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To celebrate our 50th anniversary, archives from early LTAS bulletins.


As a relative newcomer to the LTAS, it is fascinating that at any given meeting, you will meet several people who read Volume I, Number 1 the first time around as a member of the LTAS. In honor of our 50th anniversary, I will present some snippets from those early bulletins

PLEASE NOTE: Information here is taken verbatim from the issue listed. We make no warranty that this information is correct. As many have pointed out, disagreements would often arise and corrections would be presented several issues later. This information is a historical reference to how things appeared in our early bulletins.

February 1954, Volume 1, Number 1 of Wingfoot Lighter-Than-Air Society BULLETIN.

MATERIAL FROM WHICH THE SOCIETY'S AIRSHIP AKRON III WILL BE FABRICATED BEGINNING TO STOCKPILE
The recent purchase by the Society of a considerable amount of surplus airship fabric will augment the acquisition of some World War II barrage balloons. This material is being gathered to start the construction of the Society's own airship, "Akron III".

SOCIETY TO BEGIN CATALOGING OF HISTORICAL DATA AND MATERIAL
Members are urged to keep in mind that one of the primary aims of the Society is the collection and preservation of historical items. This is pointed towards the ambitious, yet feasible plan of someday setting up a museum section of the Society to be open to the public. There are a great many people who have gathered memorabilia on this subject who have indicated willingness to give it to the Society when we are in a position to make use of it.

ENGLISH AIRSHIP CLUB EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES IN OPERATING OWN AIRSHIP
Heartbreaking setbacks are being suffered by the English Airship Club in attempting to keep their airship "Bournemouth" operational. Their latest trouble is the discovery that the fabric used to increase the envelope size was of the wrong quality and began to deteriorate.

April 1954, Volume 1, Number 3 of WINGFOOT LIGHTER-THAN-AIR SOCIETY BULLETIN.

E. EVERHART, Jr. TO SPEAK TO SOCIETY ON "AIRSHIP FABRICS"
This month's meeting of the society will be highlighted by a talk on "Airship Fabrics" by Mr. E. Everhart, Jr. This promises to be a highly informative talk and very timely one inasmuch as the society is going to start work soon on moifying the envelopes now on hand for the "Akron III". Mr. Everhart has specialized in airship fabrics for many years and is recognized as a top authority on this subject. What he can't tell us about fabrics we will never need to know.

"Akron III" PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETS
A meeting of the Club Airship (Akron III) Planning Committee was held on 16 March (1954). Those present were M. Flickinger, R. Wolcott, W. Fenn, K. Cordier, J. Fisher, B. Richardson, and T. Davis. Frank Kreese was unable to attend. The primary purpose of the meeting was to correlate the different thoughts concerning the construction of the "Akron III".

The meeting was successful inasmuch as preliminary plans were formulated. The present planning calls for adding a 20 foot long cylindrical section at the max. section of our barrage balloon giving us an envelope 102 ft. long, 29 ft. diameter and 45,000 cu ft. volume. A single 7,500 cu. ft ballonet will be installed, giving a max ceiling of approximately 5,000 ft.

The present gas and air inflated fins of the balloon will be removed and either a two horizontal and one vertical (bottom side) or a more revolutionary inverted "V" control surface layout will be used.

Present planning of the control car is centered about a light plane fuselage. The aft end of the fuselage will be greatly shortened and faired in just aft of the baggage compartment. The seat arrangement of the airplane, which is side by side need not be altered with the exception of adding a seat for a third passenger in what is now the baggage compartment. One great advantage of utilizing the plane fuselage as a car will be that the presently approved engine installation will, in all probability, not need alteration thus eliminating a lot of licensing problems. The engine presently in the fuselage is a Lycoming 65 H.P., which will probably be an excessive H.P. for it is thought by the committee that a "red line" on the top speed will be 30 M.P.H. because of the fabric strength of the envelope.

As idea of what the "Akron III" will look like, according to present plans can be obtained from the sketch in this issue.


ONE AIRSHIP LOST IN WORLD WAR II THRU ENEMY ACTION
On the night of 18 July 1943, although her crew had been briefed that no submarine, friend or foe, was in her assigned night patrol area, the airship K-74 by radar detected and engaged an enemy sub on the surface in the Caribbean. In a gun duel, after momentarily silencing the U-Boat's fire by her machine gun, the K-74 herself was slowly brought down by the sub's gunfire when her bombs failed to release while over the U-Boat directly in bombing position.

May 1954, Volume 1, Number 4 of WINGFOOT LIGHTER-THAN-AIR SOCIETY BULLETIN.

