Airship R.101
Technical Data:
Crew: 42 (final flight) (15 minimum)
Length: 777 ft 0 in (236.83 m)
Diameter: 131 ft 4 in (40.03 m)
Height: 140 ft (43 m)
Volume: 5,509,753 cu ft (156,018.8 m3)
Empty weight: 257,395 lb (116,752 kg)
Useful lift: 55,268 lb (25,069 kg)
Powerplant: 5 × Beardmore Tornado 8-cylinder inline Diesel (2 reversing)
with 16 ft (4.9 m) two-bladed propellers., 585 h.p. (436 kW) each
Maximum speed: 71 mph, 62 kn (114 km/h)
Cruise speed: 63 mph, 55 kn (101 km/h)
Range: 4,000 mi (3,476 nmi, 6437 km)
Crew: 42 (final flight) (15 minimum)
Length: 777 ft 0 in (236.83 m)
Diameter: 131 ft 4 in (40.03 m)
Height: 140 ft (43 m)
Volume: 5,509,753 cu ft (156,018.8 m3)
Empty weight: 257,395 lb (116,752 kg)
Useful lift: 55,268 lb (25,069 kg)
Powerplant: 5 × Beardmore Tornado 8-cylinder inline Diesel (2 reversing)
with 16 ft (4.9 m) two-bladed propellers., 585 h.p. (436 kW) each
Maximum speed: 71 mph, 62 kn (114 km/h)
Cruise speed: 63 mph, 55 kn (101 km/h)
Range: 4,000 mi (3,476 nmi, 6437 km)
The Royal Airship Base, Karachi
Built for The R-101
Built for The R-101
Karachi - R 101 Airship Shed Half Complete (3 January 1928)
The construction on this hangar complex started in 1927 and completed in 1929. The size of this hangar was 859ft L x 200ft W X 170ft H. Original photograph from the personal collection of an R A F Airman serving in Scotland, India and Iraq during the late 1920s and 1930s with his hand written notes on the reverse.
The construction on this hangar complex started in 1927 and completed in 1929. The size of this hangar was 859ft L x 200ft W X 170ft H. Original photograph from the personal collection of an R A F Airman serving in Scotland, India and Iraq during the late 1920s and 1930s with his hand written notes on the reverse.
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Karachi - R 101 Airship Shed (c. 1929)
The construction on this hangar complex started in 1927 and completed in 1929. The size of this hangar was 859ft L x 200ft W X 170ft H. The mooring mast building can be seen in the background.
Original photograph from the personal collection of an R A F Airman serving in Scotland, India and Iraq during the late 1920s and 1930s with his hand written notes on the reverse.
The construction on this hangar complex started in 1927 and completed in 1929. The size of this hangar was 859ft L x 200ft W X 170ft H. The mooring mast building can be seen in the background.
Original photograph from the personal collection of an R A F Airman serving in Scotland, India and Iraq during the late 1920s and 1930s with his hand written notes on the reverse.
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Karachi - R 101 Airship Mooring Mast building (c. 1929)
Original photograph from the personal collection of an R A F Airman serving in Scotland, India and Iraq during the late 1920s and 1930s with his hand written notes on the reverse.
Original photograph from the personal collection of an R A F Airman serving in Scotland, India and Iraq during the late 1920s and 1930s with his hand written notes on the reverse.
The R-101 Test Flight – 23 Nov 1929
OHMS cover typewritten “Posted on board H.M. Airship R-101 in flight” Franked and cancelled “Bedford 3.30pm 23rd November 1929.
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Only once was mail posted abroad the ill-fated R 101. This was on 23rd November 1929 when a party of 100 MP’s including Lady Astor were to have been taken for a flight. The airship would have been grossly overweight and had no Airworthy Certificate but gale force winds prevented the flight in any case as the letter indicates. The MP’s had lunch on board while the engines were running. Letter written on H.M. Airship R 101 stationery.
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Details of the attempted MP’s, flight reprinted from the “Aeroplane”
Airship R.101 Postcard
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Original postcard of R.101 on the mast at Cardington before 30th November 1929 when she was taken into the hanger for lengthening.
A piece of the fabric stripped from the airship when she was lighthened.
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Postcard of Airship leaving her mast on one of the seven test flights she completed before 30th November 1929.
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Times Newspaper article about M.P.s visit to the R.101 recording that mail was posted on board.
The Royal Airship Base, Karachi
Preparations for arrival of the R-101
Preparations for arrival of the R-101
Visitors pass (front)
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Visitors pass (reverse)
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Covering letter for passes
Motor Car pass (front)
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Motor Car pass (reverse)
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Mail intended for the R-101 First Flight
Cardington – Karachi. 3 October 1930
Cardington – Karachi. 3 October 1930
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A cover despatched from London to India by registered air mail marked "via R.101" Despite previous plans on ordinary mail was allowed to be carried by the G.P.O. Backstamped on arrival after delivery by the aeroplane service.
