In military aviation, blimps have traditionally been big belly laughs and have borne the butt of as many jokes as Pat and Mike and the travelling salesman. Consequently they were never given their deserved recognition despite the fact that no ship convoyed by a blimp was ever sunk.
Actually these airborne “sea-cows” served usefully and well during the anti-submarine phases of the recent war. They didn’t, true enough, get credit for sinking a single submarine; but their peculiar defensive abilities were succinctly summarized by one captured German U-boat skipper when he said: “We had orders not to attack any ship or convoy protected by a blimp.”
Today, the balloons are taking a new lease on life, and there are many officers and aviators who see in their continued development a probable protagonist for the vexatious high speed submarine.
It is no secret that in the two great world wars submarines have come uncomfortably close to policing the seas. In 1917-1918, and again in 1940-1943, German U-boats almost choked off the flow of vital supplies between America and Europe. In the spring of 1943, for example, the eastern seaboard of the United States was a junkpile of wreckage blackened with oil, and the waters offshore a graveyard of ships. During the entire war, German U-boats sank, in the Atlantic Ocean alone, more than twenty-three million tons of shipping.
Our margin of victory was slim indeed, both in time and material. Our counterattack accelerated slowly. In the first three years, the Allies sank 151 German submarines. But in the twelve months of 1943, the crisis year, the vigorous anti-submarine campaign reached its peak, and 237 U-boats were destroyed.
How was the victory achieved? The expenditure and area of effort were enormous. Our concentrated bombings on submarine production centers and the submarine pens, plus mining campaigns, failed to control the menace at the source. The first mortal blows to the U-boats were fuel shortages and lack of trained personnel. The actual victory at sea was obtained by air-power—jeep carriers and their planes, scores of patrol aircraft, blimps—plus a powerful and effective effort by our destroyers—this combination side-tracked disaster.
It was the narrowest of victories. If the Germans had succeeded in getting their now- famed U-21 “super” submarines in action (which they came close to doing)—well, the sounds and sighs of relief around Washington are still audible.
Which is basically the reason for all the ruckus over submarines today, and for the renewed consideration being given to the blimp. To use the words of John L. Sullivan who, as Secretary of the Navy, was speaking before the House Appropriations Committee: “When World War II started, Hitler had fewer than 50 submarines and he very nearly won the Battle of the Atlantic. There is a nation which has, to our certain knowledge, more than 250 submarines today. I cite these figures merely to indicate to you the degree of our interest in the development of new submarine tactics and new antisubmarine tactics.” The high speed submarine is a headache which requires a new aspirin. The blimp might be the answer. The threat is so serious that no bet is going uncovered. For the moment, if airpower must control the submarine, can you name an aircraft with the ability to remain airborne for days or even weeks, which can carry a large load of bombs and a hefty array of detection equipment? The blimp is presently the only answer.
The new anti-submarine blimp, now under construction, was specially designed for subsurface search. It will initiate a new blimp series designated by the letter “N.” The N-1 will be slightly longer than either the M type or the K type—324 feet as compared to 302 and 253 feet respectively. And its helium capacity will be greater by some 100,000 cubic feet—825,000 cubic feet for the N-1 as compared to 725,000 for the M series and 456,000 for the K series. This additional size and capacity, moreover, will provide more working space, give more range and endurance, and provide better facilities for the crew. The extra helium capacity will give an additional gross lift of about 50,000 pounds.
Much thought has been given to the design of the N-1’s gondola or control car. It will be a double-decker, with the lower level designed as the operations platform, the upper level designated as living spaces. Forward to aft of the operations deck will be the bridge or cockpit for the pilots, a radio room, a large radar compartment with a formidable assortment of search and detection gear, a navigator’s room, a hold, an engine room, and finally the “after bridge,” designed for the gunners and lookouts. On the upper deck, forward to aft, will be an officers’ stateroom (which will bunk four), a small wardroom, a crew’s compartment which will berth a standby crew of 12 men, a large stowage hold, and last, the crew’s galley, messhall and lounge. These compartments are neatly fitted into an over-all cabin space of 87 feet.
It is immediately apparent that this new blimp will be able to remain aloft for many days. As a consequence, its housing and living features received great attention. The galley will not be the snack bar type, but will be as fully and completely equipped as a submarine. Sound proofing and elimination of vibration have been considered. Unlike our previous blimps, the two engines on the N-1 will be housed internally in the control car. Propellers will be driven by shafting. Not only does this arrangement provide better streamlining and improve speed, but the obvious advantage of being able to secure and make repairs on an engine while airborne means that the blimp’s ability to remain aloft for very long periods is enhanced. The N-1 will have ample control and power with a single engine.
The N-1 will also have other revolutionary features. For example, it will be equipped with tri-cycle and retractable landing gear. This will enable it to “take off” and “land” with a statically heavy load of 10,000 pounds. Many laymen do not understand that the cigar-shape of the blimp is also an airfoil—and when moving through air creates lift in exactly the same manner as the conventional airplane wing.
Blimps admittedly have several disadvantages. But being slow is not one of them. They are excellent targets (a submarine shot at least one down during the war) and they’re expensive (the contract which was awarded to the Goodyear Aircraft Company was for $1,500,000). But when the anti-sub job requires searching a vast area of sea slowly and methodically so that even a small signal can be detected—the blimp, and only the blimp, can do it.
The past springtime’s Atlantic Command Maneuvers illustrate how blimps are already entering the fleet picture as a valuable and productive partner. During the capture of the “enemy” Caribbean island of Vieques between 27 February and 4 March this year, two K-type blimps were used on anti-sub patrol south of the island. Working with Rear Admiral W. K. Robbins’ Hunter-Killer Task Group, these blimps assisted our antisub planes in establishing a successful barrier which even our best and newest subs failed to penetrate. Compared with the “damage” done by these same submarines to the fleet during other phases of the exercises, the ability of the Hunter-Killer group to defend without loss the amphibious part of the operations can only give credit to the blimp’s potentialities.
New ideas and projects are being considered for the blimp to improve it even more as an anti-submarine weapon. To reduce the weight of the envelope, a light, flexible metal skin is being considered. Paddle propellers— slow speed blades on the order of helicopter rotors—have been proposed for boosting top speeds. New elevator control mechanisms, similar to the yoke arrangement of large airplanes, are being investigated to eliminate the clumsy elevator wheel.
Suffice it to say that the blimp has more of a future than an aerial billboard for flashing tobacco-ad signs, or an eye-catching tow for advertisements over a football crowd at half-time. On its fragile frame and silken sac may lie the answer to a vital military problem.