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Photo: KyleCassidy
“Steampunking”. What does that mean? It sounds like a fusion of time periods that are neoclassical, with romantic ideals and attitudes. Basically, it is. The term attempts to describe an integration of past eras and ideals that appear lush, abundant and cluttered. Moving forward to the present, society has sought new ideals opposing these elevated tastes such as artistic, new technology (NT) inspired, ordered and continuous. These ideals describe the dirigible.
Photo: Mike Young
In the Beginning
Thomas Scott Baldwin's sketches and demonstration of a non-rigid dirigible or "airship" intrigued the Aeronautical Division of the U.S. Army in 1907 - enough that they purchased one in 1908. Instead of an airplane, the non-rigid airship became the first powered aircraft requested by the Division.
New Technology or “NT” can be infinite. In the case of the dirigible, it is possible “NT” is even beyond infinity. The term dirigible means directional control, and without this control, drift would be the only thing these huge cylindrical masses could conquer. The original constructions, mainly balloons, molded into elliptical shapes, kept afloat by huge steam engines, and moving along with the help of rudders have been re-imagined, re-defined and re-designed. Still basically cigar-shaped, their future appearance is almost as important as their maneuverability, cost efficiency, landing requirements, and stability in bad weather.
Photo: Unknown
Yet, the history overlying these rigid dirigibles is long and visionary. So let’s adapt that history to steampunking:
The Grassroots: the 1700s to the 1800s
We will start with an elliptical balloon made of a two-layered sack about 260 ft (79 m) long with a volume of 60,000 cubic ft (1,700 cubic m), as projected by General Jean Baptiste Marie Meusnier in 1784, probably the first non-rigid airship.
The base of the balloon is made from a reinforced material with triangulated cables extending from the material to hold a car designed to float if a water landing is necessary. Frenchman Pierre Jullien of Villejuif proposed this schema. A need for propulsion and a way to lift the airship off of the ground is required.
So we use a lifting gas, i.e. steam, from a heavy steam engine, that will help the balloon keep its elliptical shape by supplying an internal pressure. Rudders are added to help move the airship through the sky. Yet maneuverability is still a problem.
A French engineer and inventor, Henri Giffard, intrigued by Frenchman Pierre Jullien of Villejuif, built a full-size dirigible. The airship did have a little more maneuverability, but only in tranquil weather. With heavier winds, the dirigible only flew in circles, slowly. So now Giffard changed the shape of the balloon to a cigar-shaped mass.
Its frame remains non-rigid and the volume is 113,000 cubic feet (3,200 cubic m) and is 143 feet (44 m) long. Steam from a 3-horsepower (2.2-kilowatt)-steam engine is being used to drive the propeller, with a perpendicular positioned undeveloped rudder. The steam engine is still heavy, approximately 250 pounds (113 kg). A 100-pound (45.4 kg) boiler is also present along with the coke needed to fire it.
Photo: Unknown
Light breezes are still playing havoc with maneuverability and propulsion (speed in calm air is only 3 miles per hour). A lighter weight engine to conquer wind shear and prevent instability leading to deformation of the cylindrical balloon has not been invented yet. A solution may be in the works at the end of the 19th century.
The End of the 1900's
The dirigible has little or no aerodynamic controls, so a lighter, efficient, internal combustion engine is developed to become part of the design of the dirigible. Controlled flight is now possible.
Photo: Gus Pasquerella
However, landing can be difficult. More weight brings the airship closer to land. Low speed due light or no airflow over control surfaces means a crew is needed on the ground to help land the dirigible. The predecessor airship to the Hindenburg, the Zeppelin, actually operated like a helicopter - when the three propellers point upward, the dirigible hovers; as the tail moves back and forth, sideways, powered by a fourth propeller, it resembles a tail rotor on a helicopter, which maintains the nose positioned upward into the wind and in the direction of the mooring mast.
Future: Present Day 2010
A more rigid frame, part aluminum and part carbon fiber is invented, encompassed with a synthetic canvas. The dirigible is now a "rigid airship". Stiffer, yet stronger and lighter.
Triangulated cables are still a popular idea from the 1700s. The cables are joined at the corners by longitudinal aluminum girders. This design supports a lighter payload, which is needed to help with maneuvering and propulsion. The elliptical shape of the cylindrical mass is still a cigar and aerodynamic.
Photo: farrider.us
In 2002, the balloon or “envelope” being used is back to being semi-rigid. The idea of non-rigid is not exactly feasible for securing surveillance gear and engines, which is now added to the design. An idea is to have the airship function unmanned, operating at an altitude of 70,000 feet beyond the jet stream where the weather dominates. Ground controls are being studied closely.
Helium gas presents less of a fire hazard. The gas also keeps the shape of the cylindrical envelope by helping to pull the envelope tightly over its part carbon fiber and part aluminum frame.
Drawing on the past and encompassing design, mishaps and genius, unique airships have come into the fold: “aerostats” for example, small, remote-controlled, tethered airships that float 15,000 feet high and used for monitoring. They are outfitted with radar and communications systems to provide long-range surveillance targeting threats from aircraft, ballistic and cruise missiles. Aerostats have cheaper upkeep and operational costs than conventional aircraft-based radar while zooming in on an area.
The dirigible can help capture up-to-date weather predictions while high-tech radar and satellite communications have been integrated into the airship's design criteria, along with escalated improvements enabling maneuverability around threatening storms. Helium is still the preferred gas for lift.
Infinity and Beyond
Research is underway to create dirigibles that are faster than the speed of sound without a sonic boom. Repairs will one day be done to the airship on the ground. Pit stops will become a norm between destination points to acquire new equipment. Greater visions for the scope, design and application of the dirigible are still being proposed. With innovation already taking place in these areas, maybe commuter flights are not too far away. Trips of various distances carrying small passenger loads have taken place for years. However, replacing cars with the airships may require a longer wait.
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