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Airship Mayfly

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In 1909 Airships seemed to have much more to offer than fragile aircraft. The Admiralty took the bold step of ordering an experimental airship from the armament firm of Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness.

That first airship, His Majesty's Rigid Airship Number 1, unofficially known as the “Mayfly”, was the most ambitious air project of her day and taught both the Navy and her designers a lot about aircraft construction and the science known today as project management.

‘Mayfly’ suffered a structural failure while under test in 1911, which delayed progress by a year and prevented her from flying again. In the war that followed, the Royal Navy built many airships to a number of different designs and became the largest operator of airships the world had yet seen.

Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; Naval airship no.1 HMNA 1 or "Mayfly" coming out of shed barrow in Furness May 1911.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; Mayfly on river May 1911.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; Mayfly on river May 1911.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; Capt MJ Sueter RN Inspecting captain.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; Mayfly returning to shed.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; Mayfly "broke whist getting her out" August 1911.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; Mayfly "broke whist getting her out" August 1911.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; dragging Mayfly back into shed after breaking in August 1911.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; dragging Mayfly back into shed after breaking in August 1911.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; Officers of HMS Hermione group shot 1912 Schwann being in front of pole.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; SS Campania prior to conversion the first fleet aircraft carrier.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; SS Campania during conversion.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; SS Campania during conversion.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; SS Campania during conversion.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; Crew shot and royal inspection of King George V by King George V in Scapa.
Cdr Oliver Schwann.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; Beginning of seaplane trials, 1911.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; HV Sippe flying the AVRO Spring 1912.
Cdr Oliver Schwann RNAS Album; Naval review 1902.