Markings:
Cancellation "Grosvenor St., W.1. 3 Oct.30"
Blue "By Air Mail" label
Written "Air Mail via R.101" "Registered"
on reverse arrival cancellation "Kohat Reg. 14 Oct. 30"
hand stamp "Registered 3 Oct. 30 WDOWI"
Markings:
Cancellation "Grosvenor St., W.1. 3 Oct.30"
Blue "By Air Mail" label
Written "Air Mail via R.101" "Registered"
on reverse arrival cancellation "Kohat Reg. 14 Oct. 30"
hand stamp "Registered 3 Oct. 30 WDOWI"
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Airship R.101 Memorial Card
The R-101 First Flight
Cardington – Karachi. 3 October 1930
Cardington – Karachi. 3 October 1930
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Though the R-101 was not intended to carry mail to India on the disastrous flight, 12 lbs of mail was included in the freight manifest. This cover almost certainly was not carried though it was posted the day before the flight.
Marked “By Airship R. 101” addressed to India. Re-franked and re-addressed to Bagdad with 5a Indian adhesives, comprising 3a Air Fee from Karachi + 2a Additional Air Fee for beyond. No additional surface mail rate paid as that was covered in the GB postage.
Reverse - India air mail franking cancelled at Peshawar on 9 NOV. 30.
Marked “By Airship R. 101” addressed to India. Re-franked and re-addressed to Bagdad with 5a Indian adhesives, comprising 3a Air Fee from Karachi + 2a Additional Air Fee for beyond. No additional surface mail rate paid as that was covered in the GB postage.
Reverse - India air mail franking cancelled at Peshawar on 9 NOV. 30.
England - India
HMAS R.101
HMAS R.101
HM Airship R.101, G-FAAW left Cardington for India on Saturday, 4th October 1930. Circling Bedford after leaving the ground, course was set for the London at 1854 hours. Passing over Hitchin, London was reached at 2100 hours and the intension to set course for Paris, Tours. Toulouse and Narbonne was signalled. The English coast was crossed at Pett Level near Hastings and in worsening weather, the airship headed out across the Channel for the coast of France.
At 0145 hours on Sunday, 5th October, the airship's position was calculated about a kilometere north of the landing ground at Beauvais. This was confirmed by Le Bourget at 0151 hours and acknowledged by the R.101. At 0207 hours, the R.101 crashed into the woods near Beauvais.
At 0145 hours on Sunday, 5th October, the airship's position was calculated about a kilometere north of the landing ground at Beauvais. This was confirmed by Le Bourget at 0151 hours and acknowledged by the R.101. At 0207 hours, the R.101 crashed into the woods near Beauvais.
HM Airship R.101 G-FAAW in flight and moored.
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The R-101 Crash at Beauvais, France
5th October, 1930
5th October, 1930
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The wreckage of the R-101. Beauvais, 5th October 1930.
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Bodies of the victims were buried in a common grave at Cardington on 11th October 1930
Bodies of the victims were buried in a common grave at Cardington on 11th October 1930
Memorial to the victims of the R-101 disaster unveiled at Allonne, near Beauvais, on 1st October 1933.
In Memorium card for the dead of the Airship R.101 which crashed at Beauvais including Load Thomas, Major G.H. Scott, Wing Commander R.B.B. Colmore, Lt. Col. V.C. Richmond the and airship designer and 44 others, 6 more survived. All the bodies were buried at Cardington.
The memorial near Beauvais where the R.101 crashed.
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The ensign flown by the R.101 which survived the crash is mounted in Cardington Church.
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Mail prepared for the return flight of the R-101 Karachi
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Cover sent from Karachi Airship Base prepared for the arrival of the R 101, to the Chief Aerodrome Officer London Airport, Croydon on OHMS stationery with Indian air mail stamp. Cover sent 3 years after the destruction of Airship R 101.
Correctly franked 8a 6p comprising surface mail rate 2a 6p + Air Fee 6a.
Correctly franked 8a 6p comprising surface mail rate 2a 6p + Air Fee 6a.
The Airship mast at Karachi never received an airship and was eventually demolished.
Cover addressed to the Royal Airship Base, Karachi.
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Even though the airship programme was abandoned in 1930 following the crash of the R-101 airship, the name of the base in Karachi survived, and we have here a cover addressed to it, and also much travelled with several interesting postal marks on the reverse.
Meter advertising panel is also interesting, and so is the 1 anna franking.
Meter advertising panel is also interesting, and so is the 1 anna franking.
1995 Cardington, England
The administrative Building.
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The airship sheds - the largest buildings in Europe.
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The tomb in Cardington Churchyard of the 44 who died when the R.101 crashed.
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An airship at Cardington in 1994.
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1930
Airship R.100
Airship R.100
Some post cards were specially cacheted at St. Hubert Aerodrome, Montreal on the outward trip and a pictorial cachet of the ship at the mast at Montreal was applied to post cards on the return trip. The cachet is similar to the photograph above.
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The ship achieved a double crossing of the Atlantic like the R34, but this time no mail was supposed to be carried but some mail was taken by the crew on the return trip. The cover commemorates Sir Barnes Wallis who designed the ship.