G class blimp

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Infobox Aircraft
name=G class


caption=
type=Training airship
manufacturer=Goodyear
designer=
first flight=
introduced=1935
retired=
status=
primary user=US Navy
more users=
produced=
number built=10
variants with their own articles=

The G-Class Blimps were a series of non-rigid airships (blimps) used by the United States Navy. In 1935, instead of developing a new design airship, the Navy purchased the "Defender" for use as a trainer and utility airship assigning it the designator G-1. The "Defender" was built by the Goodyear Aircraft Company of Akron, Ohio and was the largest blimp in the company’s fleet of airships that were used for advertising and as passenger airships. Additional G-class airships were bought during World War II to support training needs.

Operational history

After purchase on September 23, 1935, G-1 was in constant use until it was lost in a mid-air collision on June 8, 1942 with another blimp, the L-1. The two blimps were conducting experimental visual and photographic observations during night flight. Although twelve people were killed in the crash, the G-1 had demonstrated her capabilities as a trainer and utility blimp. As the Navy needed additional training airships during the World War II war time build up, a contract was awarded on December 24, 1942 for seven more G-class airships. These were assigned the designation Goodyear ZNN-G. (Z = lighter-than-air; N = non-rigid; N = trainer; G = type/class). The envelope size of these new G-class blimps was increased over that of the G-1 by 13,700 cubic feet.

Airships G-2 through G-5 were delivered by late 1943 and G-6 through G-8 followed in early 1944. They were used for training mainly from the two major lighter-than-air bases, NAS Lakehurst and NAS Moffett Field on the southern edge of the San Francisco Bay.

Operators

;USA
*United States Navy

pecifications (G-1)

aerospecs
met or eng?= eng
crew=2-3
capacity=7-8
length m=56.94
length ft=186
length in=8
span m=
span ft=
span in=
swept m=
swept ft=
swept in=
rot number=
rot dia m=
rot dia ft=
rot dia in=
dia m= 13.06
dia ft= 42
dia in= 10
height m=18.90
height ft=62
height in=0
wing area sqm=
wing area sqft=
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
volume m3= 5,182
volume ft3= 183,000
aspect ratio=
empty weight kg=
empty weight lb=
gross weight kg=
gross weight lb=
lift kg= 1,867
lift lb= 4,115
eng1 number=2
eng1 type=Continental R-670-2 radials
eng1 kw= 157
eng1 hp= 210
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
eng1 kn-ab=
eng1 lbf-ab=
eng2 number=
eng2 type=
eng2 kw=
eng2 hp=
eng2 kn=
eng2 lbf=
eng2 kn-ab=
eng2 lbf-ab=
max speed kmh=92
max speed mph=57
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh= 77
cruise speed mph= 48
range km=
range miles=
endurance h= 16
endurance min= 42
ceiling m=
ceiling ft=
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=
climb rate ftmin=
sink rate ms=
sink rate ftmin=
armament1=
armament2=
armament3=
armament4=
armament5=
armament6=

References

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ee also

aircontent
related=
similar aircraft=
lists=
* List of airships of the United States Navy
see also=