U.S.S. Shenandoah
ZR-1
1923
(Neptun L-11)
- Dead Weight: 77,500 lbs.
- Dimensions: 680 x 79 x 93 ft.
- Gas Volume: 2,115,000 cu. ft. of helium
- Engines: 5 x 300 hp Packards = 60 knots
- Armament: 6 x .30 cal Lewis guns; 8 x 500 lb bombs
- Crew: 25
- Builder: Naval Aircraft Factory, Philadelphia, PA (parts fabrication) and Lakehurst Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, NJ (assembly)
- Laid down: 24 Jun 1922
- Launched: 20 Aug 1923
- Maiden flight: 4 Sep 1923
- Commissioned: 10 Oct 1923
- Service: Made several flights around the eastern U.S. in late 1923 and early 1924. Following storm damage in Jan 1924 she was overhauled and returned to service in May. In Aug 1924 she conducted the first mooring tests with the specially-converted oiler Patoka. In Oct she made a round-trip voyage to the West Coast via Texas, briefly basing at San Diego. Returning to Lakehurst, whe was laid up temporarily to free her helium for use in the newly arrived Los Angeles. Did not return to service until Jun 1925, when she carried out tactical exercises with the Fleet. On the first leg of a publicity tour to the Midwest, she encountered severe weather and broke up in flight, 3 Sep 1925, near Caldwell, OH. Cmdr Zachary Lansdowne and 13 other officers and men were killed; 29 survived.
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