£120
Aviation interest. Framed rare parts dug from the crash site of the R101 Airship c1930. Parts include strut linkages, metal strapping, fabric cover grommets, a fragment of flooring and others. Some marked for the Cardington site which built the airship. These parts were lawfully dug from the crash site a few years ago with permission from the local French authority. Frame: W 34cm, H 44cm. The R101 was built for the British Government by the Air Ministry and was the world's largest airship at the time. It was intended to have been part of a UK civil aviation fleet. The R101 crashed over France during its maiden voyage 5th October 1930 killing 48 passengers and crew and this accident led to the rapid end of the UK's venture into airships. The metal structure wreck lay guarded by the French for nearly one year before being salvaged by a UK company who reputedly sold some of the smelted down aluminium (Duralumin) for the construction of the German Graf Zeppelin which ultimately suffered the same fate as the R101.
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