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Zeppelins


mattingly

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Re: Zeppelins

 

... Engaged in an intense firefight' date=' biplanes swarming among them like wasps ...[/quote']

 

Or not. That would kill the industry all over again. But I wouldn't mind seeing something like this:

 

 

Edit: And since the Zeppelin Eureka has been seen together with the Goodyear and Metlife blimps, there's precedent for it in California.

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Re: Zeppelins

 

Astonishing performance by Lufthansa --almost as good as reading the 1938 article in the New York Herald Tribune describing the Chain Home system. Or reading the Air Estimates (ie, RAF budget tabled in the House in March of 1938) describing the new network of high frequency radio "navigational stations" being built along the British coast and putting two and two together.

 

Nazis: builders of super weapons, and morons. "Mein Fuehrer, good news! I've sketched up plans for a jet fighter!"

 

"Excellent work, my little Bertie! Any more good ideas for your uncle 'Dolf?"

 

"A Land war in Asia, Mein Fuerher! With bonus genocide!" [Giggle] "Stop tickling me!"

 

"I can't help it, Bertie! You're just so cute! Now let's get going! We have to invade Russia before we go for ice cream!"

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Re: Zeppelins

 

Fans of adventure stories featuring zepplins might like to try "All-Star Zepplin Adventure Stories" David Moles and Jay Lake (eds) (All Star Stories 2004). I haven't read it myself but the first story ("Voice Of The Hurricane" by Paul Berger) contains a lovely opening line. "When a herd of zepplins comes over the horizen, you can kiss your farm goodbye ". Obviously we need cowboys (Zepp boys ?) in biplanes riding herd on these things !

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Re: Zeppelins

 

Hydrogen as the lifting gas ... boom! Also I wonder what that high tech balloon is like in a storm' date=' and how it directs it's travel.[/quote']

 

Hydrogen? Yeah, I gotta wonder about that.

 

For a relatively small and possibly expendable unmanned aerostat, it would be plausible. For a "luxury liner", I have major reservations.

 

As regards directional cotrol, perhaps the odd shape helps in some way, like sails on a ship. Also, air currents can vary in strength and direction at differing altitudes - could just be a matter of finding the right one, something that balloonists know quite well. Still, I really don't see this concept as being workable for anything close to a set schedule or itinerary. Nice idea, though.

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Re: Zeppelins

 

Think of it as trading the flammability of jet fuel (which falls down as it burns) for the flammability of hydrogen (which flies up as it burns).

 

Yep.

One well publicized failure has scared off more people from a perfectly fine lifting gas... *sigh*

 

Did they stop making steel hulled boats after the Titanic?

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Re: Zeppelins

 

Think of it as trading the flammability of jet fuel (which falls down as it burns) for the flammability of hydrogen (which flies up as it burns).

 

Except that the jet fuel commonly used these days is less flammable than previously, and will STAY in an adequately sealed container.

 

Still the same ol' Hydrogen, and it doesn't.

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