417:
257:
40:
232:. In a demonstration of the ability to stay on-station autonomously for considerably extended periods, ZPG-2 "Snow Bird" (BuNo 141561), pilot in command Cdr. Jack R. Hunt USN, supported by a naval crew of 12 plus a civilian flight engineer from Goodyear, made a record-breaking non-stop flight across the Atlantic and back. The airship departed
295:
The specially designed and built AN/APS-70 Radar with its massive 42 ft (12.8 m) internal antenna was the best airborne radar system built for detecting other aircraft because its low frequency penetrated weather and showed only the more electronically visible returns. A large radome on top
279:
for the 42 ft (12.8 m) radar antenna, thus providing the airship with a clean aerodynamic shape. The airship was 403 ft (122.8 m) long and was almost 120 ft (36.6 m) high, containing some 1,500,000 cubic feet (42,450 cubic meters). The endurance time of the airship could
220:
radar with its antenna installed beneath the gondola. An AN/APS-69 height-finding radar antenna was mounted on top of the envelope. The engines were installed in the control car and drove the propellers through extended shafts. The airship carried a crew of 21 to 25 and had an endurance capability of
382:
was returned to the 309 AMARG at Davis-Monthan AFB due to space limitations at NNAM. Although currently residing in unprotected storage, it still represents a far less humid environment and protects the control car from further deterioration until it can be returned to NNAM for eventual restoration
407:
naval aircraft. With this change, the designation for the ZPN-1 became the ZPG-1 (Z = lighter-than-air; P = patrol; G=Goodyear (manufacturer); 1=first version). In the 1962 system, the ZPG-1 designation was changed to SZ-1A (S=anti-submarine warfare; Z=lighter-than-air type; 1=first vehicle in the
292:, Brunswick, Georgia, and at Lakehurst on October 31, 1961. On August 31, 1962, the last two ZPG-3W ships made a ceremonial last flight over Lakehurst — the base log noted, "This flight terminates operation of non-rigid airships at Lakehurst," Steingold said.
268:, the largest non-rigid airship built to ever enter military service. It was used to fill radar gaps in the North American early-warning network during the Cold War between the Contiguous Barrier and the Inshore Barrier. The popular name for the ZPG-3W was
287:
was the last of the airships built for the U.S. Navy. The July 6, 1960, crash of a
Lakehurst-based airship east of Long Beach Island killed 18 sailors, a loss that added pressure on the program. The Navy subsequently decommissioned its airship units at
402:
Under the designation system established in April 1947, the first N-class airships were given the Navy designation of ZPN-1, (Z = lighter-than-air; P = patrol; N = type/class). In April 1954, the designation system was changed to mimic that used for
236:, Massachusetts, on Monday 4 March 1957, reaching the south-west tip of Portugal by the evening of 7 March despite adverse headwinds for some of the way, passed by Casablanca, Morocco, on the morning of 8 March, then turned back westwards over the
244:, Florida, on the evening of 15 March. The flight had covered a distance of 9,448 mi (15,205 km) in 264.2 hours, and in doing so had not only broken the lighter-than-air distance record of 6,980 mi (11,233 km) set by the
140:. This line of airships was developed through many versions and assigned various designators as the airship designation system changed in the post World War II era. These versions included airships configured for both
342:
spent just over eleven days aloft in covering 9,448 miles without refueling. For his performance on the flight, the airship commander, CDR Jack R. Hunt, USN, received the Harmon
International Trophy (e.g.,
171:
An initial contract was awarded to the
Goodyear Aircraft Company for the prototype N-class blimp in the late 1940s, with delivery of the first on in 1952. The ZPN-1 designation was changed to
272:. The ZPG-3W was unique in that the huge antenna for the early warning radar was enclosed inside the helium-filled envelope. Four airships were delivered to the U.S. Navy.
670:
750:
253:
One of the ZPG-2 airships was built or modified with external engines to test systems for the follow on ZPG-3W airships and is some times referred to as a ZPG-2 1/2.
