The air
is broken up in such a manner by the ropes that it is converted
into a brake or drag with the inevitable result that the speed
undergoes a severe diminution. A full-rigged airship such as the
Parseval, for instance, may present a picturesque appearance, but
it is severely unscientific, inasmuch as if it were possible to
eliminateor to reduce the air-resistance offered by the ropes,
the speed efficiency might be raised by some sixty per cent and
that without any augmentation of the propelling effort. As a
matter of fact Zeppelin solved this vexatious problem
unconsciously. In his monster craft the resistance to the air is
reduced to a remarkable degree, which explains why these vessels,
despite all their other defects are able to show such a turn of
speed.
It was this feature of the Zeppelin which induced Great Britain
to build the May-fly and which likewise induced the French
Government to stimulate dirigible design and construction among
native manufacturers, at the same time, however, insisting that
such craft should be equal at least in speed to the Zeppelins.
The response to this invitation was the Spiess, which with its
speed of 45 miles per hour ranked, until 1914, as one of the
fastest dirigibles in the French service.
Pages:
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78