thumb|, left and , 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.

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Rigid airships (ZR)

thumb|right|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]]

Fabric-clad rigid airships

The fabric-clad rigid airships were given commissions, the same as warships.

  • - 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
  • - German-built as LZ 126, served 1924-39 (decommissioned 1932, and dismantled 1940)
  • - aircraft carrier served 1931-33, lost 4 April 1933 in a storm, 73 killed
  • - 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.

Metal rigid airships

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

Semi-rigid airships

  • O-1 Airship

Blimps (non-rigid airships)

  • 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) (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 class="center">

Image:USS Shenandoah NAS San Diego.jpg|USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)

Image:Zr2aloft.jpg|R38 / ZR-2

Image:ZR3 USS Los Angeles an Kriegsschiff.jpg|USS Los Angeles (ZR-3)

Image:ZRS-4 landing h42156.jpg|USS Akron (ZRS-4)

</gallery>

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

References

  • Allen, Hugh, "The Story of the Airship (non-rigid), Akron, Ohio, 1943
  • Althoff, William F., "Sky Ships" New York, Orion Books, 1990,
  • 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,
  • Vaeth, J. Gordon, "Blimps & U-Boats", Annapolis, Maryland, US Naval Institute Press, 1992,
  • Ventry, Lord & Kolesnik, Eugen M., "Airship Saga," Poole, Dorset, Britain, Blandford Press, 1982,