British Airships 1905–30

British Airships 1905–30 cover

Description

At a time when German U-Boats were ruthlessly attacking the maritime convoys engaged in bringing essential supplies to British shores, British airships played a vital role in neutralizing this danger and were crucial in enabling Britain to eventually emerge victorious. In 1907 the British Army built the military's first airship, and at the outbreak of World War I there were a total of seven airships under control of the Admiralty, hunting U-Boats from the skies. This book reveals the fascinating story of the cat and mouse duel between the airship and another pioneering form of technology - the submarine. Detailed cut-away drawings reveal the design and development of the airship, during and after the war, whilst full-color illustrations depict the airship in dramatic action shots. A tragic accident in 1930 brought the airship's military service to an end, resulting in a tiny window in which they were used and little acknowledgement over the years. Ian Knight gives deserved attention to an aeronautical wonder that for a short amount of time played a crucial service to the defense of Britain.

Table of Contents

· Introduction: A background to the origins of lighter-than-air flight in Britain and a look at the development of the first airships by the Army · Design and development: SS (Sea Scout) Class, Coastal Star Class, SSP (Sea Scout Pusher) Class, SSZ (Sea Scout Zero) Class, SST (Sea Scout Twin) Class, NS (North Sea) Class, Airship No. 9, 23 Class, R.31 Class · Operational history: An overview of the type of work underwork undertaken by the British airship fleet throughout World War I: the successes, failures, innovations and tragedies.

Product details

Published May 19 2009
Format Paperback
Edition 1st
Extent 48
ISBN 9781846033872
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 20 b/w; 28 col
Dimensions 248 x 184 mm
Series New Vanguard
Short code NVG 155
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Ian Castle

Ian Castle has lived in London all his life and ba…

Illustrator

Tony Bryan

Resources

Discover More

Visit our exclusive member's website to see artwork, maps, and more from this book.

Resources

Book Vote

Tell us what titles you would like to see published by Osprey, then vote for your favourites in our monthly book vote!

Related Titles

Sign up for Osprey membership for access to thousands of plane profiles, maps, battle scenes and more. Plus up to 30% off website purchases