PA.
Mrs. Hoover
By HUGH ALLEN
N THE presence of 150.000 persons
from all of the country,
Mrs. Herbert Hoover, first lady of
the land, formally christened the
U. 8. 8. Akron, world's largest alr
ship, in the great zeppelin dock on
Akron municipal airport, Saturday
afternoon, August 8,
Added to the throngs in the
building who actually witnessed
the ceremonies, millions of listen-
ers tuned In on radio sets all over the world,
to hear the wife of the President of the United
States formally name the largest military alr
craft ever built, and to hear the flutter of wings
as 48 homing pigeons raced out of a hatchway
pear the nose of the ship.
On the platform with Mrs. Hoover were David
Binton Ingalls, assistant secretary of the navy
in charge of aeronautics, Rear Admiral Willlam
Adger Moffett, chief of the navy bureau of aero-
nautics, Paul W. Litchfield, president of the
Goodyear Zeppelin corporation,. builders of the
ship, and other noted figures of official and pri-
vate life. Standing at attention in front of the
control car of the aerial dreadnaught were
Lieut. Com. Charles E. Rosendah! and his crew
of nine officers and 51 enlisted men.
President Litchfield of Goodyear introduced
Admiral Moffett to the crowds, and the admiral,
long an enthusiastic supporter of lighter-than-
air craft, predicted that the second navy airship
would be even greater than the Akron In size
and cruising ability.
Long before the christening the USS Akron
was officially designated on Navy department
blueprints as the “ZRS4." These letters stand
for “zeppelin ri®d scout number four.” The
ZRS-4, or USS Akron, far surpasses the famous
Graf Zeppelin or the British R-100 in size. speed,
strength and ability to cover long distances.
In 1024, President Litchfield of Goodyear
brought over from Germany Dr. Karl Arnstein
and 14 other engineers and designers from the
German Zeppelin works at Friederichshafen on
Lake Constance. Activities of the German con-
cern had been brought to a halt by the allies,
and there was a strong possibility that the
talent and experience gained by years of close
association with the huge rigid airships might
become scattered to the four corners of the
earth,
On arrival in this country, Doctor Arnstein,
who designed and supervised construction of
70 of Germany's war zeppelins, went to work
on designs for large commercial ships, The
United States navy then anmounced a design
competition, the concern submitting the best de
sign to be awarded a contract to build the
world’s largest airship.
Goodyear Zeppelin submitted three designs,
and designs were also entered in the competi.
tion by 37 other firms. The three designs of the
Akron concern, however, took first, second and
third place, and in the autumn of 1928, the con-
tract was formally awarded.
Then the zeppelin dock, the world’s largest
building without interior supports, was erected
on Akron municipal airport, and with completion
of this huge structure late in 1029, work on the
ZRS-4 was started.
First, it was necessary to make girders out
of the sheet duralumin that eame Into the Zep
pelin plant. These girders were made according
to specific plan, and each was numbered before
being transported to the dock. At the dock. they
were assembled into a huge “main frame” or
ring girder, whose diameter was 133 feet. This
huge main frame was assembled on the floor of
the dock, and later hoisted into its vertical
position,
The first rivet to be driven into the frame
was of gold and was squeezed into place by Ad-
miral Moffett before a crowd of 40,000 persons,
In all, there are more than 6,500,000 rivets in
the framework of the ship. and each was
squeezed Into place by hand, workmen using
tools espicially designed for the purpose.
