Title:LAUNCH OF HM AIRSHIPS R36 AND R38 [Main Title]
Film Number:IWM 645
Other titles:
Summary: I. The first trial flight of the airship R36 at Inchinnan, 1st April 1921.
II. The first trial flight of the airship R38 (also known by its American designation ZR2) at Cardington, from 9pm 23rd June to 6am 24th June 1921.
Description: The R36 is nose-forward in its shed. Workers turn a large capstan to wind back the doors of the shed and the airship is towed out. It is clearly marked as R36 and as G-FAAF. It takes off from its launching field, and overflies both the camera and its own shed, quite quickly. It comes in to land, stops all engines and sinks down. After being secured it is taken back to its shed by its groundcrew, which includes a number of women workers.
A portrait shot of Mr C Campbell, the R38's designer, in front of the airship in its shed. Air Commodore Edward C Maitland, the RAF airship base commander, talks with Air Commodore Henry Brooke-Popham, the Director of Research at the Air Ministry. They are joined by other officers, including Flight Lieutenant A H Wann, the airship's pilot. The R38, which is in US Navy markings, is to be sold to the Americans and its designated pilot, Commodore Lewis H Maxfield USN, is also present (in civilian clothes). The airship is led out and the crew get on board. The camera is right underneath it for the take-off into the dusk sky, against which the bulk of the rising airship is silhouetted. The airship comes back in to land at 6am. It manoeuvres, cuts its engines and sinks towards the waiting groundcrew. It is towed back into its hangar.
Production Details: Royal Air Force (Production sponsor)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Campbell, C (person)
Maitland, Edward C (person)
Brooke-Popham, Robert Moore 'Henry' (person)
Wann, A H (person)
Maxfield, Lewis H (person)
Royal Air Force (regiment/service)
Royal Air Force (regiment/service)
Keywords: aircraft, British naval - airship: R36 (object name)
aircraft, British naval - airship: R38 (object name)
aircraft, United States naval - airship: ZR2 (object name)
GB, Scotland & Inchinnan, Renf (geography)
Cardington, Bedfordshire, England, UK (geography)
