The SSZ (Sea Scout Zero) non-rigid airships or "blimps" were developed in United Kingdom during World War I from the earlier SS ("Sea Scout") class. The main role of these craft was to escort convoys and scout or search for German U-boats. A secondary purpose was to detect and destroy mines.[1]
Similar to other SS class types, the SSZs had an envelope of 70,000 cu ft (2,000 m3) capacity containing two ballonets of 6,375 cu ft (180.5 m3) each;[5] and like the SSPs, the fuel was contained in aluminium tanks slung on the axis of the envelope.[6]
The design of the car was a departure from that of other SS types. It was streamlined, boat-shaped and watertight, was floored from end-to-end, and was enclosed with sides of fabric-covered 8-ply wood[3] or aluminium. The car was comfortable and accommodated a 3-man crew – the forward position being occupied by the wireless operator/gunner with the pilot seated amidships, and the engineer was stationed at the rear.[6]
A single water-cooled 75 hp (56 kW) Rolls-Royce Hawk engine was mounted on bearers above the level of the rear of the car, and drove a 9 ft (2.7 m) diameter four-bladed propeller in pusher configuration.[6]
The SSZ design was judged superior to the SSP, which had been developed at RNAS Kingsnorth at the same time, and so the SSP was cancelled.[4]
Operational historyEdit
The SSZ's patrolled extensively from late 1917 to late 1918. The average patrol lasted eight hours, but there were instances of flights of much greater duration – three of 25–26 hours; one of 30 h 20 min; and a record of 50 h 55 min held by SSZ.39 in the summer of 1918.[6] After the Armistice SSZ-73 became the only airship to fly under a bridge. Maj. Thomas Elmhirst (CO RNAS Anglesey), piloted SSZ-73 under the Menai Suspension Bridge. The act did not harm Elmhurst's career.[7]
On 16 August 1918, a makeshift SSZ ship was being assembled from the old SSZ-23 envelope and a spare SS Zero car at RNAS Howden airship station.[8] Petrol fumes from a spillage in the car were ignited some time later by a spark when the radio equipment was being tested, and the ensuing fireball, fed by fuel and gas, completely enveloped and destroyed the old SSZ-23 envelope/spare car hybrid and R23X class airshipR27 which were sharing a hangar.[8] Although the hangar itself survived, one airman lost his life, and two further blimps that were moored nearby, SSZ.38 and SSZ.54, were also destroyed.[9]
The SSZ's greater stability in flight and longer endurance enabled them to operate in worse weather conditions than had previously been attempted,[6] and early in 1917 all existing SS types were superseded by the SS Zero.[2] They were turned out as fast as they could be built, and a total of 77 SSZs were produced between 1916 and 1918, two of which were acquired by France and two by the United States.[5] The US Navy operated two SSZ's. SSZ-23 (A-1030),and SSZ-24 (A-1029), the SSZ-23 envelope was destroyed in a hangar fire Howden in 1918, SSZ-23 the car was sent from Howden to the US on 4 August 1918.[10] SSZ-24 apparently burned at Hampton Roads in the summer of 1918.[11] The SSZ-23 was at Cape May, NJ, for erection on 5 February 1919. The SSZ-23 was withdrawn by mid-1920.[12]
^Mowethorpe, Ces, Battlebags British Airships of the First World War, 1995, Alan Sutton Publishing Limited, Phoenix Mill, Far Trupp Stroud, Gloucestershire ISBN0-7509-0989-7 page 109
^ abMowethorpe, Ces, Battlebags British Airships of the First World War, 1995, Alan Sutton Publishing Limited, Phoenix Mill, Far Trupp Stroud, Gloucestershire ISBN0-7509-0989-7 page 84
^HMA 23X Airship Heritage Trust. Retrieved on 28 March 2009.
