British Army Dirigible No 1,christenedNulli Secundus(Latin: "Second to none" ) was asemi-rigid airship.First flown on 10 September 1907, it was Britain's first powered military aircraft.
| Dirigible No 1 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Semi-rigid airship |
| Manufacturer | Royal Engineers |
| Designer | Col.John CapperandSamuel Cody |
| Number built | 1 |
| History | |
| First flight | 10 September1907 |
Design
editBuilt at the Army'sBalloon FactoryatFarnborough,the early design work was carried out by ColonelJames Templer,and it was completed by ColonelJohn Capperof the Royal Engineers andSamuel Cody,who was mainly responsible for developing the steering gear and power installation.[1]It had a cylindricalenvelopeconstructed fromgoldbeater's skinwithout internal ballonets,[2]from which a long triangular-section framework of steel tubing was suspended by four silk bands. The control surfaces, consisting of a rudder and elevatorsat the rear, a pair of large elevators amidships and a further pair at the front, were attached to this framework, and a smallgondolacontaining the crew and power installation suspended beneath it. It was powered by a 50 hp (37 kW)Antoinetteengine driving a pair of two-bladed aluminium propellers via leather belts.[3]The pitch of the propellers could be adjusted when the airship was on the ground.[4]
Operational history
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Nulli Secunduswas first flown on 10 September 1907 at Farnborough, with Capper at the controls, assisted by Cody and Captain King. Two flights were made: during the first, the airship was flown for around three miles at a height of about 200 ft (60 m), the flight being terminated by an engine fault. A second flight was made later in the day, the propeller blades having been reduced in area in order to increase their speed of revolution.[5]
A more public appearance was made on 5 October, when it was flown from Farnborough to London. Taking off at 11:00 pm and crewed by Capper, Cody and Lieutenant Waterlow, they made a tour over the city, taking inWhitehallandBuckingham Palace,and after circlingSt Paul's Cathedral,they attempted to return to Farnborough, but 18 mph (29 km/h) headwinds forced them to land at theCrystal Palace,Sydenham.[6]The flight had lasted for 3 hours and 25 minutes and covered 50 miles (80 km) overland.[1]
On 10 October, still moored at Crystal Palace to avoid damage in high winds, she was buffeted so severely that some of the guy ropes tore free. Hydrogen was released through escape valves and a slit was made in the envelope to speed up the process. Deflated and partially dismantled, the remains were taken back to Farnborough where it was rebuilt with alterations to becomeNulli Secundus II.
Nulli Secundus II
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Following proposals for a new airship, it was decided to re-use the envelope of the first airship, which was enlarged to a capacity of 84,768 ft.[7][8]New features included a silk outer skin over the whole structure, a new and revised understructure, a small additional "reserve" gasbag in the space in between, modified control surfaces including a forward elevator, modified drive train from the old engine, and a ground spike.[7]
Nulli Secundus IIwas flown on 24 July 1908 in front of a crowd of several thousand people includingGeneralHorace Smith-Dorrien,Charles Rolls,andFrank Hedges Butler. [9] The airship made only one subsequent flight, for the purpose of training Navy personnel. It was then scrapped,[2]its engine being used to power Cody'sBritish Army Aeroplane No. 1.
Specifications (Nulli Secundus I)
editData fromLewis, Peter (1962).British Aircraft 1808–1914.London: Putnam. p. 548.
General characteristics
- Length:122 ft 0 in (37.19 m)
- Diameter:26 ft 0 in (7.93 m)
- Volume:55,000 cu ft (1,557 m3)
- Powerplant:1 ×Antoinettewater cooled V-8piston engine,50 hp (37 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed:16 mph (25.75 km/h, 14 kn)
See also
editReferences
edit
Notes
edit- ^ab"The Pioneering Years".Museum of Army Flying. Archived fromthe originalon 7 December 2013.Retrieved3 December2013.
- ^abHigham, Robin (1961)The British Rigid Airship, 1908-1931Henley-on-Thames: Foulis. p. 13.
- ^Airship PioneersFlight9 November 1916, p. 979.
- ^Harper, Harry (November 1957)."Cowboy at Farnborough".Flying.New York: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. p. 26.Retrieved4 September2018.
- ^"The Army Airship". News.The Times.No. 38435. London. 11 September 1907. p. 7.
- ^"The Military Airship". News.The Times.No. 38457. London. 7 October 1907. p. 9.
- ^abWalker, P.;Early Aviation at Farnborough, Volume I: Balloons, Kites and Airships, Macdonald, 1971.
- ^Present Status of Military AeronauticsFlight:13 March 1909, p. 149.
- ^"The Army Airship". News.The Times.No. 38708. London. 25 July 1908. p. 12.
Bibliography
edit- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989).Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation.London: Studio Editions. p. 213.