Are flying fortresses possible in the 19th century?

[Alcsentre Calanice]

Is something like this or this physically possible and practical? Wasn't something like that not build because of the lack of money?

Oh and were steam engines of these times advanced enough to move such a flying monstrosity?

 

[The Tai-Pan]

Impossible. Way too heavy to lift with hot air.

 

[Alcsentre Calanice]

Any other ideas?

 

[ennobee]

... Oh and were steam engines of these times advanced enough to move such a flying monstrosity?

Unfortunately they weren't. Auguste Griffard built the first 'manueverable' airship in the 1850's already. It was powered by a state-of-the-art lightweight steam engine that delivered a whopping 5! Horsepower and was able to fly figure eights in windless conditions. In anything like a light breeze it would just be blown away. Practical airships didn't come around for another 50 years, even if there was lots of trying. The main reason was that it took until then for a practical powerplant to be available. After all, in 1850, steam engines were just starting to be refined enough to be used in ships.