A lesson from the German airship industry
Posted: Sun May 09, 2004 11:35 pm
I was just thinking about the incredible lighter then air craft produced by
the Germans prior to WWII, and how they even had swimming pools in them. Of
course, the water was ballast that could be dumped in an emergency over
land...and I believe lead was dumped when over water (thus no complaints of
bombing)
Looking around, I discovered early attempts at developing a skin for
rigid airships involved the use of zinc. although cheap and light it just
didn't have adequate strength so that avenue of research was abandoned.
I guess that pretty much proves that you can lead a zeppelins water but you
can't make it zinc.
the Germans prior to WWII, and how they even had swimming pools in them. Of
course, the water was ballast that could be dumped in an emergency over
land...and I believe lead was dumped when over water (thus no complaints of
bombing)
Looking around, I discovered early attempts at developing a skin for
rigid airships involved the use of zinc. although cheap and light it just
didn't have adequate strength so that avenue of research was abandoned.
I guess that pretty much proves that you can lead a zeppelins water but you
can't make it zinc.