Vintage work crew photos

[Jon]

1910s Navy airship and crew. Largest image size available.

[Ralphxyz]

What are those tubes hanging down from the airship?

[Denis G]

What are those tubes hanging down from the airship?

I think that they are tubes to allow air in and out of the "ballonets" (interior balloons) to control the pressure in the airship:
https://aviation.stackexchange.com/q...-a-zeppelin-nt
The ballonets within the airship also control the trim.

[greyhoundollie]

pop corn tubes for in flight movie goers

[mklotz]

Surprisingly, this compilation...

https://bluejacket.com/usn_avi_lta.html

indicates that the the earliest classes of Navy dirigibles (A, B, C) were filled with hydrogen. It wasn't until C-7 that helium was used.

I suspect the smaller of the two tubes was used to spill the water ballast so the ship could rise. The other tube might be a gas vent for descending. Maybe that tube is a fill tube. In either case, why the strange angle?

[Frank S]

Surprisingly, this compilation...

https://bluejacket.com/usn_avi_lta.html

indicates that the the earliest classes of Navy dirigibles (A, B, C) were filled with hydrogen. It wasn't until C-7 that helium was used.

I suspect the smaller of the two tubes was used to spill the water ballast so the ship could rise. The other tube might be a gas vent for descending. Maybe that tube is a fill tube. In either case, why the strange angle?

According to the article provided by Denis G the tube being at the angle positioned near the prop was to force air into the ballonets the small tube would have been for venting said air.
Kind of an interesting way of controlling altitude plus ascending and descending. Also it would be a delicate balance between slightly compressing the helium by reducing its free volume with the air in the ballonets the air would also become denser under a slightly higher pressure making it negatively buoyant

[Denis G]

According to the article provided by Denis G the tube being at the angle positioned near the prop was to force air into the ballonets the small tube would have been for venting said air.
Kind of an interesting way of controlling altitude plus ascending and descending. Also it would be a delicate balance between slightly compressing the helium by reducing its free volume with the air in the ballonets the air would also become denser under a slightly higher pressure making it negatively buoyant

Here's an "unclassified" manual for flying a K-Type airship if you ever find yourself in the pilot's seat:
https://www.faa.gov/regulations_poli...lot_manual.pdf
Page 22 describes the "Envelope Pressure Control System" and the functions of the fore and aft ballonets.

The previous section contains a detailed tally of the weight of the components in the airship including the machine gun and ammo.
(I don't think that I'd like the job manning the machine gun.)

[Frank S]

Here's an "unclassified" manual for flying a K-Type airship if you ever find yourself in the pilot's seat:
https://www.faa.gov/regulations_poli...lot_manual.pdf
Page 22 describes the "Envelope Pressure Control System" and the functions of the fore and aft ballonets.

The previous section contains a detailed tally of the weight of the components in the airship including the machine gun and ammo.
(I don't think that I'd like the job manning the machine gun.)

Thanks Denis G now after reading the manual I feel certain that I am officially fully unqualified to pilot a US Navy air ship. But hopefully I would know enough of the basics not to get tossed out a port hole.
While reading that it reminded me of an Indiana Jones movie

[Ralphxyz]

I do not see any rigging on the angled one there might be something on the smaller one.

[12bolts]

Ralph, I can see 2 wires on the upper leading edge of the angled tube, and on the "circumferential band" just back from the opening I can see wires running down to the stays running aft from the cockpit, plus there looks to be others also running from that band up to the hydrogen envelope.

Cheers Phil