List of airships of the United States Navy

Ships of the United States Navy
Ships in current service
Current ships
Ships grouped alphabetically
A–B C D–F G–H I–K L M N–O P Q–R S T–V W–Z
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v t e

USS Shenandoah (ZR-1), left and USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), right, in 1924 in Hangar No. 1, Lakehurst, New Jersey

List of airships of the United States Navy identifies the airships of the United States Navy by type, identification, and class.

Rigid airships (ZR)

In the background, Los Angeles, in front of it, (l to r) J-3 or 4, K-1, ZMC-2, in front of them, "Caquot" observation balloon, and in foreground free balloons used for training. US Navy airships and balloons, 1931

Main article: Rigid airship

Fabric-clad rigid airships

The fabric-clad rigid airships were given commissions, the same as warships. ^[1]

• USS Shenandoah (ZR-1) - served 1923-25, lost 3 September 1925 due to structural failure while in line squalls, 14 killed
• (ZR-2) - British-built as R38, lost 24 August 1921 before US Navy acceptance (and before official use of the ZR-2 designation) due to severe control inputs at low altitude and high speed far in excess of structural strength, 44 killed including 16 USN personnel ^{[2] [3]}
• USS Los Angeles (ZR-3) - German-built as LZ 126, served 1924-39 (decommissioned 1932, and dismantled 1940)

Akron class

• USS Akron (ZRS-4) - aircraft carrier served 1931-33, lost 4 April 1933 in a storm, 73 killed
• USS Macon (ZRS-5) - aircraft carrier served 1933-35, lost 12 February 1935 due to structural failure, 2 killed

(ZRCV), proposed successor to the Akron class, not built

Other airships

All other airships were registered as aircraft.

Further information: List of United States Navy aircraft designations (pre-1962) § Pre-1954 airship systems, and List of United States Navy aircraft designations (pre-1962) § Other airships

Metal rigid airships

• ZMC-2, a metalclad-airship built by the Aircraft Development Corp - 1929-41 (scrapped)

Semi-rigid airships

Main article: Semi-rigid airship

• O-1 Airship

Blimps (non-rigid airships)

Main article: Blimp

• A class blimp (experimental)
• B class blimp (patrol & training)
• C class blimp (patrol)
• D class blimp (patrol)
• E class blimp (trainer)
• F class blimp (trainer)
• G class blimp (trainer & utility airship) (ZNN-G ^[4] ) (ZGT)
• H class blimp (observation)
• J class blimp (trainer)
• K-1 blimp (experimental)
• K class blimp (anti-submarine patrol) (ZNP-K)
  • (ZSG-2, ZSG-3, ZSG-4, ZP5K)
• L class blimp (trainer) (ZNN-L)
• M class blimp (anti-submarine patrol) (ZNP-M)
• N class blimp (anti-submarine patrol & AEW) (ZPN-1, ZPG-1)
  • (ZPG-2, ZPG-2W)
  • (ZPG-3W), largest blimp ever built
• TC class blimp - transferred from US Army
• MZ-3A (experimental) first Navy airship in 40 years

Gallery

• 
  USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)
• 
  R38 / ZR-2
• 
  USS Los Angeles (ZR-3)
• 
  USS Akron (ZRS-4)

See also

• British blimps operated by the USN
• French Blimps operated by the USN
• Piasecki PA-97
• US Army airships
• List of United States Navy ships

Footnotes

1. Reilly, John C. (December 2022). "Christening, Launching, and Commissioning of U.S. Navy Ships". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
2. Higham, Robin, "The British Rigid Airship, 1908-1931 A study in weapons policy," London, G.T. Foulis & Co Ltd. p. 222, 1961
3. Althoff, William F., "Sky Ships," New York, Crown Publications, p. 17, 1990, ISBN   0-517-56904-3
4. Grossnick, Roy A., "Kite Balloons to Airships. . . the Navy's Lighter-than-air Experience", Washington, Government Printing Office, 1986

References

• Allen, Hugh, "The Story of the Airship (non-rigid), Akron, Ohio, 1943
• Althoff, William F., "Sky Ships" New York, Orion Books, 1990, ISBN   0-517-56904-3
• Grossnick, Roy A., "Kite Balloons to Airships. . . the Navy's Lighter-than-air Experience", Washington, Government Printing Office, 1986
• Higham, Robin, "The British Rigid Airship, 1908–1931: A Study in Weapons Policy," London, G.T. Foulis & Co Ltd.
• Mowthorpe, Ces, "Battle Bags," Phoenix Mill, Far Thrupp, Stroud, Gloucestershire, England, Allan Sutton Publishing, 1995
• Shock, James R., "U.S. Navy Airships 1915-1962, Edgewater, Florida, Atlantis Productions, 2001, ISBN   0-9639743-8-6
• Vaeth, J. Gordon, "Blimps & U-Boats", Annapolis, Maryland, US Naval Institute Press, 1992, ISBN   1-55750-876-3
• Ventry, Lord & Kolesnik, Eugen M., "Airship Saga," Poole, Dorset, Britain, Blandford Press, 1982, ISBN   0713710012