~ Framed British WW1 Remnants From Airship R38 ZR2 ~
This is an incredible opportunity to own these fascinating fragments of British aviation history.Named: “Airship R38,ZR2”
Captioned: 24/08/1921. Hull.
Section of fabric recovered from R38 when it crashed into the River Humber on 23 August 1921.
~ About The R.38 Airship Class ~
The R.38 class (also known as the A class) of rigid airships was designed for Britain’s Royal Navy during the final months of World War I for long-range patrol duties over the North Sea. Originally, the Admiralty ordered four similar airships, but the orders for three (R.39, R.40, and R.41) were cancelled after the armistice with Germany. R.38, the lead ship of the class, was sold to the United States Navy in October 1919 before it was completed. The R.38 was a giant of the sky, 695ft long and 85ft high.
On 24 August 1921, R.38 (designated ZR-2 by the USN) suffered a structural failure while flying over Hull and crashed into the Humber Estuary. This disaster resulted in the deaths of 44 out of the 49 crew members on board, as well as one black cat named Snowball. At the time of its first flight, it was the world’s largest airship, and its destruction marked the first major airship disaster. It is believed that the rush to deliver the airship led to insufficient testing. Instead of the recommended 150 hours of trial flights, it only completed about 40 hours. The Americans were eager to bring it back to the United States, and the British government was in a hurry to secure the payment, hoping the R.38 would revitalize the airship industry. This disaster effectively ended military interest in airships. The Howden base was closed, and its buildings and equipment were sold off.
Thousands witnessed the crash as they were making their way home from work and stopped to watch the giant airship maneuvering over the estuary. ‘The men in the control car heard a sound like gunfire, the girders were buckling and snapping apart. The nose dropped suddenly and the captain ordered ballast to be discharged to right her, not realising that his airship was breaking in two. She finally parted in the middle, ‘like a cracked egg’ said one witness, who saw it from the ground.’ People ventured out to the wreckage in boats to rescue the crew, a brave act given that the Humber was alight with burning petrol from the engines.
~ Condition ~
Good used condition. Some foxing to the paper but the fragments are in good condition. Please see photographs as part of the condition report. Please note the Newspaper Cutting is not part of this sale and for reference only.
~ Dimensions ~
Black Wooden Frame measures 11.5″ / 29.2cm x 9.5″ / 24cm
Fragment measures approx: 19.5cm x 14.5cm