^Mowethorpe, Ces, Battlebags British Airships of the First World War, 1995, Alan Sutton Publishing Limited, Phoenix Mill, Far Trupp Stroud, Gloucestershire ISBN0-7509-0989-7 page 88
^Shock, James R., U.S. Navy Airships 1915-1962, 2001, Atlantis Productions, Edgewater Florida, ISBN0-9639743-8-6, page 45
^Shock, James R., U.S. Navy Airships 1915-1962, 2001, Atlantis Productions, Edgewater Florida, ISBN0-9639743-8-6, pages 44-45
BibliographyEdit
Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1919. London: Sampson Low Marston. pp. 8c.
Whale, George (2008). British Airships: Past Present and Future. Toronto, Canada: Bastian Books. p. 124. ISBN978-0-554-30772-5.
Castle, Ian (2009), British Airships 1905–30, New Vanguard, Osprey Publishing
Mowethorpe, Ces (1995). Battlebags British Airships of the First World War. Alan Sutton Publishing Limited, Phoenix Mill, Far Trupp, Stroud, Gloucestershire. ISBN0-7509-0989-7.
Shock, James R. (2001). U.S. Navy Airships 1915-1962. Atlantis Productions, Edgewater Florida. ISBN0-9639743-8-6.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to SSZ class airship.
SS-class airships on the Airship Heritage Trust website
October 21, 2023
class, airship, scout, zero, rigid, airships, blimps, were, developed, united, kingdom, during, world, from, earlier, scout, class, main, role, these, craft, escort, convoys, scout, search, german, boats, secondary, purpose, detect, destroy, mines, classrole, . The SSZ Sea Scout Zero non rigid airships or blimps were developed in United Kingdom during World War I from the earlier SS Sea Scout class The main role of these craft was to escort convoys and scout or search for German U boats A secondary purpose was to detect and destroy mines 1 SSZ classRole Patrol airshipNational origin United KingdomFirst flight 1916Primary user Royal NavyNumber built 77 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Operators 4 Specifications 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Notes 6 2 Bibliography 7 External linksDesign and development Edit nbsp SSZ 8 airship cockpit Alberta Canada nbsp SSZ 17 landing at Pembroke 1917 Note the boat shaped car and scoop to supply air to the ballonets The SSZ was built at the Royal Naval Air Service RNAS airship station at Capel le Ferne 2 near Folkestone to the design of three officers that were serving there 3 as a successor to the SS class 4 Similar to other SS class types the SSZs had an envelope of 70 000 cu ft 2 000 m3 capacity containing two ballonets of 6 375 cu ft 180 5 m3 each 5 and like the SSPs the fuel was contained in aluminium tanks slung on the axis of the envelope 6 The design of the car was a departure from that of other SS types It was streamlined boat shaped and watertight was floored from end to end and was enclosed with sides of fabric covered 8 ply wood 3 or aluminium The car was comfortable and accommodated a 3 man crew the forward position being occupied by the wireless operator gunner with the pilot seated amidships and the engineer was stationed at the rear 6 A single water cooled 75 hp 56 kW Rolls Royce Hawk engine was mounted on bearers above the level of the rear of the car and drove a 9 ft 2 7 m diameter four bladed propeller in pusher configuration 6 The SSZ design was judged superior to the SSP which had been developed at RNAS Kingsnorth at the same time and so the SSP was cancelled 4 Operational history EditThe SSZ s patrolled extensively from late 1917 to late 1918 The average patrol lasted eight hours but there were instances of flights of much greater duration three of 25 26 hours one of 30 h 20 min and a record of 50 h 55 min held by SSZ 39 in the summer of 1918 6 After the Armistice SSZ 73 became the only airship to fly under a bridge Maj Thomas Elmhirst CO RNAS Anglesey piloted SSZ 73 under the Menai Suspension Bridge The act did not harm Elmhurst s career 7 On 16 August 