228:
Operationally the ZPG-2W was used to fill radar gaps in the North
American early-warning network between the Contiguous Barrier and the Inshore Barrier during the
1051:
977:
903:
809:
367:
602:"Kite balloons to airships: the Navy's lighter-than-air experience", ed. Roy A. Grossnick, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C., 1987
164:
blimp for patrol missions. The Nan ship used a significantly larger envelope than the M-ship although their overall lengths were similar. Two
1162:
1167:
1044:
416:
522:
970:
896:
802:
653:
509:
194:. Three of the ZP2N airships were modified for an airborne early warning mission in the mid-1950s and were designated, originally,
186:
The ZPN-1 was followed by an order for four improved N-class blimps that were delivered in 1954. These airships were designated
1037:
736:
678:
963:
889:
795:
387:
362:
at NAS Pensacola, Florida awaiting restoration. Following storage at NAS Lakehurst, It had reportedly been in storage at
576:
549:
359:
312:
303:
Helistat. On 1 July 1986, the PA-97 crashed immediately after liftoff on a test flight, killing one of its pilots.
776:
375:
179:
in 1962. The envelope capacity for the ZPN-1 was 875,000 cu ft (24,777 m) and used the gas
587:
1172:
334:, Massachusetts in March 1957, this airship made two crossings of the Atlantic before touching down at
729:
129:
165:
714:
408:
type; A=first model in the series). The designations for later model blimps followed similarly.
955:
881:
787:
280:
extend for days. This model of the N-class blimp was the largest non-rigid airship ever flown.
145:
141:
60:
17:
722:
246:
8:
771:
275:
The first flight of the ZPG-3W was in July 1958. The envelope of the blimp was used as a
1060:
986:
912:
818:
766:
711:, 1986, not copyrighted, Publisher Captain R.A.Perrault, Editor JO2 H.C.Kenyon, page 26
618:
331:
233:
65:
572:
545:
371:
612:
404:
250:
rigid airship in 1929 but also the aircraft endurance record without refuelling.
1029:
640:
300:
161:
378:(NNAM), at NAS Pensacola in 1995. At some point post-1995, the control car of
1156:
1142:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
939:
934:
929:
924:
854:
849:
833:
466:
355:
344:
316:
222:
256:
870:
335:
241:
350:
Following its deflation in 1962, the control car of ZPG-3W number 2, BuNo
133:
289:
260:
A ZPG-3W of
Airship Airborne Early Warning Squadron ONE (ZW-1) in 1960.
237:
692:
330:, has been restored and is on display at the museum. Launching from
217:
216: cu ft (28,317 m). The ZPG-2W was equipped with the
512:- largest-ever lifting-gas capacity non-rigid airship to fly (2016)
229:
168:
single-row, air-cooled radial engines powered the N-Class blimps.
746:
744:
390:
air vehicle designation system, the ZPG-3W was re-designated the
137:
83:
985:
911:
817:
299:
In 1986, a ZPG-2W envelope was used for the construction of the
39:
276:
180:
221:
over 200 hours. The first ZPG-2W was delivered to the Navy at
569:
Sky Ships: A History of the
Airship in the United States Navy
542:
Sky Ships: A History of the
Airship in the United States Navy
363:
358:. New Jersey. It is currently recorded as in storage at the
125:
311:
Two N-class blimp control cars are currently located at the
1072:
206:
in 1962. The envelope capacity of these airships exceeded 1
93:
1, N-1 / 12, ZPG-2 / 5, ZPG-2W for 18 total ships in class.
374:, Arizona from at least 1993 until being relocated to the
709:
Wings Over Boston, Celebrating 75 Years of Naval
Aviation
240:
Islands towards the
Caribbean Sea, eventually landing at
124:, or as popularly known, the "Nan ship", was a line of
641:"ZPG-3W | United States blimp | Britannica"
504:
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
368:309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group
1059:
671:"ZPG-2 Snowbird | National Naval Aviation Museum"
322:The cockpit from the control car for ZPG-2, BuNo
1154:
296:of the envelope held the height-finding radar.
654:"After 50 years, Navy resumes airship program"
1045:
971:
897:
803:
730:
459:1,011,000 cu ft (28,628.33 m)
264:The follow-on and larger AEW blimp was the
1052:
1038:
978:
964:
904:
890:
810:
796:
737:
723:
588:"Navy Airship Longer Than Football Field."
