Charles Renard La France
Charles Renard · Powered Military Airship (Pioneer) / First Fully Controllable Airship Flight · France · Pioneer Age (pre-1919)
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 completed a flight that covered 8 km (5.0 mi) in 23 minutes. It was the first full round trip flight with a landing on the starting point. On its seven flights in 1884 and 1885 the La France dirigible returned five times to its starting point.
Specifications
- Category
- Airship
- Sub-Category
- Non-Rigid Airship
- Domain
- Defence
- Era
- Pioneer Age (pre-1919)
- Country
- France
- Manufacturer
- Charles Renard
- Co-Manufacturer
- Arthur Krebs / French Army
- Operator
- French Army
- Primary Role
- Powered Military Airship (Pioneer) / First Fully Controllable Airship Flight
- Status
- Retired
- Service Entry
- 1884
- Produced
- 1
- Propulsion
- Electric
- Engine
- 1x Gramme electric motor (9 hp)
- Thrust / Power
- 9 hp
- Launch
- Ground
- Length (ft)
- 165
- Wingspan (ft)
- 27
- MTOW (lb)
- 2100
- Endurance (hr)
- 0.42
- Max Speed (mph)
- 15