The Story of
THE AIRSHIP
(NON-RIGID)
A Study of One of America’s Lesser Known Defense Weapons
BY HUGH ALLEN
AKRON, OHIO, 1943
ADMIRAL W. A. MOFFETT
To whom this book is dedicated
FIRST PRINTING, FEBRUARY, 1942
SECOND PRINTING, FEBRUARY, 1943
THIRD PRINTING, DECEMBER, 1943
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
THE LAKESIDE PRESS, R. R. DONNELLEY & SONS COMPANY, CHICAGO AND CRAWFORDSVILLE, INDIANA
Dedication
To Admiral William A. Moffett, and the men his leadershipinspired—to Landsdowne, McCord and Berry—to Calnanand Dugan and other able juniors, to Maxfield and Hoyt,Hancock and Lawrence of an earlier decade—to the Army’s HawthorneGray, and as well to England’s Scott, France’s de Grenadin,Germany’s Lehmann and Goodyear’s Brannigan and Morton—namestaken from lighter-than-air’s brief but distinguished casualty list—ofmen who believed in airships and accepted gallantly the penaltywhich progress eternally exacts from men—this book is dedicated.
Not forgetting the living men, the Navy’s Rosendahl, Fulton,Mills, Settle; Goodyear’s Litchfield and Arnstein, and hundreds ofothers who have carried on with unshaken faith, in the face of greatsetbacks.
Much of devotion and courage, of scientific research and engineeringachievement has gone into this enterprise—and much has beenproved. Today, airships of the non-rigid type are taking on a newresponsibility to the nation. If they succeed, they may well bring backthe great rigid airships, to act as long range scouts against enemyraid or surprise fleet movement, as fast moving bases and refuelingpoints for fighting airplanes far at sea—and as factors in worldcommerce in days to come.
It is this impulse which is driving forward the men who believe inairships—that the sacrifices and efforts of Admiral Moffett and therest shall not have gone in vain.
E. J. THOMAS
President of the Goodyear Company
CAPTAIN C. E. ROSENDAHL, U.S.N.
He never gave up his ships
COMMANDER T. G. W. SETTLE, U.S.N.
He explored the Stratosphere
CHARLES BRANNIGAN
His courage still inspires airship men