| SSZ class | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Patrol airship |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Primary user | Royal Navy |
| Number built | 77 |
| History | |
| First flight | 1916 |
TheSSZ (Sea Scout Zero)non-rigid airships or "blimps" were developed in United Kingdom duringWorld War I from the earlierSS ("Sea Scout") class. The main role of these craft was to escort convoys and scout or search for GermanU-boats. A secondary purpose was to detect and destroy mines.[1]
The SSZ was built at theRoyal Naval Air Service (RNAS) airship station atCapel-le-Ferne[2] nearFolkestone to the design of three officers that were serving there[3] as a successor to the SS class.[4]
Similar to other SS class types, the SSZs had an envelope of 70,000 cu ft (2,000 m3) capacity containing twoballonets of 6,375 cu ft (180.5 m3) each;[5] and like theSSPs, the fuel was contained in aluminium tanks slung on the axis of the envelope.[6]
The design of the car was a departure from that of other SS types. It was streamlined, boat-shaped and watertight, was floored from end-to-end, and was enclosed with sides of fabric-covered 8-ply wood[3] or aluminium. The car was comfortable and accommodated a 3-man crew – the forward position being occupied by the wireless operator/gunner with the pilot seated amidships, and the engineer was stationed at the rear.[6]
A single water-cooled 75 hp (56 kW)Rolls-Royce Hawk engine was mounted on bearers above the level of the rear of the car, and drove a 9 ft (2.7 m) diameter four-bladed propeller inpusher configuration.[6]
The SSZ design was judged superior to the SSP, which had been developed atRNAS Kingsnorth at the same time, and so the SSP was cancelled.[4]
The SSZ's patrolled extensively from late 1917 to late 1918. The average patrol lasted eight hours, but there were instances of flights of much greater duration – three of 25–26 hours; one of 30 h 20 min; and a record of 50 h 55 min held bySSZ.39 in the summer of 1918.[6] After the Armistice, SSZ-73 became the only airship to fly under a bridge. MajorThomas Elmhirst (CORNAS Anglesey), piloted SSZ-73 under theMenai Suspension Bridge. The act did not harm Elmhirst's career.[7]
On 16 August 1918, a makeshift SSZ ship was being assembled from the old SSZ-23 envelope and a spare SS Zero car atRNAS Howden airship station.[8] Petrol fumes from a spillage in the car were ignited some time later by a spark when the radio equipment was being tested, and the ensuing fireball, fed by fuel and gas, completely enveloped and destroyed the old SSZ-23 envelope/spare car hybrid andR23X class airshipR27 which were sharing a hangar.[8] Although the hangar itself survived, one airman lost his life, and two further blimps that were moored nearby,SSZ.38 andSSZ.54, were also destroyed.[9]
The SSZ's greater stability in flight and longer endurance enabled them to operate in worse weather conditions than had previously been attempted,[6] and early in 1917 all existing SS types were superseded by the SS Zero.[2] They were turned out as fast as they could be built, and a total of 77 SSZs were produced between 1916 and 1918, two of which were acquired by France and two by the United States.[5] The US Navy operated two SSZ's. SSZ-23 (A-1030), and SSZ-24 (A-1029), the SSZ-23 envelope was destroyed in a hangar fire Howden in 1918, SSZ-23 the car was sent from Howden to the US on 4 August 1918.[10] SSZ-24 apparently burned at Hampton Roads in the summer of 1918.[11] The SSZ-23 was at Cape May, NJ, for erection on 5 February 1919. The SSZ-23 was withdrawn by mid-1920.[12]
Data from[5]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
