Fatal Flight: The True Story of Britain’s Last Great Airship

Description

Experience the dramatic tale of the British airship R101 in Fatal Flight: The True Story of Britain’s Last Great Airship by Bill Hammack. This compelling narrative brings to life the story of the R101, a luxury airship that was three and a half times the length of a 747 jet, featuring amenities like a spacious lounge, a dining room seating fifty, enclosed promenade decks with stunning views, and even a smoking room. The British envisioned the R101 leading a fleet of imperial airships to dominate the skies, much like their naval ships had ruled the seas a century earlier. However, this dream ended tragically when, during its demonstration flight to India, the R101 crashed in France, resulting in the loss of nearly all aboard.

Hammack’s meticulous research and superb storytelling guide readers from the airship’s emergence from its giant shed to its final fateful voyage. The narrative follows First Officer Noel Atherstone and his crew from the ship’s first test flight in 1929 to its fiery crash on October 5, 1930. It reveals in graphic detail the actions of Atherstone as he battled tremendous obstacles, including political pressures to hurry the ship into the air and the challenges of correcting its faulty design. After this tragic accident, Britain abandoned airships, but the R101 flew again in a sense, as its scrap was melted down and sold to the Zeppelin Company, who used it to create the LZ 129, better known as the Hindenburg.

Set against the backdrop of the British Empire at its zenith in the early twentieth century, Fatal Flight portrays an extraordinary age in technology, fueled by humankind’s obsession with flight. This book is a must-read for aviation enthusiasts, history buffs, and anyone intrigued by the interplay of innovation and tragedy.

Add this captivating account to your personal airship library and delve into the poignant story of the R101.