In my opinion one of the most interesting airships ever constructed. I think modern monocoque construction using foam sandwich/glass/carbon laminates is the way to go, totally gas-leak proof and ballonets for pressure control.
Pretty cool a lot of things I didn’t know!! you cannot moor it and it leaked a lot of helium!! now I see why the Navy didn’t want it! Thanks for sharing that video!!
Very Interesting! Apparently, no sealant of any kind was used on those rivet seams, only the triple rows of rivets . . . must've had more than a mile of total seam length . . . kinda explains the leakiness. Imagine replicating one today using friction stir welding vs. riveting. And I noticed the corrugated skins on tail fins and control car; contemporary with Ford Tri-motor manufacturing. Also, the Wright Whirlwind J-5 is same powerplant used to propel Lindy across Atlantic the year prior to this construction, pretty good choice I imagine. Nice footage!
The most comprehensive video or article I've ever seen about the ZMC2. Most excellent!
In my opinion one of the most interesting airships ever constructed. I think modern monocoque construction using foam sandwich/glass/carbon laminates is the way to go, totally gas-leak proof and ballonets for pressure control.
Pretty cool a lot of things I didn’t know!! you cannot moor it and it leaked a lot of helium!! now I see why the Navy didn’t want it! Thanks for sharing that video!!
Thankyou most interesting Love it
Very Interesting! Apparently, no sealant of any kind was used on those rivet seams, only the triple rows of rivets . . . must've had more than a mile of total seam length . . . kinda explains the leakiness. Imagine replicating one today using friction stir welding vs. riveting. And I noticed the corrugated skins on tail fins and control car; contemporary with Ford Tri-motor manufacturing. Also, the Wright Whirlwind J-5 is same powerplant used to propel Lindy across Atlantic the year prior to this construction, pretty good choice I imagine. Nice footage!
I was actually wondering while watching this film whether they might have used something like lacquer to seal up those rivets.
I wonder why they numbered it ZMC 2. Was there a ZMC 1? I have never heard anything about it if there was.