The SST (Sea Scout Twin) class of non-rigid airship or "blimp" was developed in Great Britain during World War I from the earlier SS class airship. The main role of these craft was to escort convoys and scout or search for German U-boats.[1] A secondary purpose was to detect and destroy mines.[2]
Designs were submitted in 1917 for a twin-engined SS class airship, the idea being that should there be an engine failure, the craft would not be rendered helpless and therefore less likely to be lost.[3] The first submission was a failure, but the second showed promise and was put into production. Designated the SST class, the first of 13 examples entered service in June 1918, and the last in May 1919, three of which, S.S.T.9, 11 and 12 were purchased by the US Navy.[4]
The SST used a larger 100,000 cu ft (2,800 m3) envelope than any of the other SS class types, and was equipped with a streamlined and waterproofed car that could accommodate a crew of five.[4] Two 100 hp (75 kW) Sunbeam or 75 hp (56 kW) Rolls-Royce Hawk engines were each mounted on a gantry either side of the car, and drove 9 ft (2.7 m) diameter four-bladed propellers in pusher configuration.[4][5] At 57 mph (92 km/h), the SSTs had a greater top speed than all other SS class types, had the highest useful lift, and could stay airborne for up to two days.[1][6] They were also cheaper to produce and easier to handle than the successful C Star class airship.[5] Three SST were transferred to the Navy in June 1919. No Serial Numbers were assigned and there is no evidence they operated by the Navy.[7] The 3 SST's were transferred to the Army in 1919-1920. The Army operated the SST's until late 1923 or early 1924.[8]
Experiments involving SSTs were carried out at the end of the war; one notable example being SSE.3 (SS Experimental) that had an envelope design known as shape "U.271", the shape from which the hulls of both R100 and R101 were derived.[9]
^Shock, James R., U.S. Navy Airships 1915-1962, 2001, Atlantis Productions, Edgewater Florida, ISBN0-9639743-8-6, page 43
^Shock, James R., U.S. Army 1908-1942, Airships 1908-1942, 2002, Atlantis Productions, Edgewater Florida, ISBN0-9639743-9-4, page 49
^"Twenty-one Years of Airship Progress" p87 Flight, 3 January 1930 Retrieved on 27 March 2009.
Bibliographyedit
Whale, George (2008). British Airships: Past Present and Future. Toronto, Canada: Bastian Books. p. 124. ISBN978-0-554-30772-5.
Mowethorpe, Ces (1995). Battlebags British Airships of the First World War. Gloucestershire, UK: Alan Sutton Publishing. ISBN0-7509-0989-7.
Shock, James R. (2002). U.S. Army Airships 1908-1942. Atlantis Productions, Edgewater Florida. ISBN0-9639743-9-4.
Shock, James R. (2001). U.S. Navy Airships 1915-1962. Atlantis Productions, Edgewater Florida. ISBN0-9639743-8-6.
External linksedit
SS-class airships on the Airship Heritage Trust website
SST-class airship specifications and logs on the Airship Heritage Trust website
January 01, 1970
class, airship, scout, twin, class, rigid, airship, blimp, developed, great, britain, during, world, from, earlier, class, airship, main, role, these, craft, escort, convoys, scout, search, german, boats, secondary, purpose, detect, destroy, mines, class, role. The SST Sea Scout Twin class of non rigid airship or blimp was developed in Great Britain during World War I from the earlier SS class airship The main role of these craft was to escort convoys and scout or search for German U boats 1 A secondary purpose was to detect and destroy mines 2 SST class Role Patrol airship National origin United Kingdom Introduction June 1918 Primary user Royal Air Force Number built 13 Designs were submitted in 1917 for a twin engined SS class airship the idea being that should there be an engine failure the craft would not be rendered helpless and therefore less likely to be lost 3 The first submission was a failure but the second showed promise and was put into production Designated the SST class the first of 13 examples entered service in June 1918 and the last in May 1919 three of which S S T 9 11 and 12 were purchased by the US Navy 4 The SST used a larger 100 000 cu ft 2 800 m3 envelope than any of the other SS class types and was equipped with a streamlined and waterproofed car that could accommodate a crew of five 4 Two 100 hp 75 kW Sunbeam or 75 hp 56 kW Rolls Royce Hawk engines were each mounted on a gantry either side of the car and drove 9 ft 2 7 m diameter four bladed propellers in pusher configuration 4 5 At 57 mph 92 km h the SSTs had a greater top speed than all other SS class types had the highest useful lift and could stay airborne for up to two days 1 6 They were also cheaper to produce and easier to handle than the successful C Star class airship 5 Three SST were transferred to the Navy in June 1919 No Serial Numbers were assigned and there is no evidence they operated by the Navy 7 The 3 SST s were transferred to the Army in 1919 1920 The Army operated the SST s until late 1923 or early 1924 8 Experiments involving SSTs were carried out at the end of the war one notable example being SSE 3 SS Experimental that had an envelope design known as shape U 271 the shape from which the hulls of both R100 and R101 were derived 9 Contents 1 Operators 2 Specifications 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Notes 4 2 Bibliography 5 External linksOperators edit nbsp United Kingdom Royal Naval Air Service Royal Air Force nbsp United States United States ArmySpecifications editData from 4 General characteristicsCrew 5 Length 165 ft 0 in 50 m Diameter 35 ft 6 in 10 8 m Height 49 ft 0 in 15 m Volume 100 000 cu ft 2 800 m3 Useful lift 2 240 lb 1 020 kg Powerplant 2 Sunbeam 100 hp 75 kW each or Powerplant 2 Rolls Royce Hawk 75 hp 56 kW each Performance Maximum speed 57 mph 92 km h 50 kn Rate of climb 1 200 ft min 6 1 m s See also editComparative specifications for all SS class variants British blimps operated by the USN List of aircraft of the Royal Naval Air ServiceReferences editNotes edit a b Submarine Scout Class Airship Heritage Trust Retrieved on 25 March 2009 TAnti Submarine Warfare in World War I British Naval Aviation Retrieved on 13 September 2018 Whale 2008 p 61 a b c d Ship Identification SST AIRSHIPS AHT Retrieved on 26 March 2009 a b Whale 2008 p 62 See comparative specifications for all SS class variants Shock James R U S Navy Airships 1915 1962 2001 Atlantis Productions Edgewater Florida ISBN 0 9639743 8 6 page 43 Shock James R U S Army 1908 1942 Airships 1908 1942 2002 Atlantis Productions Edgewater Florida ISBN 0 9639743 9 4 page 49 Twenty one Years of Airship Progress p87 Flight 3 January 1930 Retrieved on 27 March 2009 Bibliography edit Whale George 2008 British Airships Past Present and Future Toronto Canada Bastian Books p 124 ISBN 978 0 554 30772 5 Mowethorpe Ces 1995 Battlebags British Airships of the First World War Gloucestershire UK Alan Sutton Publishing ISBN 0 7509 0989 7 Shock James R 2002 U S Army Airships 1908 1942 Atlantis Productions Edgewater Florida ISBN 0 9639743 9 4 Shock James R 2001 U S Navy Airships 1915 1962 Atlantis Productions Edgewater Florida ISBN 0 9639743 8 6 External links editSS class airships on the Airship Heritage Trust website SST class airship specifications and logs on the Airship Heritage Trust website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SST class airship amp oldid 1144527418, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
