G-class blimp
{{Short description|American non-rigid airship}}
{{no footnotes|date=September 2011}}
{{Infobox aircraft
|name= G class
|image= File:G class blimp.jpg
|caption=NAVY G-1
|type=Training airship
|manufacturer=Goodyear Aircraft Corporation
|designer=
|first_flight=
|introduction=1935
|retired=
|status=
|primary_user=United States Navy
|more_users=
|produced=
|number_built=10
|variants=
}}
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 Goodyear Blimp Defender for use as a trainer and utility airship assigning it the designator G-1. 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. Goodyear built additional G-class airships for the Navy during World War II to support training needs.[https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/naval-aviation-history/navys-lighter-than-air-experience-monograph/pre-ww-ii-blilmps-and-the-evolution-of-the-k-class-and-ww-ii-airships-and-their-operations-pages-34-46.html US Navy G-class blimp]
Operational history
After purchase on September 23, 1935, G-1 was in constant use until it was lost in a mid-air collision on 8 June 1942 with another blimp, the L-2. The two blimps were conducting experimental visual and photographic observations during night flight. Although twelve people were killed in the crash, 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 24 December 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 G-1 by {{convert|13700|cuft|m3|abbr=on}}.
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}}
Specifications (''G-1'')
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units? = imp
|crew=2-3
|capacity=7-8
|length m=56.94
|length ft=186
|length in=8
|dia m=13.06
|dia ft=42
|dia in=10
|height m=18.90
|height ft=62
|volume m3=5,182
|volume ft3=183,000
|lift kg=1,867
|lift lb=4,115
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=Continental R-670-2 radials
|eng1 kw=157
|eng1 hp=210
|max speed kmh=92
|max speed mph=57
|cruise speed kmh=77
|cruise speed mph=48
|endurance=16 hours 42 minutes
}}
See also
{{aircontent
|related=
|similar aircraft=
|lists=
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References
{{notelist}}
{{reflist}}
- {{cite book |last= Shock |first= James R. |title=U.S. Navy Airships 1915-1962 |year=2001 |publisher=Atlantis Productions |location=Edgewater, Florida |isbn= 0-9639743-8-6 }}
- {{cite book |last= Althoff |first= William F. |title=Sky Ships |year=1990 |publisher=Orion Books |location=New York |isbn= 0-517-56904-3 }}
- {{cite book |last= Allen |first= Hugh |title=The Story of the Airship (non-rigid) |year=1943 |location=Akron, Ohio }}
{{Goodyear aircraft}}
{{USN non-rigid airships 1947}}
{{USN non-rigid airships 1940}}
{{USN non-rigid airship classes}}
Category:1930s United States military trainer aircraft