NEW DIRIGIBLE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 227, 24 April 1933, Page 8

NEW DIRIGIBLE

Sister Ship oi : Akron

MAIDEN FLIGHT

Press Association—Copyright

Akron (Ohio), April .21.—. The Macon, sister ship of tho Akron, took off on her maiden flight this morning. The new American dirigible is the second big naval airship to be completed in the United States. The Macon was christened on March 11. During the ceremony her ground crew released her and she rose a few feet into the air to become "air born." After her trial flight she will fly to her base at Sunnyside. California, when she will be accepted by the Navy Department. The Macon has eight big Germanbuilt Maybach airship engines developing 550 h.p. Like the Akron, the newLeviathan of the air will carry a nest of fighting planes inside her envelope. Some of the comparative measurements of the four largest airships in the world are as follows: Macon and Akron: Length overall, 785 ft; height overall 146.5 ft; gas volume, 6,500,000 cubic feet; gross lift, 403.0001 b. Los Angeles: 658.3 ft; 104 ft; 2,470.000 cubic feet; 153.0001 b. Graf Zeppelin: 776 ft; 132 ft; 3,700.000 cubic feet; 258,0001 b.