Zeppelins Vs. Pre-Dreadnaught Battleships

More than one use of Handwavium for a PoD is bad form, but if you want to make a timeline where the good Count stayed in the USA, and made airships that would carry Sims-Dudley or Zalinsky Pneumatic "Dynamite" Guns for shooting at Spanish warships, there might be more helpful posts.

Now that's, what I'm talking about! :D
 
I was more thinking if you could launch shaped-charge-tipped rockets from a zeppelin. Could they go on launch rails welded to the underside of the gondola?
Maybe, although rockets of the day don't have big ranges, so you'd have to get into gun-range anyway. Still viable though if you work it right, and pump funds into rocket development.
 
Maybe, although rockets of the day don't have big ranges, so you'd have to get into gun-range anyway. Still viable though if you work it right, and pump funds into rocket development.

the 'Tiny Tim' of 1944 had a 1500 yard slant range when fired by a 300+mph aircraft, similar for US HVAR or UK 3" rockets.

the Sims-Dudley gun, fired from the ground became inaccurate over 1000 yards, not that HVARs set any records for accuracy at any range, to its maximum range of 2500 yards, at 30 degrees of elevation
 
The F9Cs and entered service in 1931, things will be different in the 1900s (the decade). In addition, the Akron and Macon were each over 230m long, whereas in the period we're discussing I'd find it surprising if anything bigger than about 150m appeared. In addition those American airships had length:diameter ratios of about 6:1, while in the early zeppelins it was 10:1 or worse, thus even for a given length the amount of lift was much smaller, I'd estimate not more than 10 tonnes for any airship of the day (the LZ 4 would have under 7 tonnes by my figuring).

Heh, spoilsport... I'm afraid you're right.

Then again, what is the technology advance that was not available in 1905 and that prevented bigger and better dirigibles? Sincerely asking, I do not know.
 
the Sims-Dudley gun, fired from the ground became inaccurate over 1000 yards, not that HVARs set any records for accuracy at any range, to its maximum range of 2500 yards, at 30 degrees of elevation
And the QF 3 pounder Hotchkiss gun of 1893 had a maximum range of 4,000 yards, so yes, any zeppelin that is close enough to fire even ww2 grade rockets is in gun-range, never mind anything with a calibre above two inches.

Then again, what is the technology advance that was not available in 1905 and that prevented bigger and better dirigibles? Sincerely asking, I do not know.
I don't think it's an issue of technology so much as one of production, something like the technology being new (LZ-1 only flew in 1900) so they didn't want to push it too hard too quickly.
 
Last edited:
I understood otherwise: it was too damned hard to do on a routine basis, & it never became standard. (That may have more to do with the disappearance of the rigids.)

Well, you are probably right. I just loved the idea.
Naturally, by strict standards like these, the Me 163 also mostly "didn't work" - yet it was a lovely idea.
 
Heh, spoilsport... I'm afraid you're right.

Then again, what is the technology advance that was not available in 1905 and that prevented bigger and better dirigibles? Sincerely asking, I do not know.

Powerful, reliable light-weight engines were just around the corner. Engines that would provide the needed speed to be capable, and reliable enough to last 24 hours. We are presuming abilities that the Kriegsmarine found wanting in 1916, pre-1905.
 
Take off, yes. Return, no. This was tried in 1918, & in the '30s, & in the '50s. It didn't work.:rolleyes:

You have heard of the USS Akron and USS Macon, haven't you? These airships carried four F9C fighters that were routinely lanunched and retrieved in flight. It wasn't an experiment mind you. It was a proven operational procedure.

It did work:rolleyes:
 
Top