1925-dirigble target towing

[old hoodoo]

I just read that the Shenadoah towed a target for the USS Texas anti-aircraft guns with success. The target was 50' long 10' in
diameter and was peppered by the Texas at 3000 feet. An interesting use for the lighter-than air ship.

AL

[W. D. Allen Sr.]

The Navy also had two dirigibles in the 1930s that could launch and recover
fighter planes while in flight.

WDA

end


"old hoodoo" > wrote in message
...
> I just read that the Shenadoah towed a target for the USS Texas
anti-aircraft guns with success. The target was 50' long 10' in
> diameter and was peppered by the Texas at 3000 feet. An interesting use
for the lighter-than air ship.
>
> AL
>
>

[Mike Kanze]

At typical "poopy bag" flight speeds and 3,000 ft. AGL, this was probably no
great challenge to any competently-trained AAA battery. Still, I would not
have wanted to be riding in the gondola - the bag itself makes a very large
and tempting target.

At least SHENANDOAH (ZR-1) was a helium airship - think of what a
well-misplaced AAA round would have done to a hydrogen airship.

See http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/ac-usn22/z-types/zr1-v.htm for more
detail.

--
Mike Kanze

"The Project Uncertainty Principle says that if you understand a project,
you won't know its cost, and vice versa."

- Dilbert, August 6 2003


"old hoodoo" > wrote in message
...
> I just read that the Shenadoah towed a target for the USS Texas
anti-aircraft guns with success. The target was 50' long 10' in
> diameter and was peppered by the Texas at 3000 feet. An interesting use
for the lighter-than air ship.
>
> AL
>
>