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Just a correction to john.hutterer's request:
The US only had 5 rigid airships (dirigibles), none of which made it to
WWII.
ZR-1 (r=rigid?) was the navy's USS Shenandoah, built in Philadelphia in
1923. She was wrecked in a storm in Ohio, 25 Sept 1925.
ZR-2 was British built and broke up in trial flight before delivery, and
ZR-3 was German built, USS Los Angeles, operated from 1924 to 1932, retired,
recommissioned for limited use after loss of Akron, and scrapped in 1939.
ZRS-4 (rigid scout?), USS Akron, built by Goodyear-Zeppelin of Akron
Ohio, commissioned in 1931 and was lost off New Jersey 3 April 1933.
ZRS-5, USS Macon, also built by G-Z, commissioned 1933, lost off
California 11 Feb 1935.
Blimps (non-rigids) ZNP (non-rigid patrol) are another story.
The Navy had 167 non-rigids at the end of WWII starting with only 10.
Morrison lists the most numerous as K class (K-1 to K-135). There were also
the L series, ex advertising blimps, and the later M class, first delivered
in 1943, of which only four were built due to the improved anti-sub situation
in 1944. Swanborough & Powers list 241 non-rigids acquired between 1917 &
1958, the DN, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, the series listed above, and a bunch
post war.
S. E. Morrison, History of US Naval Operations in WWII, 1962
Swanborough & Powers, US Navy Aircraft since 1911, 1968
<< Navy dirigibles of the type that were in use during WWII. Specifically the
Akron, Macon, and Shenendoah >>
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