All of the main frames, which are of unusual
construction, were assembled on the floor, and
then hoisted Into place, in the same manner as
the first one, and connected by longitudinal
girders, ‘
Now, with the fabric covering of the ship all
in place, the maze of duralumin girders and
main frames are not visible to spectators, who
are thus unable to gain an idea of the immense
amount of work that went into building this
leviathan of the air,
The ship has a length of 785 feet—only 9
feet longer than the famous Graf Zeppelin that
has done so much to bring home to the publie
the practicability of lighter-than-air travel—
but its diameter, 133 feet, Is 84 feet greater
than the Graf, accounting for the fact the Akron
will have nearly twice the gas capacity of its
German sister,
Total gas capacity of the new ship l= 8,500,000
cuble feet, as compared with 3,700,000 ecuble
feet for the Graf. Instead of being contained
in one huge envelope, gas in the Akron will
be confined In 12 separate cells, In effect, 12
separate balloons, Each of these cells was
more earefully tailored than any ‘human gar.
ment, and was built to fit the particular section
of the ship in which it is loeated,
To build the cells, more than 12 acres of spe
sections
Lieut Comdr Rosendahl
Commander of Akron
clally woven cotten cloth was required. Half
of the cells are of rubber-parrafine construction,
while the remainder are of gelatinelatex con-
struction, a new development during the past
year or so.
An additional seven acres of fabric were re
quired to make the outer cover for the Akron.
The cloth was cut into panels averaging 74
feet in length, and ranging in width from 12 to
24 feet. The panels were first laced to the
ramework as tightly as possible, and then a
single coat of clear dope, similar to that used
on airplane wings, applied with a brush. Ape
plication by brush insured that the dope soaked
into every pore of the fabric, and when it dried,
stretched the cover taut as a drum. Following
this another coat of clear dope was sprayed on
with air brushes, and later, two coats of alumi-
num dope were applied,
Contrary to popular opinion, the aluminum
dope, which gives the ship a beautiful silvery
nppearance as it flies through the alr. Is not
for beauty alone. It has been discovered that
this type of dope is best for reflection of sun-
light and its attendant heat, Lifting gas. when
heated, expands, and
tions of the airship's captain. It is best, then, to
maintain as near an even temperature as pos
sible,
changes weight ecalcula-
In sewing together the panels, a tolerance
of only onethirty-second of an inch was al
lowed on the seams. This is easily understood
when it is pointed out that miles and miles of
seams were necessary, and had the tolerance
been one-fourth of an inch, instead of one-thirty-
second, an extra weight of many pounds might
have been entalled.
A feature of the Akron's construction not
found in any airship heretofore built, is the in-
stallation of the motors In roomy compartments
inside the hull, instead of In gondolas suspended
outside the ship. This refinement Is made pos-
sible by use of helium, the non- inflammable,
non-explosive lifting gas of which this country
has a natural monopoly.
Installation of the motors inside the ship
reduces the resistance set up by the suspended
gondolas. and gives the ship greater speed
Algo, the engine compartments are much larger
than was possible in the old gondolas, and al-
low mechanics ample space to care for the
throbbing power plants under their supervision,
Four engines are located on each side of the
ship and produce a total of 4,480 horsepower.
The motors, each with 560 horsepower, will
propel the ship at a top speed of 84 miles per
hour,
Gasoline for the motors 18 carried in tanks
ranging in capacity up to 365 gallons each, and
a total load of 20,000 gallons of gasoline may
be carried. This amount of fuel is sufficient
to fly the ship over a distance of 10500 miles
without stopping.
As 20000 gallons of gasoline weigh 60 tons,
it is apparent that should this amount be near-
ly all used up on a single flight, the ship would
be nearly 60 tons lighter when it returned to
its base than when it started, and consequent-
ly much harder to handle. To compensate for
this, a water ballast recovery system has been
installed on the Akron, which will allow the
ship to return to its base weighing even more
than when it started,
Above each of the motors is a series of
condenser panels, through which the axhaust
mixed with air. Theoretically, 1t is possible to
recover 135 pounds of water for each 100 gal-
lons of gasoline used, but engineers, through
tests, have satisfied themselves that more than
100 pounds of water can be recovered in actual
practice, for each 100 pounds of gasoline used.
A system of marine telegraph Indicators will
be used to convey instructions from the captain
of the ship to the engine rooms,
Power is delivered from the motors to the
propellers outside the hull by means of a rigid
shaft and bevel gear device, mounted on sturdy
outriggers. The propellers may be tilted through
an arc of 00 degrees, and can thus exert thrust
downward, to help the ship off the ground in a
take-off, as well as In the usual horizontal di
rection necessary In flight. The motors are
reversible, and the propellers may thus be used
to pull the ship to earth If necessary, when
they are tilted in & vertical position.
