulties of handling tho old R3B. Fuel lines were run out and tho loading process was begun in preparation for engine tests in tho afternoon. All the fittings will bo tested in tho next two days, after which there will be short trial flights, then tho public christening.

CRITICISM ANSWERED.

FIRST PASSENGER AIRSHIPS.

COURAGE AND FAITH NEEDED.

(Keceivcrl October 12, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless. RUGBY, Oct. 11. Recent ciii : cisms of airship construction and delay in tho trials were reforred to last evening in a speech at Hull by the Secretary of State for Air, Lord Thomson. He recalled the wonderful achievement of tho German airship Graf Zeppelin, which one morning was in tho centre of Europe and four days six hours later had reached tho furthermost point in Asia. If Britain had decided to imitato that achievement two British airships could have been provided years ago. Tho two new airships now completed, however, were tho first passenger dirigibles built for that purpose in theso islands. They contained many new ideas, and tho idea of safety first had been followed. All previous British airships had been war machines. It was not the strength of tho wind that had delayed the launching of tho RlOl, but its direction. They wished to proceed patiently. Airships needed more courage, more faith and more varied knowledge than any other form of transportation.