TRIALS OF AIRSHIP R100

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1930, Page 9

TRIALS OF AIRSHIP R100

EXPERIMENT TO SAVE WEIGHT. British Wireless. Rec. 5.5 p.m. Rugby, Jan. 17. Airship RIOO, which left Cardington soon after 9 o’clock yesterday morning with 58 persons on board, was moored again at the mast late last night after a flight of nearly 13J hours. During the early part of the flight speed trials were made. They were successful, an estimated speed of 81.5 miles per hour being attained. For the greater part of the day the ship flew at a height of 2000 feet above thick fog and low clouds which generally obscured the ground. Positions were obtained by wireless telegraphy when required. The main purpose of the flight was to run the ship at full speed in order to test the envelope. The experimental system of attachment adopted is hoped to save as much as four tons in weight in future ships. High winds were encountered during the flight but the speed attained was the highest yet recorded by an airship. The RlOO returned in the darkness to Cardington against a wind of 40 miles an hour, and although the low clouds permitted only momentary glimpses of the ground, the operation of locking the ship homo on the masthead occupied only 22 minutes.