Here are some facts about this amazing craft on that day.
R100’s flight was an experimental one and in this regard it should not be forgotten that when the airship was designed she was approximately twice the size of the largest airship then built and incorporates many novel features.
R100 was built for the Air Ministry by the Airship Guarantee Company, a subsidiary of Vickers Ltd, at Howden, Yorks, and was launched on December 16th 1929.
R100 had carried out flying trials amounting to over 100 hours, including a duration test of approximately 54 hours, mostly in thick cloud.
R100 had 6 of the latest Rolls Royce Condor IIIB engines as used in the Royal Air Force. Each of these engines develops 650 H.P.so that the airship will have a maximum available horse power of 3,900.
The flight was to be made from the Royal Airship Works, Cardington, Bedford to St. Hubert Air Station, Montreal, where a mooring tower, similar to the one at Cardington, and refuelling and gassing facilities have been provided by the Canadian Government. The great circle course (shortest route) between these stations measures 3,242 miles.
The flying crew consisted of five officers and 32 men, which is normal for a two watch crew.
A relief watch was sent to Canada sometime ago. It consists of 4 riggers, 1 chargehand engineer, 5 engineers and 1 W.T. operator. The assistant coxswain of this watch is included in the flying crew above.
When R.100 moored to the tower at St.Hubert, one watch was always on duty and a stand-by watch would be in close attendance, and undertake maintenance duties during the day. The third watch would be off duty for 24 hours at a time. Some, if not all, of this watch would take the place of certain members of the outward crew on the return flight.
It should be noted that the crew of R.100 was entirely civil personnel with the exception of two officers and one N.C.O. of the. Royal Air Force who are seconded for duty on airships.
On the trans-Atlantic flight the airship carried food for five days -three days’ ordinary rations, one day’s reserve rations, and one day’s emergency rations. The total amount of food amounted to about 2,000 Ibs. 500 gallons of drinking and washing water will be required during the flight.
More info: bedfordcreativearts.org.uk
From the inside
On this day, 90 years ago, a British airship set off for Canada
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