Difference between revisions of "Airship"

Revision as of 22:19, 5 December 2005

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An example of a nonrigid (blimp) airship.

An airship, or dirigible, is a lighter-than-air craft that can be either rigid, semi-rigid, or nonrigid. Unlike balloons, airships can be steered and are capable of moving against air currents. Airships which require a rigid frame are sometimes called zeppelins, while nonrigid airships that require pressure to retain their shape are commonly referred to has blimps.

Real-Life Historical Use

In RL, the airship was mainly used militarily before and during the First World War. The Italians used semi-rigids to scout and bomb during the Italo-Turkish War, and World War I.

During WWI, the Germans used rigid airships from the Zeppelin and Schutte-Lanz companies as bombers and the English and French used a variety of airships for scouting, but never in the strategic role as the Germans did.

During the 1930s, the US used two rigid airships (The USS Akron and USS Macon) as fleet scouts, but both crashed (in 1933 and 1935 respectively).

In RL, the airship began to decline as soon as aircraft could match its altitude and shoot it down, but in Nationstates it could be used by Past Tech nations as bombers or fleet scouts as in RL, or alternately as "Flying Aircraft Carriers" or "Flying Battleships."

NationStates Use

Airships are used by a number of nations for military, transportation, recreational, and advertising purposes.

List of Airlines that use airships:

• Eule Fluglinien

List of airship manufactors:

• Ironscale Heavy Lift
• ZMI

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