Biplanes and Triplanes were the best !

robert arndt wrote:

The new Zeppelin and plans for even larger types from around the world
arouse great interest but lack suitable funding. It WOULD be
absolutely amazing to fly in an 800+ ft long Zeppelin across the
Atlantic. That IMO is comparable to those that flew on the Concorde.

Especially traveling at mach 2!

Is there no end to advanced German technical achievement?


SMH

Stephen Harding wrote in message ...
robert arndt wrote:

The new Zeppelin and plans for even larger types from around the world
arouse great interest but lack suitable funding. It WOULD be
absolutely amazing to fly in an 800+ ft long Zeppelin across the
Atlantic. That IMO is comparable to those that flew on the Concorde.

Especially traveling at mach 2!

Is there no end to advanced German technical achievement?


SMH

Hey Steve,

Notice how I said "from around the world"? Here's a site with airship
companies around the world:

http://www.myairship.com/

Don' you feel like an ass? You should.

BTW, the Hindenburg predated the Concorde by 3 decades and although it
couldn't do Mach 2 it sure was the largest thing in the air-ever, with
a spectacular view and luxury accomodations that won't fit on any
airliner. The 747 and A380 are gnats compared to that giant. In fact,
the Hindenburg was taller than most skyscrapers of the time.
Many people around the world want a come-back for the huge airships
and Lockheed is rumored to already operate a massive stealth airship
for surveillance. So what's your problem Steve?
I actually would like to see both a new Concorde and the Zeppelin
return.

Rob

In message , robert
arndt writes
Stephen Harding wrote in message
...
robert arndt wrote:

The new Zeppelin and plans for even larger types from around the world
arouse great interest but lack suitable funding. It WOULD be
absolutely amazing to fly in an 800+ ft long Zeppelin across the
Atlantic. That IMO is comparable to those that flew on the Concorde.

Especially traveling at mach 2!

Is there no end to advanced German technical achievement?


SMH

Hey Steve,

Notice how I said "from around the world"? Here's a site with airship
companies around the world:

http://www.myairship.com/

Don' you feel like an ass? You should.

BTW, the Hindenburg predated the Concorde by 3 decades and although it
couldn't do Mach 2 it sure was the largest thing in the air-ever, with
a spectacular view and luxury accomodations that won't fit on any
airliner. The 747 and A380 are gnats compared to that giant. In fact,
the Hindenburg was taller than most skyscrapers of the time.
Many people around the world want a come-back for the huge airships
and Lockheed is rumored to already operate a massive stealth airship
for surveillance. So what's your problem Steve?
I actually would like to see both a new Concorde and the Zeppelin
return.

Seconded all opinions. I have a few books on airships. Fancy crossing
the Atlantic by air, getting out of your seat, walking to a window,
opening it and learning out looking at the view! Or a dining room with
proper tables, white tablecloths and proper cutlery!

Mike
--
M.J.Powell

"M. J. Powell" wrote:

Seconded all opinions. I have a few books on airships. Fancy crossing
the Atlantic by air, getting out of your seat, walking to a window,
opening it and learning out looking at the view! Or a dining room with
proper tables, white tablecloths and proper cutlery!

My sentiments exactly. Air travel these days is an incredibly
dehumanizing experience.

"M. J. Powell" wrote in message
...


Seconded all opinions. I have a few books on airships. Fancy crossing
the Atlantic by air, getting out of your seat, walking to a window,
opening it and learning out looking at the view! Or a dining room with
proper tables, white tablecloths and proper cutlery!


Which was fine if you were one of the 1% of the population
who could afford the fare. That same 1% today travels in
pretty good style up in first class.

In the 30's we mere mortals would have been fortunate
to travel in steerage class packed like sardines for 6 days
instead of 6 hours.

Keith

In message , Keith Willshaw
writes

"M. J. Powell" wrote in message
...


Seconded all opinions. I have a few books on airships. Fancy crossing
the Atlantic by air, getting out of your seat, walking to a window,
opening it and learning out looking at the view! Or a dining room with
proper tables, white tablecloths and proper cutlery!


Which was fine if you were one of the 1% of the population
who could afford the fare. That same 1% today travels in
pretty good style up in first class.

In the 30's we mere mortals would have been fortunate
to travel in steerage class packed like sardines for 6 days
instead of 6 hours.

Spoilsport. One can always hope.

Mike
--
M.J.Powell

The comments concerning possible return of the commercial
airship makes me wonder about military uses of such an
air vehicle.

Are there any for today's military mission and needs?

The only thing that really comes to mind is possibly an
airship as a heavy lift vehicle (a really big Chinook?)
in support operations well behind battle lines or areas
of contention (if helicopters are vulnerable, think how
bad it would be for airships!).

I vaguely recall some not too distant, military driven
experiments in the use of airships, but now have no clue
as to what they could possibly have been.


SMH

"Stephen Harding" wrote in message
...
The comments concerning possible return of the commercial
airship makes me wonder about military uses of such an
air vehicle.

Are there any for today's military mission and needs?

The only thing that really comes to mind is possibly an
airship as a heavy lift vehicle (a really big Chinook?)
in support operations well behind battle lines or areas
of contention (if helicopters are vulnerable, think how
bad it would be for airships!).

I vaguely recall some not too distant, military driven
experiments in the use of airships, but now have no clue
as to what they could possibly have been.


Airship Industries were trying to sell their products
for the AEW role. The platform was based on their
Sentinel 5000 product fitted with the radar system
from the E2-C Hawkeye .

http://www.aht.ndirect.co.uk/airships/Sentinel_5000/

Keith

"Stephen Harding" wrote in message
...
The comments concerning possible return of the commercial
airship makes me wonder about military uses of such an
air vehicle.

Are there any for today's military mission and needs?

The only thing that really comes to mind is possibly an
airship as a heavy lift vehicle (a really big Chinook?)
in support operations well behind battle lines or areas
of contention (if helicopters are vulnerable, think how
bad it would be for airships!).

I vaguely recall some not too distant, military driven
experiments in the use of airships, but now have no clue
as to what they could possibly have been.

As Keith has already noted, they have been proposed for the AEW role with no
success to date, at least as far as free-flying blimps go--unpowered
aerostats are however used for the air surveillance role (ISTR we recently
sold Pakistan some AEW aerostats to assuage their concerns over the recent
purscahse of the Il-76/Phalcon AWACS from Russia/Israel, and they have
served this role in the drug war along the southern US approaches for many
years). I wonder if there are not further roles for aerostats--such as their
use for area security surveillance in an environment like we now find in
Iraq. As to blimps, you really have to have air superiority (or outright air
dominance) in order to make them viable; in such conditions, I'd think they
might be a decent platform for battlefield surveillance using a MTI radar
(sort of a long duration mini-JSTARS, more comparable to the current ARL-M)
or in the SIGINT role, where they can conduct their missions from a position
a few klicks to the rear of the FLOT.

Brooks


SMH

Stephen Harding wrote:

The comments concerning possible return of the commercial
airship makes me wonder about military uses of such an
air vehicle.

Are there any for today's military mission and needs?

The only thing that really comes to mind is possibly an
airship as a heavy lift vehicle (a really big Chinook?)
in support operations well behind battle lines or areas
of contention (if helicopters are vulnerable, think how
bad it would be for airships!).

I vaguely recall some not too distant, military driven
experiments in the use of airships, but now have no clue
as to what they could possibly have been.

SMH


It was only a few years ago that concerted efforts failed to destroy a
large ballon which managed to drift clear across the Atlantic despite
numerous holes being shot in it. I wonder if they really are all that
vulnerable?

Dave