2nd Meeting of Club Airship Planning Committee to be Held Soon
The second meeting of the Planning Committee for the Society Airship will be held in the very near future to discuss the progress and findings relative to the airship.
The Taylorcraft fuselage, which will be our 3 man car, has been acquired by the Society through the generousity of Mr. A. Barber, Manager of the Barber Airport at Alliance. The fuselage is from a plane that had a minor crackup and is in good shape for our purpose. The extreme aft end of the fuselage sustained the damage and since we are going to eliminate that portion anyway, it suits our needs exactly. The fuselage given to us even has some repairable (we believe) instruments in it. Mr. Barber dug around in his storage building and came up with a brand new engine mount which he gave us to help out the cause. We need more people like this.
This fuselage now reposes in your editor's garage at 333 Trigonia Drive and members are requested to drop by and lend a hand with the modification at any time.

Hugh Allen Goodyear Author Extrodinaire to be Next Meetings Speaker
We urge all members to turn out for the 13 May (1954) meeting to hear the author of many Goodyear publications, Mr. Hugh Allen. Mr. Allen has edited such books as "House of Goodyear", "Story of the Airship", "Why Has America No Rigid Airships", and many others. This promises to be one of the top flite meetings we have already had. Mr. Allen is noted for his interesting talks almost as much as he is for his books.

Club Airship Planning Committee Meets
The Planning Committee meeting mentioned in the article on the first page has been held prior to your "Bulletin's" press time. Progress on the fuselage, which has been stripped of fabric and cut to length, was noted. A round table discussion was held with control surfaces as the main topic.
A terrific amount of work is entailed in a project such as this and volunteers are urgently needed. Anyone who can take jobs to their homes are asked to do so. Vince Rubino has volunteered to take the firewall and cowling and put it back in useful shape. The engine will have to be completely overhauled and repaired and it is hoped that the qualified mechanics in the club will take on the chore. If we have any propeller men in the organization it is requested that they volunteer to take the prop and fix it up. There are any number of jobs that can be had for the asking and it is hoped that the entire organization gets in on the deal.
Your editor will give up the second half of his garage if someone will start the engine tear down and wishes to do it there.
It is hoped that everyone will get behind this project and push it to an early competion.




June 1954, Volume 1, Number 5 of WINGFOOT LIGHTER-THAN-AIR SOCIETY BULLETIN.

French Fly Motorized Observation Balloon
The article is being written to bring to the Society's attention the fact that a motorized observation balloon (very similar in many respects to the proposed club airship) has been and still is being flown very successfully in France.
The M.B.Z. 3 type balloon has a volume of 35,000 cu.ft. and is of the dilatable gore type. The car appears to be of a fuselage type and is equipped with a 60 HP Salmson engine. The engine is mounted on the forward end of the car. The empennage consists of 6 surfaces which appear to be distributed equidistant about the stern. The two lower most fins are equipped with movable surfaces which act as directional controls. The car is equipped with movable stub wings which give elevator control.
The car is of the suspended type, hung from caternary curtains on the envelope. The car and lower fins can be removed in approximately 10 minutes for "bagging down" the envelope. This is what is intended to do with the club airship instead of hangaring it.
The M.B.Z. 3 has a speed of 45 M.P.H. and a crew of 2. This airship, since World War II, has been modified to have belly moortin and operate from a mast on a truck while on advertising jaunts.

Annual Picnic
The first Annual Society Picnic is now being planned and is tentatively set for Sunday 25 July (1954). More later. Society Receives Hollywood Film For Special Showing
Through the efforts of Hugh Allen, the M-G-M movie "This Man's Navy" has been procured and will be shown at a special meeting to be held in Goodyear Hall 3rd Floor, Friday Evening 25 June (1954) at 8:00 PM. This meeting is open to members and their families as well as friends. Your editors are certain that the children will enjoy this World War II story based on airships and starring Wallace Berry and Tom Drake.

The first Annual Society Picnic is now being planned and is tentatively set for Sunday 25 July (1954). More later. Sub-Committees Set Up Under Club Airship Planning Committee
In an effort to get under way on the club airship, it has been decided to isolate the major components to be worked upon and set up each component under a sub-committee. The components planned on are as follows:
  1. Car
  2. Envelope
  3. Power Plant
  4. Empennage
  5. Gas and Air valves and Airscoop
  6. Weights and Balance

Volunteers for working on the club airship car are requested to come to the car shop at 333 Trigonia Drive, Tuesday evening 29 June (1954) as early as possible. Arrangements to get some foot to eat on the job will be made at that time.

Look for more archives to be added periodically during our 50th anniversary year!
Last Updated: July 21, 2002.

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