AHC: Airship aircraft carriers, version 2.0

Frail? With that kind of material as a frame & hull?

Sail, I can (just) see, but it's not like it's unpowered, & aren't all airships vulnerable that way?

Ground control of an airships has always been, afaik, the biggest problem. Something that size becomes very hard to control even with a light breeze, because lighter than air...
 
Ground control of an airships has always been, afaik, the biggest problem. Something that size becomes very hard to control even with a light breeze, because lighter than air...
I'm not unaware of the issues. What I'm saying is, if you're even contemplating building something this big, you've got to have considered what to do about that.

My thinking is, use a system of thrusters, vertical & horizontal, so you can dynamically "point" the airship, then drive it down, wind or no, rather than try & "berth" it.
 
My thinking is, use a system of thrusters, vertical & horizontal, so you can dynamically "point" the airship, then drive it down, wind or no, rather than try & "berth" it.

But sooner or latter it's going to have to "stand still" to load/unload, and that's the problem; it has to be safe from any kind of wind. You'll need to anchor it firmly down, cannot trust on thrusters, imho. Imagine any kind of twich while unloading an M1A1, or whinching down a heavy cargo container...
 
And it’s a hybrid aircraft, not a pure lighter then air craft so a pure lighter then air would be even more vulnerable.
Yep, 'flying bum' configuration is so much better.
467A500900000578-5095481-image-a-3_1511032823386.jpg
 
But sooner or latter it's going to have to "stand still" to load/unload, and that's the problem; it has to be safe from any kind of wind. You'll need to anchor it firmly down, cannot trust on thrusters, imho. Imagine any kind of twich while unloading an M1A1, or whinching down a heavy cargo container...
Getting it down would seem the bigger problem, judging by the film I've seen; keeping it still on the ground, IMO, is just a matter of how many anchor lines you need. I wouldn't imagine unloading by guyline, or something.:eek: Nor would I rely on a thruster system after touchdown. The idea is to drive her down & hold her still till she's anchored. (It might need something akin to a pier, rather than mooring mast, which allows more swing in the wind than I'd want.)

Of course, theres an option of a "fly-down" cargo pod, making the airship like a C-119...but we've got the same problem of landing & anchoring to load, so...:rolleyes:
 
I rememer reading a book years ago that had a nuclear airship called the Grand Eagle. Had harriers and drones.
Wish I could remember the book better.
 
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