Zeppelin and air force after Franco-Prussian war of 1871
- Thread starter Tanc49
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Balsa maybe? I doubt it would be strong enough to build a frame though. It isn't native to Europe either. Native range is tropical America.
Driftless
Donor
I think the plywood used in 1940's planes like the Mosquito may have used balsa as a layer, but other woods, Sitka Spruce? formed other layers. That was 1940's though. I don't know what would have been available in the 1870's, and what glues could have been used. You would want something water-proof I would think.
Ok, iO9 just published an article about how aerial warfare was imagined 120 years ago http://io9.com/this-is-how-aerial-warfare-was-imagined-120-years-ago-1649257503
So it kept me thinking, if artillery was not good enough (at least from the ground), could there be trained animals sent to destroy the balloon? I know it sounds crazy but the soviets trained cats to bomb assault tanks so you know, not THAT ASB.
What about ramming? An airship doesn't need momentum like a plane and ramming could destroy the balloons? Or am I out of line here?
So it kept me thinking, if artillery was not good enough (at least from the ground), could there be trained animals sent to destroy the balloon? I know it sounds crazy but the soviets trained cats to bomb assault tanks so you know, not THAT ASB.
What about ramming? An airship doesn't need momentum like a plane and ramming could destroy the balloons? Or am I out of line here?
ComradeHuxley
Donor
One interesting and admittedly potentially horrifying application could be as chemical dispense vehicle.
"DDT ("dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane") is a colorless, crystalline, tasteless and almost odorless organochloride known for its insecticidal properties. DDT has been formulated in almost every conceivable form, including solutions in xylene or petroleum distillates, emulsifiable concentrates, water-wettable powders, granules, aerosols, smoke candles and charges for vaporizers and lotions. First synthesized in 1874, DDT's insecticidal action was discovered by the Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Müller in 1939."
(wikipedia)
Let's say DDT's proprieties are discovered around 1880, and people begin to dream big, and by that I mean disease free colony big. Now something like that could also lead down some dark path. Once the European Empires realize that they have chemical spraying flying fortresses at their disposal some OTL “pacification” attempts of natives might become even uglier. Still, either way, the scenario might serve as food for thoughts.
"DDT ("dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane") is a colorless, crystalline, tasteless and almost odorless organochloride known for its insecticidal properties. DDT has been formulated in almost every conceivable form, including solutions in xylene or petroleum distillates, emulsifiable concentrates, water-wettable powders, granules, aerosols, smoke candles and charges for vaporizers and lotions. First synthesized in 1874, DDT's insecticidal action was discovered by the Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Müller in 1939."
(wikipedia)
Let's say DDT's proprieties are discovered around 1880, and people begin to dream big, and by that I mean disease free colony big. Now something like that could also lead down some dark path. Once the European Empires realize that they have chemical spraying flying fortresses at their disposal some OTL “pacification” attempts of natives might become even uglier. Still, either way, the scenario might serve as food for thoughts.
Driftless
Donor
I think it would be real tough to pull off. Think how difficult it was for naval vessels operating on a two-dimensional plane, with timing as the third variable. The few times it worked tended to be in fairly confined waters.
Add the height dimension for aerial ramming and the practical calculus gets really complex.