564:
562:
560:
558:
523:List of airships of the United States Navy
420:3-view line drawing of the Goodyear ZPG-2W
411:
151:
989:non-rigid airship designations 1940-1946
915:non-rigid airship designations 1947-1953
821:non-rigid airship designations 1954-1961
571:, Althoff, W.F., Pacifica Press, c1991,
544:, Althoff, W.F., Pacifica Press, c1991,
510:Hybrid Air Vehicles HAV 304 Airlander 10
255:
555:
488:80 mph (128 km/h, 70 kn)
14:
1155:
397:
1033:
959:
885:
791:
718:
614:Video: Akron, Ohio, 1958/07/24 (1958)
441:343 ft 0 in (104.57 m)
453:107 ft 0 in (32.62 m)
1163:1950s United States patrol aircraft
447:76 ft 0 in (23.17 m)
202:. Their designation was changed to
190:, and re-designated in 1954 as the
24:
1168:Airships of the United States Navy
415:
25:
1184:
593:, September 1952, p. 117, bottom.
360:National Museum of Naval Aviation
313:National Museum of Naval Aviation
198:but at delivery were designated
156:The initial version, designated
106:Delivered 16/6/1952 to 31/5/1957
38:
473:radials , 800 hp (600 kW) each
354:, was stored for many years at
685:
663:
660:, Kirk Moore, October 27, 2011
647:
633:
605:
596:
581:
535:
376:National Naval Aviation Museum
13:
1:
528:
66:Goodyear Aircraft Corporation
306:
7:
675:www.navalaviationmuseum.org
498:
10:
1189:
1068:
1063:non-rigid airship classes
994:
920:
863:
842:
826:
757:
160:, was a follow-on to the
130:Goodyear Aircraft Company
110:
102:
97:
89:
79:
71:
59:
51:
46:
37:
32:
697:navalaviationmuseum.org
426:General characteristics
412:Specifications (ZPG-2W)
386:Under the 1962 unified
166:Wright R-1300 Cyclone 7
27:American patrol airship
864:Early-warning airships
421:
261:
152:Design and development
146:airborne early warning
142:anti-submarine warfare
419:
388:Department of Defense
338:, Florida. All told,
259:
175:in 1954, and then to
398:Designation systems
347:) for Aeronautics.
47:General information
619:Universal Newsreel
422:
332:NAS South Weymouth
262:
234:NAS South Weymouth
126:non-rigid airships
1173:Goodyear aircraft
1150:
1149:
1027:
1026:
953:
952:
879:
878:
785:
784:
591:Popular Mechanics
372:Davis-Monthan AFB
118:
117:
16:(Redirected from
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805:
798:
789:
788:
739:
732:
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689:
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677:. Archived from
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661:
651:
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637:
631:
630:
628:
626:
609:
603:
600:
594:
585:
579:
566:
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539:
481:
428:
405:heavier-than-air
326:, also known as
212:
211:
148:(AEW) missions.
42:
30:
29:
21:
1188:
1187:
1183:
1182:
1181:
1179:
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1177:
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1028:
1023:
990:
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949:
916:
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859:
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827:Patrol airships
822:
816:
786:
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745:US tri-service
743:
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28:
23:
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15:
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5:
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1025:
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858:
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846:
844:
843:Scout airships
840:
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815:
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807:
800:
792:
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764:
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742:
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734:
727:
719:
713:
712:
703:
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684:
681:on 2014-07-13.
662:
646:
632:
604:
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580:
554:
533:
532:
530:
527:
526:
525:
514:
513:
500:
497:
496:
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494:over 200 hours
489:
486:Maximum speed:
475:
474:
460:
454:
448:
442:
436:
413:
410:
399:
396:
394:in late 1962.
