The La France was a French Army non-rigid airship launched by Charles Renard and Arthur Constantin Krebs on August 9, 1884. Collaborating with Charles Renard, Arthur Constantin Krebs piloted the first fully controlled free-flight with the La France. The 170-foot (52 m) long, 66,000-cubic-foot (1,900 m3) airship, electric-powered with a 435 kg (959 lb) zinc-chlorine flow battery [1] completed a flight that covered 8 km (5.0 mi) in 23 minutes. [2] It was the first full round trip flight [3] with a landing on the starting point. On its seven flights in 1884 and 1885 [4] the La France dirigible returned five times to its starting point. [5] [6]
The La France was constructed in Hangar "Y" at Chalais-Meudon near Paris in 1879. Hangar "Y" is one of the few remaining airship hangars in Europe.
General characteristics
Performance
The La France was a French Army non-rigid airship launched by Charles Renard and Arthur Constantin Krebs on August 9, 1884. Collaborating with Charles Renard, Arthur Constantin Krebs piloted the first fully controlled free-flight with the La France. The 170-foot (52 m) long, 66,000-cubic-foot (1,900 m3) airship, electric-powered with a 435 kg (959 lb) zinc-chlorine flow battery [1] completed a flight that covered 8 km (5.0 mi) in 23 minutes. [2] It was the first full round trip flight [3] with a landing on the starting point. On its seven flights in 1884 and 1885 [4] the La France dirigible returned five times to its starting point. [5] [6]
The La France was constructed in Hangar "Y" at Chalais-Meudon near Paris in 1879. Hangar "Y" is one of the few remaining airship hangars in Europe.
General characteristics
Performance