Difference between revisions of "Airship"
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| − | {{image|http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c111/mcalamari/NationStates/blimp1a.jpg| | + | {{image|http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c111/mcalamari/NationStates/blimp1a.jpg|right|Non-rigid airship|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. Physically and in principal, airships are more common to submarines than airplanes. Typically hydrogen or helium gas is used to make the craft lighter than the air, while a series of fans are used to manuever the ship through the air. | + | 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. Physically and in principal, '''airships''' are more common to submarines than airplanes. Typically hydrogen or helium gas is used to make the craft lighter than the air, while a series of fans are used to manuever the ship through the air. |
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| + | '''Airships''' which require a rigid frame are sometimes called zeppelins, while nonrigid airships that require pressure to retain their shape are commonly referred to as blimps. | ||
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== NationStates Use == | == NationStates Use == | ||
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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." | 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." | ||
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| + | '''Airships''' are also common in real-life science fiction and pre-WWII fictional stories, where authors make use of the ships to reinforce alternative realities. | ||
Revision as of 17:34, 16 February 2006
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. Physically and in principal, airships are more common to submarines than airplanes. Typically hydrogen or helium gas is used to make the craft lighter than the air, while a series of fans are used to manuever the ship through the air.
Airships which require a rigid frame are sometimes called zeppelins, while nonrigid airships that require pressure to retain their shape are commonly referred to as blimps.
NationStates Use
Airships are used by a number of nations for military, transportation, recreational, and advertising purposes.
List of Airlines that use airships:
List of International airports that serve airships:
List of airship manufactors:
Special Considerations
Some airports are not equipped to handle airship traffic. High winds can make take off and landing difficult, and fuel and maintance issues may limit the ability of airships from one nation to travel to the airports of another nation.
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."
Airships are also common in real-life science fiction and pre-WWII fictional stories, where authors make use of the ships to reinforce alternative realities.
