Airlander Airship

Contains threads on equipment developed by the UK defence and aerospace industry, but not in service with the British Armed Forces.
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SKB
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by SKB »

And it's landed!


arfah
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Re: Airlander Airship

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shark bait
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by shark bait »

How high will the thing fly? ISIS have demonstrated they an shoot down helicopters, which make me question the survivability of an airship.

The US army is looking at better ways to supply infantry from the air, would this not be a better role for an air ship?
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Re: Airlander Airship

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SKB
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by SKB »

Apparently, the skin of Airlander has three layers of a material which is "five times stronger than steel". And if were to be punctured by bullet fire, it won't "pop", (or blow up, it's helium filled, not hydrogen!) instead it will have a slow puncture.

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shark bait
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by shark bait »

Bullets aren't my concern, its MPADS, if the airlander doesn't fly high, a big slow thing like that seems incredibly vulnerable.
arfah wrote: I can't see an airship supporting infantry during a small arms contact. Maybe when remote or GPS guided, long range, cargo parachuting technology has matured?
I think you're right, the Americans we're looking towards big quadcopters for that.

I was thinking bigger, seems more suited to big loads over long distance and tricky terrain.

Image
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Phil R
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by Phil R »

Luckily no one was injured during this "learning experience" during the second flight.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-be ... s-37174417

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Re: Airlander Airship

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SKB
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by SKB »


Credit: Lee Cordell (Youtube)

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Re: Airlander Airship

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Spinflight
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by Spinflight »

What happened to all of the kit we bought for the Nimrods?

Radars, sonobuoy dispensers etc. If they're still sitting in an MoD shed somewhere...

downsizer
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by downsizer »

Spinflight wrote:What happened to all of the kit we bought for the Nimrods?

Radars, sonobuoy dispensers etc. If they're still sitting in an MoD shed somewhere...
Priceless. There are some utter delusionists around.

Spinflight
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Re: Airlander Airship

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Priceless. There are some utter delusionists around.
You don't know your history. :)

Blimps have been very effectively used for ASW work in the past. Indeed I think the USN bragged that they'd only ever lost 1 ship whilst blimps escorted them.

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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by mr.fred »

Spinflight wrote: You don't know your history. :)
I think it's more recent history being alluded to.

The chances of kit being stored, when it could be sold at a loss, are small for the MoD of recent years.

Timmymagic
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by Timmymagic »

Sold at a loss?

I thought that was too much trouble. Don't they just put a sledgehammer to it and landfill it?

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SKB
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by SKB »

Hybrid Air Vehicles is pleased to announce the structural damage sustained by Airlander’s heavy landing this summer has now been repaired, and over the Christmas period the new cockpit will be painted prior to the windscreens being fitted. The early part of 2017 will consist of a series of rigorous tests before Airlander continues its Flight Test Programme.
https://www.hybridairvehicles.com/news- ... f-the-year

mr.fred
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by mr.fred »

It's sunbathing at the moment:

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SKB
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by SKB »

Airlander flies again!


^ Note the new inflatable landing legs
(BBC)
The world's largest aircraft has successfully flown for the first time since it crash-landed nine months ago.
The Airlander 10 - a combination of a plane and an airship - took off at 17:30 BST near its base at Cardington Airfield, Bedfordshire and landed safely at about 20:15.

The aircraft, which is the length of a football pitch, was given a pair of giant inflatable landing feet as part of a package of improvements following the crash.

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-be ... s-39873506

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SKB
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by SKB »



So Star Destroyers are filled with helium too?!

james k
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by james k »

I'd have thought that the possibilities presented by this aircraft would be limitless. Maritime Surveillance, Ground Surveillance (especially in support of law enforcement agencies) SAR it's like an open book for the potential customer

andrew98
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by andrew98 »

Relay station for mobile phone / communication systems above Caribbean islands?
EO/IR optics to help direct resources?

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SKB
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by SKB »

Not with a hurricane in the area...

andrew98
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by andrew98 »

Moving in as soon as possible after the event...
Sorry should have explained I didn't mean it to fly through the hurricane.

james k
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by james k »

Does anything fly through a hurricane by choice except perhaps someone's house or their car?

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Dave
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Re: Airlander Airship

Post by Dave »

james k wrote:Does anything fly through a hurricane by choice except perhaps someone's house or their car?
Well, there are the NOAA “Hurricane Hunters” flights.

Story and video:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017 ... video-spd/



and even Delta Airlines flight 431
Delta Airlines plane flies straight into Hurricane Irma – and out again

As Hurricane Irma threatened to make landfall in Puerto Rico, most pilots were avoiding the area. Understandably so, perhaps.

One Delta Airlines plane, however, headed straight toward the storm. The pilot landed on the island as it was engulfed and got away again within an hour, taking more than 170 people out of the path of the most powerful Atlantic hurricane ever recorded.

Despite the extreme weather closing in, the airline described conditions as “well below operating limits” for the aircraft when it arrived. Flight records examined by the Guardian show it arriving in San Juan on Puerto Rico’s north coast, and leaving again about 40 minutes later.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/ ... uerto-rico

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