La France (airship)

The 1884 La France, the first fully controllable airship.
The 1884 Krebs & Renard first fully controllable free-flights with the LA FRANCE electric dirigible near Paris (Krebs arch.)
Artist's depiction of La France

The La France was a French Army non-rigid airship launched by Charles Renard and Arthur Constantin Krebs on August 9, 1884. Collaborating with Charles Renard, Arthur Constantin Krebs piloted the first fully controlled free-flight with the La France. The 170-foot (52 m) long, 66,000-cubic-foot (1,900 m3) airship, electric-powered with a 435 kg (959 lb) zinc-chlorine flow battery[1] completed a flight that covered 8 km (5.0 mi) in 23 minutes.[2] It was the first full round trip flight[3] with a landing on the starting point. On its seven flights in 1884 and 1885[4] the La France dirigible returned five times to its starting point.[5][6]

Hangar

Hangar Y, Chalais-Meudon near Paris, France 2002

The La France was constructed in Hangar "Y" at Chalais-Meudon near Paris in 1879. Hangar "Y" is one of the few remaining airship hangars in Europe.

Specifications

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 50.90–52.00 m (167 ft 0 in – 170 ft 0 in) 32.9 m (108 ft) gondola of bamboo with silk covering
  • Diameter: 8.4 m (27 ft 6 in)
  • Volume: 1,841–1,900 m3 (65,000–66,000 cu ft) hydrogen
  • Propellers: 2-bladed propellers, 7.0 m (23 ft 0 in) diameter 24 m (28 ft) pitch, 14.9 m (49 ft) drive shaft

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 23.40 km/h (14.54 mph, 12.63 kn)
  • Range: 12.2 km (7.6 mi, 6.6 nmi)

See also

References

  1. ^ Winter, Lumen & Degner, Glenn, Minute Epics of Flight, New York, Grosset & Dunlap, 1933, pgs. 49–50
  2. ^ La France dirigible
  3. ^ "Le Ballon dirigeable LA FRANCE de Renard et Krebs – 1884". Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Ballon dirigeable LA FRANCE : Plans, croquis et photos". Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  5. ^ "9 August 1884". 9 August 2016. Archived from the original on August 12, 2016.
  6. ^ "9 August 1884". 9 August 2020. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021.