1918 a makeshift SSZ ship was being assembled from the old SSZ 23 envelope and a spare SS Zero car at RNAS Howden airship station 8 Petrol fumes from a spillage in the car were ignited some time later by a spark when the radio equipment was being tested and the ensuing fireball fed by fuel and gas completely enveloped and destroyed the old SSZ 23 envelope spare car hybrid and R23X class airship R27 which were sharing a hangar 8 Although the hangar itself survived one airman lost his life and two further blimps that were moored nearby SSZ 38 and SSZ 54 were also destroyed 9 nbsp An SSZ airship escorts a Royal Navy sloop The SSZ s greater stability in flight and longer endurance enabled them to operate in worse weather conditions than had previously been attempted 6 and early in 1917 all existing SS types were superseded by the SS Zero 2 They were turned out as fast as they could be built and a total of 77 SSZs were produced between 1916 and 1918 two of which were acquired by France and two by the United States 5 The US Navy operated two SSZ s SSZ 23 A 1030 and SSZ 24 A 1029 the SSZ 23 envelope was destroyed in a hangar fire Howden in 1918 SSZ 23 the car was sent from Howden to the US on 4 August 1918 10 SSZ 24 apparently burned at Hampton Roads in the summer of 1918 11 The SSZ 23 was at Cape May NJ for erection on 5 February 1919 The SSZ 23 was withdrawn by mid 1920 12 Operators Edit nbsp France nbsp United Kingdom Royal Navy nbsp United States United States NavySpecifications EditData from 5 General characteristicsCrew 3 Length 143 ft 5 in 43 70 m Diameter 30 ft 0 in 9 10 m Volume 70 000 cu ft 2 000 m3 Useful lift 1 334 lb 605 kg Powerplant 1 Rolls Royce Hawk 75 hp 56 kW Performance Maximum speed 53 mph 85 km h 46 kn Rate of climb 1 200 ft min 6 1 m s Armament 1 x Lewis Gun 2 x 110 lb 50 kg bombs or 1 x 250 lb 110 kg bombSee 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 TAnti Submarine Warfare in World War I British Naval Aviation Retrieved on 13 September 2018 a b Twenty One Years of Airship Progress flightglobal com Retrieved on 28 March 2009 a b Whale 2008 p 60 a b Castle 2009 p23 a b c SSZ data Airship Heritage Trust Retrieved on 18 March 2009 a b c d e Whale 2008 p 61 Mowethorpe Ces Battlebags British Airships of the First World War 1995 Alan Sutton Publishing Limited Phoenix Mill Far Trupp Stroud Gloucestershire ISBN 0 7509 0989 7 page 109 a b Mowethorpe Ces Battlebags British Airships of the First World War 1995 Alan Sutton Publishing Limited Phoenix Mill Far Trupp Stroud Gloucestershire ISBN 0 7509 0989 7 page 84 HMA 23X Airship Heritage Trust Retrieved on 28 March 2009 Mowethorpe Ces Battlebags British Airships of the First World War 1995 Alan Sutton Publishing Limited Phoenix Mill Far Trupp Stroud Gloucestershire ISBN 0 7509 0989 7 page 88 Shock James R U S Navy Airships 1915 1962 2001 Atlantis Productions Edgewater Florida ISBN 0 9639743 8 6 page 45 Shock James R U S Navy Airships 1915 1962 2001 Atlantis Productions Edgewater Florida ISBN 0 9639743 8 6 pages 44 45 Bibliography Edit Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1919 London Sampson Low Marston pp 8c Whale George 2008 British Airships Past Present and Future Toronto Canada Bastian Books p 124 ISBN 978 0 554 30772 5 Castle Ian 2009 British Airships 1905 30 New Vanguard Osprey Publishing Mowethorpe Ces 1995 Battlebags British Airships of the First World War Alan Sutton Publishing Limited Phoenix Mill Far Trupp Stroud Gloucestershire ISBN 0 7509 0989 7 Shock James R 2001 U S Navy Airships 1915 1962 Atlantis Productions Edgewater Florida ISBN 0 9639743 8 6 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to SSZ class airship SS class airships on the Airship Heritage Trust website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SSZ class airship amp oldid 1144527447, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
