Film of the British Dirigible R101

Film footage of the British dirigible R101, which crashed in the early morning hours of October 5, 1930 in Beauvais, France during its first commercial flight.  The crash and ensuing hydrogen fire killed 48 of the 54 passengers and crew.

The immediate cause of the accident was the deterioration of defective fabric covering the ship’s bow, but the ship was overweight, poorly designed, and insufficiently tested.

R101 was known as the “Socialist Ship,” since it was built by the British government in competition with the so-called “Capitalist Ship,” R100, built by the private firm of Vickers.

Duralumin salvaged from the wreckage of R101 was used in the construction of the Hindenburg.

More information about R101, R100, and other British airships is available at the website of the Airship Heritage Trust.

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Denilson Alberti
Denilson Alberti

A torre de atracamento do R 101 é sem dúvida uma obra prima de engenharia!

Tim Wood
Tim Wood

looking for the pic of all the ladders at rear of 101, (pre health n safety i should think)

trevor monk

have started a website on Cardington, airship related poems pictures and news.

http://cardington.weebly.com/index.html

hope you like it.

David Scott
David Scott

Gentlemen / Ladies, I have an aluminium ashtray which I am considering selling on ebay. “METAL FROM R101” is cast into its base. It was given to me in late 1950s by the foundry manager at Laycock Engineering, Sheffield England where I was apprenticed. He told me that Laycock made… Read more »