Ilges, 1909, Airship harbors. An idea for dirigible balloon inventors
Recounts recent Zeppelin accident and proposes an 'earth harbor' storage system for airships, for their greater protection:
Hence it will be necessary to establish as many points, fixed harbors so designed that the airship can safely be brought under shelter even in bad weather. These harbors must be of inexpensive construction, if airships are to be extensively used. It seems to me that both of these requirements can be met by abandoning the great iron building with a narrow opening at one end through which the long airship must be carefully steered, and substituting a simple excavation in the earth, somewhat larger than the airship in length, breadth, and depth. Into such an "earth harbor" the airship could be hauled down from the air very easily without traversing any narrow passage. By employing additional ropes, properly placed, it should be possible to perform this operation safely, even in a storm. Then a light and nearly flat roof, which had been temporarily moved out of the way by means of wheels and rails, could be rolled back into place, and the airship would be perfectly protected from the weather.
| Original title | Airship harbors. An idea for dirigible balloon inventors. |
|---|---|
| Simple title | Airship harbors. An idea for dirigible balloon inventors. |
| Authors | F. W. Ilges |
| Date | 1909-03 |
| Countries | US |
| Languages | en |
| Keywords | LTA, dirigible, balloon, Zeppelin, landing, mooring, storage |
| Journal | Scient. Amer. Suppl. |
| Related to aircraft? | 1 |
| Page count | 1 |
| Word count | |
| Wikidata id |
Sources
- Brockett 1910, page 435, entry 6338: Ilges, F. W. Airship harbors. An idea for dirigible balloon inventors. Scient. Amer. Suppl., Vol. 67, No. 1733 (March 1909), New York, p. 188, ill. 1. S (6338
- Scan at HathiTrust
