Name/TitleBritish rigid airship, the R.31
About this objectThe rigid airship R.31 was built by the firm of Short Brothers for the British Admiralty and made its first flight in August 1918. After nine hours of test flying it was commissioned on 6 November of the same year. On its delivery flight on the same day the glued joints in the airship’s wooden framework started to come apart. Forced to land, the R.31 was caught in heavy rain which completed its destruction.
The wreckage was sold to a coal merchant who broke up the wooden structure to sell as firewood. However, his customers soon started to complain. Because of the fire risk with airships filled with hydrogen, the wood had been treated with fireproof chemicals and so simply would not burn.
One of the many slides purchased from retailers or specifically made for illustrated lectures given by Isaac Selby between c. 1930 and c. 1955 to raise money for the Old Pioneers Memorial Fund.
This image is provided for research purposes and must not be reproduced without prior permission.For a high resolution copy of this image, contact Royal Historical Society of Victoria
Date Made1918 (original image)
Inscription and MarksIn image : "British Rigid Airship R31"
Period1910-1920
Object TypeGlass slide
Subject and Association KeywordsMilitary aviation
Subject and Association KeywordsAirships
Subject and Association KeywordsWorld War, 1914-1918
Subject and Association KeywordsGreat Britain. Royal Navy
Medium and MaterialsGelatin silver print on glass
Named CollectionImages collection
Object numberGS-USM-01
Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved
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