Airship

Landing of British dirigible R-34 at Mineola, Long Island, N.Y. 1919.

Airship: A dirigible balloon, an aircraft floating in air owing to its being filled with gas which is lighter than air. Propelled by motors driving air-screws (propellers). A rigid airship is one in which numerous gasbags are contained in a rigid framework so that if one or more are punctured the machine does not collapse. All Zeppelins are "Rigids." In a non-rigid airship the gas is contained in one big bag, possibly with internal partitions. If punctured all gas leaks away, or whole gasbag (envelope) may tear, and collapse. It can be deflated and transported by sea or land. A semi-rigid airship has a single, or partitioned, envelope, and is liable to sudden deflation, but being supported by long boom below, to which car or "gondola" is suspended, will not fold up and collapse suddenly when merely leaking.

References / notes

The above term is listed in our Compendium of the Great War.

This compendium forms the central hub of words, phrases, people, and places relative to the Great War period of 1914–1918. These also include battles, political events, ships, trench slang, British and American service terms and expressions in everyday use, nicknames, sobriquets, the titles of British and Commonwealth Regiments and their origins, and also warfare in general. These words and phrases are contemporary with the war, which is reflected in the language used, some of which may seem derogatory by today's standards. Feel free to expand upon and improve this content.

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