308:
305:
301:Piasecki PA-97
153:
150:
116:
115:
112:
108:
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99:
95:
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91:
87:
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81:
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73:
69:
68:
63:
57:
56:
55:Patrol airship
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35:
34:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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760:
759:
756:
752:
749:designations
748:
740:
735:
733:
728:
726:
721:
720:
717:
710:
707:
706:
698:
694:
688:
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659:
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584:
578:
577:0-935553-32-0
574:
570:
565:
563:
561:
559:
551:
550:0-935553-32-0
547:
543:
538:
534:
524:
521:
520:
519:
518:
517:Related lists
511:
508:
507:
506:
505:
493:
490:
487:
484:
483:
482:
480:
472:
468:
467:Wright R-1300
464:
461:
458:
455:
452:
449:
446:
443:
440:
437:
434:
431:
430:
429:
427:
418:
409:
406:
395:
393:
389:
384:
383:and display.
381:
377:
373:
369:
365:
361:
357:
356:NAS Lakehurst
353:
348:
346:
345:Harmon Trophy
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
320:
318:
317:NAS Pensacola
314:
304:
302:
297:
293:
291:
286:
281:
278:
273:
271:
267:
258:
254:
251:
249:
248:
247:Graf Zeppelin
243:
239:
235:
231:
226:
225:in May 1955.
224:
223:NAS Lakehurst
219:
215:
205:
201:
197:
193:
189:
184:
182:
178:
174:
169:
167:
163:
159:
149:
147:
143:
139:
135:
131:
128:built by the
127:
123:
113:
109:
105:
101:
96:
92:
88:
85:
82:
78:
74:
70:
67:
64:
62:
58:
54:
50:
45:
41:
36:
31:
19:
1138:
1137:
1132:
1018:
944:
761:
708:
696:
687:
679:the original
674:
665:
657:
649:
635:
625:February 20,
623:. Retrieved
613:
607:
598:
590:
583:
568:
552:, Appendix E
541:
537:
516:
515:
503:
502:
491:
485:
478:
476:
470:
462:
456:
450:
444:
438:
432:
425:
423:
401:
391:
385:
379:
351:
349:
339:
336:NAS Key West
327:
323:
321:
310:
298:
294:
284:
282:
274:
269:
265:
263:
252:
245:
242:NAS Key West
227:
213:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
185:
176:
172:
170:
157:
155:
121:
119:
103:Manufactured
90:Number built
80:Primary user
61:Manufacturer
479:Performance
463:Powerplant:
319:, Florida.
283:The ZPG-3W
134:Akron, Ohio
1157:Categories
658:Navy Times
529:References
492:Endurance:
290:NAS Glynco
238:Cape Verde
183:for lift.
945:ZPN / ZWN
751:post-1962
471:Cyclone 7
445:Diameter:
340:Snow Bird
328:Snow Bird
307:Survivors
285:Vigilance
270:Vigilance
218:AN/APS-20
1139:see also
499:See also
230:Cold War
136:for the
747:airship
469:-4,-4A
457:Volume:
451:Height:
439:Length:
196:ZP2N-1W
162:M-class
138:US Navy
122:N-Class
111:Retired
98:History
84:US Navy
75:Retired
33:N class
693:"Home"
621:. 1958
575:
548:
380:144243
352:144243
324:141561
277:radome
266:ZPG-3W
200:ZPG-2W
181:helium
72:Status
18:ZPG-3W
1019:ZNP-N
1014:ZNP-M
1009:ZNN-L
1004:ZNP-K
999:ZNN-G
433:Crew:
392:EZ-1C
364:AMARC
204:EZ-1B
192:ZPG-2
177:SZ-1A
173:ZPG-1
158:ZPN-1
855:ZS2G
627:2012
573:ISBN
546:ISBN
465:2 ×
188:ZP2N
144:and
120:The
114:1962
52:Type
1143:K-1
1061:USN
987:USN
940:ZPM
935:ZTL
930:ZPK
925:ZTG
913:USN
871:ZWG
850:ZSG
834:ZPG
819:USN
777:Z-4
772:Z-3
767:Z-2
762:Z-1
370:at
315:at
132:of
1159::
1141::
695:.
673:.
656:,
617:.
557:^
435:21
366:/
210:10
1133:N
1128:M
1123:L
1118:K
1113:J
1108:H
1103:G
1098:F
1093:E
1088:D
1083:C
1078:B
1073:A
1053:e
1046:t
1039:v
979:e
972:t
965:v
905:e
898:t
891:v
811:e
804:t
797:v
738:e
731:t
724:v
699:.
643:.
629:.
214:^
208:×
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
