The La France was a French Army non-rigid airship launched by Charles Renard and Arthur Constantin Krebs on August 9, 1884. Collaborating with Charles Renard, Arthur Constantin Krebs piloted the first fully controlled free-flight with the La France. The 170-foot (52 m) long, 66,000-cubic-foot (1,900 m3) airship, electric-powered with a 435 kg (959 lb) zinc-chlorine flow battery completed a flight that covered 8 km (5.0 mi) in 23 minutes. It was the first full round trip flight with a landing on the starting point. On its seven flights in 1884 and 1885 the La France dirigible returned five times to its starting point.
Contents
Hangar
The La France was constructed in Hangar "Y" at Chalais-Meudon near Paris in 1879. Hangar "Y" is one of the few remaining airship hangars in Europe.
Specifications
General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 50.90–52.00 m (167 ft 0 in – 170 ft 0 in) 32.9 m (108 ft) gondola of bamboo with silk covering
Diameter: 8.4 m (27 ft 6 in)
Volume: 1,841–1,900 m3 (65,000–66,000 cu ft) hydrogen
Propellers: 2-bladed propellers, 7.0 m (23 ft 0 in) diameter 24 m (28 ft) pitch, 14.9 m (49 ft) drive shaft
Performance
Maximum speed: 23.40 km/h (14.54 mph, 12.63 kn)
Range: 12.2 km (7.6 mi, 6.6 nmi)