Giffard dirigible
| Giffard dirigible | |
|---|---|
| |
| A model of the Giffard airship at theLondon Science Museum | |
| Role | Experimental airship |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Henri Giffard |
| Designer | Henri Giffard |
| First flight | 24 September 1852 |
| Number built | 1 |
TheGiffard dirigibleorGiffard airshipwas anairshipbuilt in France in 1852 byHenri Giffard,the first powered and steerable (French:dirigeable) airship to fly. The craft featured an elongatedhydrogen-filledenvelopethat tapered to a point at each end. From this was suspended a long beam with a triangular, sail-likerudderat its aft end, and beneath the beam a platform for the pilot and steam engine. Due to the highly flammable nature of thelifting gas,special precautions were taken to minimise the potential for the envelope to be ignited by the engine beneath it. The engine's exhaust was diverted downwards to a long pipe projecting below the platform, and the area surrounding the boiler's stoke hole was surrounded bywire gauze.On 24 September 1852, Giffard flew the airship from thehippodromeatPlace de l'EtoiletoÉlancourt,covering the 27 km (17 mi) in around 3 hours, demonstrating maneuvering along the way. The engine, however, was not sufficiently powerful to allow Giffard to fly against the wind to make a return journey.[1]
Specifications[edit]
General characteristics
- Crew:One pilot
- Length:44.00 m (143 ft 0 in)
- Volume:3,200 m3(113,000 cu ft)
- Powerplant:1 × steam engine, 2.0 kW (3.0 hp) the engine weighed 113kg (250lb) not including the boiler
Performance
- Maximum speed:9.0 km/h (6.0 mph, 5.2 kn)
- Range:27 km (17 mi, 15 nmi)
References[edit]
- ^Science Museum - Home - The Giffard Airship, 1852.,Science Museum,archived fromthe originalon 6 April 2012,retrieved30 August2020
- ^"Controllable Balloons: Dirigibles".National Museum of the United States Air Force™.Retrieved7 January2024.
- ^Tim Sharp (17 July 2012)."The First Powered Airship | The Greatest Moments in Flight".Space.com.Retrieved7 January2024.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989).Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation.London: Studio Editions. p. 419.
- Rhode, Robert T. (2003)."Ingenious Applications of Steam Power".Steam Traction.Ogden Publications.Retrieved11 February2014.
Bibliography[edit]
- Henri Giffard, « De la force dépensée pour obtenir un point d'appui dans l'air calme, au moyen de l'hélice. »,Bulletin de la société Aérostatique et Météorologique de France(May 1853), Paris Gauthier-Villars 1853inCollection de mémoires sur la locomotion aérienne sans ballonspublished by Gustave Ponton d'Amécourt, Gauthier-Villars, 1864, 58–62
