Goodyear RS-1
| RS-1 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| The Goodyear RS-1 semi-rigid airship | |
| Role | Semi-rigid Airship |
| Manufacturer | Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company |
| First flight | 8 January 1926 |
| Retired | 1930 |
| Status | scrapped |
| Primary user | United States Army Air Service |
| Number built | 1 |
The Goodyear RS-1 was the first American semi-rigid airship which was designed by Goodyear chief aeronautical engineer and inventor, Herman Theodore Kraft with the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for the United States Army Air Service in the late 1920s.
Design and development
The main components of the RS-1 were built at the Goodyear factory at Akron, Ohio in 1924. It was designed by Goodyear engineer and inventor, Herman Theodore Kraft. The parts were shipped to Scott Field, Illinois for assembly.[1] The first flight was delayed due to a mistake made during erection and eventually took place on 8 January 1926, lasting just over an hour with a crew of eight men. The airship had a gas volume of 720,000 cu ft (20,388,130 l) and was powered by four Liberty engines.[1] A 35 ft (10.7 m) enclosed control car is suspended from the keel at the nose. Equipment included a bombing cockpit and the ability to carry 3,500 lb (1,588 kg) of bombs, as well as mounts for machine guns on each side at the forward end of the car.[1]
Operators
Specifications
Data from [1]Flight 25 March 1926
General characteristics
- Length: 282 ft 0 in (85.95 m)
- Diameter: 70 ft 6 in (21.49 m)
- Volume: 720,000 cu ft (20,000 m3)
- Powerplant: 4 × Liberty , 300 hp (220 kW) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 75 mph (121 km/h; 65 kn)
- Cruise speed: 45 mph (72 km/h; 39 kn)