Just aft of the control cabin is another unique
feature of the Akron. It is an airplane com-
The Akr .
and dock cleared
and ready for
christening
EW. Litchfield, Pres.
Goodyear Zeppelin Corp.
partment that will hold five completely equipped
fighting airplanes. The planes may be lowered
through a T-shaped opening through the bot-
tom of the hull into the air, and then released.
to go about their assigned missions. On com
pletion of these missions, the planes can re
hoisted into the huge
ing landed,
One of the
airship without ever hav-
most interesting things to be
found in the Akron is its telephone system. As
the craft is more than
blocks in length, it is necessary
two-and-one-half city
that the cap-
tain in the control ear have immediate com
munication with all sections of the ship
8 telephone instruments are located at strate
all of them when he desires
The control car three rooms--the
first for actual fiying of the ship, in which the
control wheels are located, the second for the
and the third
contains
meteorologist, or weather expert,
for the navigator.
Quarters in which the officers will live
located above the control car
and are equipped with bunks and chairs Que
nside the
the ship, along the gungways or catwalks that
serve as passageways, and also as rigid keels,
In addition to the gangwass or keels along
each side, there is another located in the ex
treme top of the Akron, making a
three. Previous ships have had but one keel
which extended along the bottom center line.
Meals will be prepared on an espe ially built
stove, weighing but 110 pounds. The stove has
eight cooking spaces. and is sufficient to pre
pare warm meals for the entire crew. The first
breakfast, prepared as a test of the stove and
cooking equipment, was served while the ship
was still in the dock at Akron, and consisted
of flapjacks with butter and honey, and coffee
The control surfaces, which are directly re.
sponsible for maneuvering the Akron, are lo
cated near the stern, and consist of four fins
and movable surfaces, one pair extending hor
izontally, and the other pair vertically, from
the hull. The fixed surfaces, or fins, give sta-
bility to the craft, and each is about the size
of an average city lot. It has been estimated
that four ordinary bungalows, together with
two one-car garages. could be placed on each
horizontal fin, with still enough room left over
for a few flower beds
Attached to the fixed surfaces are the mov.
able surfaces. The rudders, which govern the
lateral direction of the ship, are attached to
the rear of the two vertical fins. while the
elevators, governing the up and down move.
ments, are attached to the horizontal fins
In the lower vertical fin is located an emer
gency control room, 3 feet wide and 15 feet
long. Here two men will be stationed at all
times to assume control of the ship should
the cables leading from the forward cabin to
the fins become shot away In war time, or
disabled for any cause whatever,
Following trial flights of the Akron. and her
formal acceptance by the navy, it is planned
to base the ship at Lakehurst naval air station
for some time,
The Akron is primarily a navy ship, and was
not built for passenger work. She will be as
signed to missions with the fleet, and will act
ns a scout ship.
Ships of the same general design may easily
be built for commercial work, however, and
looking to this end, the International Zeppelin
Transport company and the Pacific Zeppelin
Transport company were organized nearly two
years ago to study routes and terminal sites
for Atlantic and Pacific passenger lines
As a result of these studies, it Is believed that
a business man could leave his desk in New
York on Baturday morning, arrive in London
on Monday morning, transact business In Eu
rope until Friday morning, and be back at his
desk In New York the following Monday, in
only a few days more time than it would take
to make a one-way crossing on a surface craft
Terminal site locations have been studied
for sometime, But no announcement ag to where
the American terminal of the Atlantic line will
be located has been made,
The Pacific line, it is expected, will some day
operate from the west const of the United.
States to the Orient, through Hawall and the
Philippine Islands.
(@® by Western Newspaper Union.)
