AMERICA’S AIR MAIL

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6440, 19 January 1924, Page 7

AMERICA’S AIR MAIL

GERMANY TO THE STATES Attending the American Aeronautical Congress at St. louis, Rear-Ad-miral Moffett, Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics of the U.S. Navy, made an interesting announcement concerning their latest airship. This, when completed,, he explained, would be employed on a mail service between New York and London, and would operate on a schedule of two days between those two cities. The vessel is now under construction in the Zeppelin Company’s yards at Friedrichshafen.

According to the American Naval authorities, she was to fly to America some time in November. She will make the flight with no intermediate stops, and her course will carry her over France, Spain, and the South Atlantic to her future home in a hangar at Lakehurst, N.J. The airship is expected to negotiate the distance of about 4500 miles in 100 to 140 hours.

Under Allied .regulations forbidding Germany to build for war purposes, the vessel is designed for commercial use. She will have the space and equipment to carry, in addition to her own crew of 24 men, 130 passengers with their Baggage. The seating and sleeping arrangements compare favourably with the finest American Pullman cars. These are arranged in the main cabin,, which is rigidly secured to the keel undbr the forward end of the ship. The passenger cabin is also fitted with a modern kitchen, equipped with electric stoves. The guest-room is divided into five compartments, each seating .five persons comfortably.

The windows are large, as to give the passengers an excellent view of the world beneath. Four engines of 400 horse-power each will drive the vessel at a maximum speed of 80 miles an hour. Carrying 1 more than 33 tons of-petrol, together with oil and spare parts, water and provisions for passengers and crew, the ship will have at her ordinary speed of a mile a minute a cruising radius of 8600 nautical miles.

Allowing a margin of 1000 miles for safety, she would be able to go without stopping from New York to Hong Kong, Rangoon, Capetown, Auckland, • Manila, or, the vicinity of the South Pole. Australia would be in easy reach if the start were made from San Francisco. Under the contract between the United States and Germany* the new craft is to be delivered in America by a German crew. The United States Shipping Board, Weather Bureau, and other Government agencies are preparing to aid her in her flight by furnishing the latest meterological data. Midway in the. Atlantic a ship will be stationed to direct the air vessel, or to give help if it should be- necessary.