TESTS MADE OF MOORING MASTS FOR AIRSHIPS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18046, 5 January 1927, Page 11

TESTS MADE OF MOORING MASTS FOR AIRSHIPS.

R 33 TRIES OUT FIRST OF EMPIRE CHAIN. (Special to the. “Star.”) LONDON, November 23. The Empire airship mooring mast at Cardington. the first of a series recommended by the Imperial Conference tor erection in the Dominions, received its first test of actual operation here to-day, when R 33 made two trial hauls before departure fo? Pulham to be laid up indefinitely. Only last week the Dominion Prime Ministers made a personal inspection of the mast and its hauling gear, and its successful operation to-day is an event of importance, in view of the attitude of the Imperial Conference, which, it is understood, will certainly lead to prompt action. It is hoped, of course, that similar masts will be available in each Dominion of the Empire for the new State airships, and, as two .ships are due to be completed in about a vear, there is considerable point also , in the further recommendation that a second building should be erected at Cardington, alongside the present enlarged shed. This is now needed for work on the new ship, and R33’s departure early this morning, to go to the new ‘iOOft. mast at the l’ar side of the aerodrome, was not unwelcome. She was led over by the landing party to the mast, and there the mooring cable from the masthead was attached to the ship’s cable. R 33 then floated up some 500 ft., and from there was drawn down to the masthead by the central rope, while side guys ran out round ground points and brought back to the central engine-house over pulleys completed the triangle of cables which stcadilv centred the cone on the airship over, and finally into, the locking cap on the masthead. Standing 200 ft. up on the landing platform, it was at once apparent how surely the operation of mooring an airship has been simplified and standardised by properly designed apparatus. R 33, much more impressive in size when seen level at this height, floated a little away and above the masthead, the movable arm of which gently inclined under the pull of the cabic to meet the downward moving cone. The two Grebe single-seater fighters to be dropped later and hung under the broad hull were clearly visible, and it was easy to follow the movements of the officers and crew in the airship control room. Under Single Control. The position was akin to that of the ocean liner drawing to the dockside, only in the case of an airship the control of the Aarious operations of mooring is vested mainly in the officer on the masthead. This officer, with two men at the electric controls, has full command of every operation, although the actual winding gear is far below at the foot of the mast. At his order the main haul gear is started and stopped. and equally the subsidiary guys on the port and starboard are under his direction. Thus, Avith his eyes fixed on the slowly narrowing space between the ship’s cone and the mhsthead up aboA-e him, the officer regulated -the movement of the ship's nose to an inch. Once the nose coupling had clicked home, a man moved to the electric masthead arm control and the whole moA-able arm first wound itself Acrtical, then withdrew a matter of eight feet until it and the ship had been locked solid with the main masthead. A telephone cable Avas run aboard, and R 33 at once became linked up with the telephone system of Great Britain, though officially without a number. Two large, flexible hoses lie ready at the masthead to pump gas and water into the new State airships after their return from some A-oy-age, it may be of 13,000 miles or more; and a flexible enclosed gangway- such as is used on corridor trains Avill then be aA’ailable for the. transhipment of passengers on to the landing platform. After a second and equally successful test of the gear, R 33 lay motionless at the mast for an hour until airship officials, the pilots of the Grebes, and

others responsible for testing out parachutes for airship use came aboard by means of a small hatch in the bow of the ship. When the time came to cast off, the analogy- of the liner leaving dock applied with equal force. Engine-bells clanged, the motors started up. all ropes were hauled in, the telephone cable disconnected, and finally- the ship was held at the nose pnlv by an ingenious quick release. “Slip” came in sharp command, a man in the masthead chamber pulled a lever, and in a second R 33 drew- upwards from the masthead with the flag flying. First one and then another airscrew- worked up to full revolutions, and in a minute or two the aircraft was cruising OA-er the country-side. The masthead party were taken to the ground by the lift, and there, together -with many- people gathered on the public road, watched first a parachute with a dummy float down from the ship, and then one of the Grebes release itself and fly round before making for its home station.

R 33 then headed for Pulham, and was quickly- lost in the November mist. She reached Pulham before 5 o'clock and after the second Grebes had been released and a liA-e drop made with the TrA-ing SerA-ice parachute, the ship was housed in the shed.