Want to know who considered building an ATOMIC-POWERED AIRSHIP?

[johngeo]

Then please consider reading my article in the January 2013 issue of "Aviation History" magazine.

Importantly, your comments on my article as well as any insights or corrections you have to offer are most welcome!

Kind regards,

John J. Geoghegan

 

[GTX]

Need to get a copy me thinks.

 

[johngeo]

GTX, It's on newstands now.

Would welcome your thoughts after reading it.

Best, jg

 

[GTX]

Will do.

 

[CliffyB]

Is that magazine available in the US? If so I'll pop down to the Barnes & Noble and give it a read as it does sound interesting.

 

[Sundog]

Is that magazine available in the US? If so I'll pop down to the Barnes & Noble and give it a read as it does sound interesting.

Yes.

 

[Vahe Demirjian]

The Soviets proposed a nuclear-powered airship over 900 feet long, and the US initiated its own designs for nuclear-powered airships. More info on nuclear-powered airships is available at these links:

How plausible is this Soviet nuclear-powered airship?

Could an airship really carry a nuclear reactor? Maybe it could, actually.

canmom.github.io

Atomic Airships

Nuclear-powered airships seemed like a good idea during the Cold War, but for a variety of reasons—some self-evident—they never got off the ground. For

www.historynet.com

 

[edwest4]

Mechanix Illustrated, March, 1956.

Why don’t we build an atoms-for-peace dirigible?

EARLY last year, President Eisenhower asked the Congress for funds with which to build a fission-powered merchant ship for the global spread of peaceful atomic knowledge. “Visiting the ports of the world,” the President stated, “the ship will demonstrate to people everywhere the peacetime use...

forums.spacebattles.com

 

[riggerrob]

Some speculative designs mounted the reactor as far aft as possible and crew as far forward as possible to reduce risks of radiation-poisoning. Radiation decreases with the square of the distance.

Pontoons on "atoms for peace dirigible" make perfect sense in reducing the need to build new docking facilities. If pontoons can be deflated after take-off, they will not slow cruise speeds. Mind you, cruising at less than 100 knots means that exposed struts and wires produce little drag. We worry more about struts or wires accumulating ice.

 

[royabulgaf]

90 kts? Airships-When it absolutely positively has to get there some time.

 

[elmayerle]

ISTR that there were some AIAA papers on the concept in the 1972-73 time frame and one of the concepts was adopted for a 1975 techo-thriller that had a US atomic-powered dirigible facing off against a Soviet aircraft carrier operating developed Yak-36 variants. Novel is a pain to try and track down as it has a very, very similar title to a less-than-great movie that came out that same year. The book, IIRC, was Clash of Titans and the movie was Clash of the Titans.

 

[Archibald]

Amazing. Must resist posting that awful "Captain scarlet" video with the puppets demented laugh at the prospect of returning airships...

"An airship ?" all puppet hell break lose...