This article is about the United States Navy class of blimps. For the Royal Navy's class of blimps, see Coastal class blimp.
The C-class blimp was a patrol airship developed by the US Navy near the end of World War I, a systematic improvement upon the B-type which was suitable for training, but of limited value for patrol work. Larger than the B-class, the C-class blimps had two motors and a longer endurance. Once again, the envelope production was split between Goodyear and Goodrich, with control cars being built by the Burgess division of Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Originally the Navy ordered 30 but reduced the number to 10 after the armistice in November 1918.[1] All ten of the "C" type airships were delivered in late 1918, and examples served at all of the Navy's airship stations from 1918 to 1922. In 1921, the C-7 was the first airship ever to be inflated with helium.[2] The Navy decommissioned its last two remaining C-type blimps, the C-7 and C-9 in 1922.
Arriving too late for wartime use, the C-type became more of an experimental airship and was used for a variety of activities besides training. C-1 was the first airship to release an airplane in flight when the C-1 dropped a Curtiss JN-4 over Fort Tilden, New York on 12 December 1918.[2]C-1 also tested a job which Navy blimps would also perform for the rest of their service. It was flown to Key West, Florida where it tracked torpedoes fired in practice from submarines. The most notable C-type was the C-5, which was flown to St. John's, Newfoundland, where it was to attempt a transatlantic flight in competition with the US Navy's heavier-than-air Curtiss NC flying boats. In the race to be the first to cross the Atlantic by air, in addition to the C-5 and NC flying boats, there were two British entrants. This unofficial race drew much public interest on both sides of the Atlantic and was covered extensively by the press in the US and Europe.[3] The attempt ended when a sudden windstorm tore the unmanned C-5 from the hands of the ground crew and it was blown out to sea and never seen again.[4] Two C-type blimps were transferred to the US Army.[5] On 2 July 1919, the C-8 suddenly exploded while landing at Camp Holabird, Maryland, injuring about 80 civilians who were watching it. Windows in homes a mile away were shattered by the blast.[6][7] The C-3 caught fire while airborne on 7 July 1921 and burned at Naval Air Station Hampton Roads, Norfolk, Virginia.[8]
Fat Man nuclear bombedit
The first US nuclear bombs, the Fat Man (Mark III) had incredibly bad ballistics. Los Alamos engineers, in an effort to fit the awkward shape of the weapon into an aerodynamically sound shape, based the Mark IV bomb casing upon the shape of the C-type blimp envelope.[9]
Shock, James R. (2001). US Navy Airships 1915-1962. Edgewater, Florida: Atlantic Press. pp. 22–27. ISBN978-0-9639743-8-9.
Hansen, Chuck (1995). Swords of Armageddon. Sunnyvale, California: Chucelea Publications.
January 01, 1970
class, blimp, this, article, about, united, states, navy, class, blimps, royal, navy, class, blimps, coastal, class, blimp, patrol, airship, developed, navy, near, world, systematic, improvement, upon, type, which, suitable, training, limited, value, patrol, w. This article is about the United States Navy class of blimps For the Royal Navy s class of blimps see Coastal class blimp The C class blimp was a patrol airship developed by the US Navy near the end of World War I a systematic improvement upon the B type which was suitable for training but of limited value for patrol work Larger than the B class the C class blimps had two motors and a longer endurance Once again the envelope production was split between Goodyear and Goodrich with control cars being built by the Burgess division of Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company Originally the Navy ordered 30 but reduced the number to 10 after the armistice in November 1918 1 All ten of the C type airships were delivered in late 1918 and examples served at all of the Navy s airship stations from 1918 to 1922 In 1921 the C 7 was the first airship ever to be inflated with helium 2 The Navy decommissioned its last two remaining C type blimps the C 7 and C 9 in 1922 C class NAVY C 7 Role Patrol airship Manufacturer Various Goodyear Goodrich First flight 30 September 1918 at Wingfoot Lake Retired 1922 Primary user US Navy Number built 10 Contents 1 Operations 2 Fat Man nuclear bomb 3 Operators 4 Specifications typical 5 See also 6 ReferencesOperations editArriving too late for wartime use the C type became more of an experimental airship and was used for a variety of activities besides training C 1 was the first airship to release an airplane in flight when the C 1 dropped a Curtiss JN 4 over Fort Tilden New York on 12 December 1918 2 C 1 also tested a job which Navy blimps would also perform for the rest of their service It was flown to Key West Florida where it tracked torpedoes fired in practice from submarines The most notable C type was the C 5 which was flown to St John s Newfoundland where it was to attempt a transatlantic flight in competition with the US Navy s heavier than air Curtiss NC flying boats In the race to be the first to cross the Atlantic by air in addition to the C 5 and NC flying boats there were two British entrants This unofficial race drew much public interest on both sides of the Atlantic and was covered extensively by the press in the US and Europe 3 The attempt ended when a sudden windstorm tore the unmanned C 5 from the hands of the ground crew and it was blown out to sea and never seen again 4 Two C type blimps were transferred to the US Army 5 On 2 July 1919 the C 8 suddenly exploded while landing at Camp Holabird Maryland injuring about 80 civilians who were watching it Windows in homes a mile away were shattered by the blast 6 7 The C 3 caught fire while airborne on 7 July 1921 and burned at Naval Air Station Hampton Roads Norfolk Virginia 8 Fat Man nuclear bomb editThe first US nuclear bombs the Fat Man Mark III had incredibly bad ballistics Los Alamos engineers in an effort to fit the awkward shape of the weapon into an aerodynamically sound shape based the Mark IV bomb casing upon the shape of the C type blimp envelope 9 Operators edit nbsp United States United States Navy United States ArmySpecifications typical editGeneral characteristics Crew Four Length 196 ft 0 in 59 76 m Diameter 42 ft 0 in 12 80 m Height 54 ft 0 in 16 46 m Volume 181 000 cu ft 5 125 m3 Useful lift 4 050 lb 1 837 kg Powerplant 2 Hispano Suiza 150 hp 112 kW each Performance Maximum speed 60 mph 97 km h 52 kn Cruise speed 40 mph 64 km h 35 kn Range 1 440 mi 2 320 km 1 250 nmi Endurance 31 hours 30 minutes Service ceiling 8 600 ft 2 620 m Armament 1 303 Lewis gun 4 270 lb 122 kg bombsSee also editList of airships of the United States NavyReferences edit Althoff William F SkyShips New York Orion Books 1990 ISBN 0 517 56904 3 p 6 a b Clark Basil The History of Airships New York St Martin s Press 1961 Library of Congress 64 12336 p 147 The New York Times May 10 1919 British Airmen Think They Can Win The New York Times June 9 1921 Friday 1919 Shock James R American Airship Bases and Facilities 1996 Atlantis Productions Edgewater Florida ISBN 978 0964948037 page 23 Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2011 07 26 Retrieved 2011 07 26 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link New York Times Index for the Published News New York Times Company 1919 p 2 via Internet Archive Winkler dirigible The New York Times July 8 1921 Friday Page 1 Big Navy Dirigible Burned in Flight Flames Destroy the C 3 at Hampton Roads Hansen Chuck Swords of Armageddon 1995 Chukelea Publications Sunnyvale California page Volume VII Page 134 Footnote Althoff William F 1990 SkyShips New York Orion Books ISBN 978 0 517 56904 7 Shock James R 2001 US Navy Airships 1915 1962 Edgewater Florida Atlantic Press pp 22 27 ISBN 978 0 9639743 8 9 Hansen Chuck 1995 Swords of Armageddon Sunnyvale California Chucelea Publications Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title C class blimp amp oldid 1219473083, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
