Zeppelins?

Thinking of a possible steam powered air craft the Zeppelin comes to mind.Or at least a semi-rigid airship.

Large enough to be impressive and a good reconnaissance platform. Probably a reasonable bomb load (well, half a dozen hundred pounders) to scare those loyalists not terrified by the Shan-Wei monster above them.

Just possibly the chance to inflict worthwhile damage on an important target or land a small commando force by parachute. (Not sure how to get them back on board - steam winch and harness?)

Imagine one making a stately pass over the Temple apartment of a certain member of the Group of Four. (Although it might be considered too provocative for the hidden systems beneath the temple.)

And regardless of the terror it creates in the immediate audience at first, the demonstration of yet another unobtainable tech must have morale implications.

Thoughts?

2006davidhh wrote:Thinking of a possible steam powered air craft the Zeppelin comes to mind.Or at least a semi-rigid airship.

Large enough to be impressive and a good reconnaissance platform. Probably a reasonable bomb load (well, half a dozen hundred pounders) to scare those loyalists not terrified by the Shan-Wei monster above them.

Just possibly the chance to inflict worthwhile damage on an important target or land a small commando force by parachute. (Not sure how to get them back on board - steam winch and harness?)

Imagine one making a stately pass over the Temple apartment of a certain member of the Group of Four. (Although it might be considered too provocative for the hidden systems beneath the temple.)

And regardless of the terror it creates in the immediate audience at first, the demonstration of yet another unobtainable tech must have morale implications.

Thoughts?

I see you are new, so welcome. My only comment here would be to wonder of a steam engine could be built that would be light enough for your project. Then add in the coal which is what they have right now. I don't know.

Don

n7axw wrote:I see you are new, so welcome. My only comment here would be to wonder of a steam engine could be built that would be light enough for your project. Then add in the coal which is what they have right now. I don't know.

They'd have to use Naptha and a flash-boiler or steam generator, but a suitable steam engine could be built. I suspect that a pneumatic turbine engine would be more likely; the compressed air reservoir would be lighter than a water tank for the same sort of range.

Range would be the main limitation that would make powered airships unlikely; at least until the Proscriptions can be lifter and ICE technology can be applied. I'd guess that Safehold will just bypass lighter-than-air aviation for whatever holds Merlin's skimmer airborne.

Maybe not Zepeppelins.
But hot air ballons, to be used as artillery fire control, like those used during The American Civil War would be well within the Empires technical capability

Weird Harold wrote:
They'd have to use Naptha and a flash-boiler or steam generator, but a suitable steam engine could be built. I suspect that a pneumatic turbine engine would be more likely; the compressed air reservoir would be lighter than a water tank for the same sort of range.

If they built a combination hydrogen or helium and hot air zeppelin, with a reliable barrier between the hydrogen or helium, and the hot air, then they could use a Doble type steam engine with a specially designed condenser that would transfer heat to the hot air portion of the zeppelin, and save the weight of a massive water tank. In this manner, they could build the zeppelin to have the same range as the zeppelins in our time line. Keep in mind that the Hindenburg was designed to use Helium, but the US refused to allow the gas export. Take a look at http://www.aeroscraft.com

JRM wrote:Keep in mind that the Hindenburg was designed to use Helium, but the US refused to allow the gas export.

Yep, the Hindenburg Disaster is one of the reasons lighter-than-air transport died and is so difficult to revive. Helium is definitely the preferred lifting gas, but I haven't seen any textev that Charis has access to any Helium source; I haven't seen any textev that Safehold even has Helium reserves.

JRM wrote:Take a look at http://www.aeroscraft.com

For lighter-than-air options with Safeholdian or Charisian tech and resource levels, check out some of the non-fiction articles in the Grantbille Gazette and other tech discussions in the 1632 Universe. Grantville faces many of the same tech challenges Merlin does in up-lifting pre-industrial tech.

Weird Harold wrote:

n7axw wrote:I see you are new, so welcome. My only comment here would be to wonder of a steam engine could be built that would be light enough for your project. Then add in the coal which is what they have right now. I don't know.

They'd have to use Naptha and a flash-boiler or steam generator, but a suitable steam engine could be built. I suspect that a pneumatic turbine engine would be more likely; the compressed air reservoir would be lighter than a water tank for the same sort of range.

Range would be the main limitation that would make powered airships unlikely; at least until the Proscriptions can be lifter and ICE technology can be applied. I'd guess that Safehold will just bypass lighter-than-air aviation for whatever holds Merlin's skimmer airborne.

Given a steam powered light aircraft was built and successfully operated in 1933, I don't see a problem with power. (It had reverse thrust too). Of course you could just build heavier than air planes and save the hassle of dirigibles gas fills. (Its much quieter than an internal combustion engined plane too).

What did that light aircraft use for fuel? Do you know hoe much range it had?

Don

n7axw wrote:What did that light aircraft use for fuel? Do you know hoe much range it had?

Don

Google is your friend:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw6NFmcnW-8

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_aircraft

In answer to one specific question, the Bessler engine was a derivative of the Doble steam engine and probably ran on gasoline as the Doble steam car did.

Large enough to be impressive and a good reconnaissance platform. Probably a reasonable bomb load (well, half a dozen hundred pounders) to scare those loyalists not terrified by the Shan-Wei monster above them.

Recon, sure. But bombing? Zeppelins and balloons have never been good bombers. Only reason they were used as bombers in WWI was because it was the only way to get the range needed.

Remember, aerial bombing is extremely inaccurate, while a zeppelin is a HUGE target, meaning that to have any chance to avoid being hit by groundfire, it needs to fly HIGH, which means that hitting anything on the ground with bombs are going to be wishful thinking more than anything else.

or land a small commando force by parachute. (Not sure how to get them back on board - steam winch and harness?)

Getting them back on would require the zeppie to stay SLOW and LOW for an extended period of time, that´s suicidal.