Giffard dirigible

__NOTOC__ Infobox Aircraft
name=Giffard dirigible


caption=A model of the Giffard airship at the London Science Museum
type=Experimental airship
national origin=France
manufacturer=Henri Giffard
designer=Henri Giffard
first flight=avyear|1852
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number built=1
variants with their own articles=The Giffard dirigible or Giffard airship was an airship built in France in 1852, the first powered and steerable (French: "dirigible" - "directable") airship to fly. The craft featured an elongated hydrogen-filled envelope that tapered to a point at each end. from this was suspended a long beam with a triangular, sail-like rudder at its aft end, and beneath the beam a platform for the pilot and steam engine. Due to the inflammable nature of the lift gas, special precautions were taken to minimise the potential for the envelope to be ignited by the engine beneath it. The engine's exhaust was diverted downwards to a long pipe projecting below the platform, and the area surrounding the boiler's stoke hole was surrounded by wire gauze. On 24 September 1852, Giffard flew the airship from the Paris Hippodrome to Trappes, covering the 27 km (17 miles) in around 3 hours, demonstrating maneuvering along the way. The engine, however, was not sufficiently powerful to allow Giffard to fly against the wind to make a return journey.

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crew=One pilot
capacity=
length m=44.00
length ft=144
length in=4
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volume m3= 300
volume ft3= 10,600
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eng1 number=1
eng1 type=steam engine
eng1 kw= 2
eng1 hp= 3
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max speed kmh=9
max speed mph=6
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References

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