America (airship)
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The America was constructed by Godard in Paris with a strong design intended to withstand the rigors of arctic travel intended by Walter Wellman. The balloon had two layers of cotton and one of silk with three coatings of rubber.[1]
The airship was equipped with a 50hp motor and a 25hp motor as well as an additional 5hp motor to operate the ventilator for the ballonet. It was reasoned that the balloon could still return to safety if one motor failed, or jettison one in an emergency. The estimated speed with these motors working together was 32 kilometers per hour, but lower travel speeds were expected due to wind.[2]
References
| Name | America |
|---|---|
| Year constructed | 1906 |
| Creators | Louis-Mutin Godard, Melvin Vaniman, Walter Wellman |
| Volume (m3) | |
| Length (m) | |
| Diameter (m) | |
| Height (m) | |
| Weight (kg) | 1297 |
| Engine horsepower | 75 |
| Speed (km/h) | 32 |
| Keywords | exploration |
