HMA R101
Royal Airship Works, Cardington · Trans-Atlantic Passenger Rigid Airship / Empire Route Passenger Transport (India) · UK · Interwar (1919–1938)
R101 was one of a pair of British rigid airships completed in 1929 as part of the Imperial Airship Scheme, a British government programme to develop civil airships capable of service on long-distance routes within the British Empire. It was designed and built by an Air Ministry–appointed team and was effectively in competition with the government-funded but privately designed and built R100. When built, it was the world's largest flying craft at 731 ft (223 m) in length, later enlarged to 777 feet, and at that size it was not surpassed by another hydrogen-filled rigid airship until the LZ 129 Hindenburg was launched seven years later.
Specifications
- Category
- Airship
- Sub-Category
- Rigid Airship
- Domain
- Civil
- Era
- Interwar (1919–1938)
- Country
- UK
- Manufacturer
- Royal Airship Works, Cardington
- Operator
- Air Ministry
- Primary Role
- Trans-Atlantic Passenger Rigid Airship / Empire Route Passenger Transport (India)
- Status
- Destroyed
- Service Entry
- 1929
- Produced
- 1
- Engine
- 5x Beardmore Tornado Mk I diesel
- Thrust / Power
- 585 hp each
- Launch
- Ground (shed)
- Length (ft)
- 777
- Wingspan (ft)
- 131
- MTOW (lb)
- 331000
- Endurance (hr)
- 60
- Max Speed (mph)
- 71