NTRIGUING little velvet wraps con-
tinue to flourish in the style pic-
ture, both for daytime and evening
wear,
At this time of the year when the
cool of autumn is being foretold dur-
ing midseason days, the little jacket
made either of black or of bright col
ored transparent velvet comes as a life
gaver to many a pretty summer frock
such ss women love to wear and are
loath to cast aside until the last call
for summer ceases to resound through
the realm of fashion.
And so, because of
Jacket, whic
filatteringly.
frock at this vy minute is being
mitted to live on borrowed time”
While the velvet jackets shown In
the picture are fund
wraps, they may be just as suitably
worn during the day-
time hours The view of the
very youthful model to the left calls
clever
Ag 10 the sleeves,
back
exceedingly
shallow yoke effect.
word” In artistry
velvet which fash.
fons this good-looking wrap is bright
with a pale yel
gown.
with its wide flow-
fTon ever
jacket,
ing sleeves and its scarf-tie neckline.
FOR AUTUMN WEAR
Woolens are in a
piace in the fashion picture for the
coming And justly so, for
wool no longer is a term synonymous
with a heavy, bulky fabric designed
for utility alone, Woolens of 1031 are
in many weights and many surfaces,
but the best of them, heavy or light,
smooth or rough of finish. drape with
the perfection which the new
demands,
they ever were, and they are beatiful
as well, a fact borne in upon us recent.
ly when we visited one of the fore
most woolen manufacturers of the
country, says the New York Herald
Tribune.
Cont fabrics for women are being
woven so closely and thickiy that they
need no interlinings, which are clumsy
things at best, and at the other end of
the wool panorama are gossamer wool-
ens which make the woolen evenirg
gov'n seem an eminently practica: an}
desirable addition to the wardrobe,
rather than an extravaganza of the
designer's Imagination.
most important
sea son,
Women Learn to Make
Permanent Waves Behave
Permanent waves are still going
strong. Every woman concedes that
the hard-boiled curl is a marvelous and
wonderful idea. Methods Have ime
proved. Waves are wider. The proce
ess Is completed In less than half the
time that war necessary a few years
back. Women have learned how to
make permanente behave, to moisten
them. pet them, pat them into allur
ing patterns. Drushing doesn’t harm
them ; only makes them crazy for the
moment. Combing out straight, appil-
cations of brilliantine or hot water to.
gether with clever manipulations put
them in form agaln,
Cuban Heels Popular
' for Sports or Street
The Cuban heel is a smart choice
for sports or street wear. It isn't like
the square beel that wus once char
acterized as Coban but Is gracefully
shaped though sturdier than the spike
heel. Usually of leather, it ornaments
the shoe of calf or alligator. The
spectator sports shoe Is frequently
seen with this conservative but very
smart heel
& I] Ly
i BT x NN
is highly colorful ; the transparent vel
vet of which it Is made being bright
red with red, white and black printed
chiffon for its lining It
strikingly the pajama costume of black
satin over which it is posed.
contrasts
If there is one thing which distin
guishes the popular velvet s!
wrap more than its sleeves, it is its
wrt-jacket
color, © » inten if the mode seems
to be to add 2
facket to the cos
tume which
velvet
for
brown
evening
deep autumn-like hues be
effective in vegivet
Some of the
Yery rewest
show a stately silhouett
is stiffer
'r. in favor for mar
quite like
in portraying |
lady.”
Western Newspaper {
of the ps
pictures of “a
(Ra 1831
nion.
Spectator Sports Wear
By CHERIE NICHOLAS
EE
Plaid transparent velvet in green
and yellow fashions this tailored dress
with velvet scotch beret to match. A
green wool Jacket tops this handsome
one-piece frock which is collared and
cuffed with white pique. Black kid
pumps, a purse of black velvet wird
silver mountings and eggshell doeskin
street gloves complete this charming
outfit,
Luxury Lingerie Smart
When Laden With Lace
Luxury lingerie of crepe satin
white or black is smartest when heav-
ily laden with white lace of floral pat.
tern.. The sili slip for evening wear
cnt with a decollete back has its skirt
finished up Ir an extravagantly deep
flounce of the lace. Black satin night
roles as well as chemises are stunning
w! bordered with white Ince.