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Airship Italia (N-2)

Stabilimento di Costruzioni Aeronautiche (SCA) · Polar Exploration Airship / Polar Exploration / North Pole Overfly · Italy · Interwar (1919–1938)

Airship Italia (N-2) — Polar Exploration Airship / Polar Exploration / North Pole Overfly
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The Italia was a semi-rigid airship belonging to the Italian Air Force and designed by Italian engineer Umberto Nobile who commanded the dirigible in his second series of flights around the North Pole. Returning from the pole in May 1928, the Italia crashed with one confirmed death, another death from exposure while awaiting rescue, and six missing crew members who were trapped in the envelope, which was blown away. At the end of the rescue operations there were seventeen dead and eight survivors, including Nobile.

Specifications

Category
Airship
Sub-Category
Semi-Rigid Airship
Domain
Civil
Era
Interwar (1919–1938)
Country
Italy
Manufacturer
Stabilimento di Costruzioni Aeronautiche (SCA)
Operator
Umberto Nobile / Italian Arctic Expedition
Primary Role
Polar Exploration Airship / Polar Exploration / North Pole Overfly
Status
Destroyed
Service Entry
1928
Produced
1
Engine
3x Maybach Mb IVa inline
Thrust / Power
245 hp each
Launch
Ground (mooring mast)
Length (ft)
348
MTOW (lb)
39680
Endurance (hr)
60
Max Speed (mph)
70