R38/ZR2, an alloy model of the airship, 12.5 x 5cm. The R38 ...

Hammer

£150

R38/ZR2, an alloy model of the airship, 12.5 x 5cm.
The R38 (also known as ZR2) was the lead ship in a planned class of 4 rigid airships to be built for the Royal Navy by Shorts Brothers at Cardington. The specifications required that the completed ships would be capable of patrolling for 6 days at up to 22,000ft (6,700m). Some of the design was based upon the wreckage of L70, one of the “S” class height-climber Zeppelins, but crucially, without the understanding that the German Crews were operationally restricted in their rate of turn due to the extremely lightweight framework. As a result of the Armistice, three of the ships were cancelled and the R38 was sold to the US Navy to be taken into service as ZR2. After completion, the R38 was crewed by a mixed British and American crew for the trial flights. On the 4th trial flight, high speed trials were followed by low-altitude rudder tests, to simulate conditions that were expected on the transatlantic delivery flight. In the late afternoon of 24 August 1921 as the R38 flew over the city of Hull, the command was given to apply 15o of rudder; eyewitness reported seeing creases in the hull, then both bow and stern dropping. A fire in the bow was followed by a large explosion and the airship fell into the waters of the Humber estuary killing 44 of the 49 crew aboard. Although parachutes were carried on the R38, the surviving crew did not use them, all being in the stern section of the wreck which made a comparatively slow descent.
Various items were made by Hull firms, such as C.A. Hill and Tooley & Kenton from metal from the wreckage, including models, ashtrays, candlesticks and napkin rings.