Viewing page 28 of 236

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

-5- 

A few rigids to help keep a reserve in case of foreign wars, naval or aerial.

The problem of the rigid airship has not yet been solved. The German army simply passed out and quit after they had brought it to the verge of success. The German Navy handled it a little better but used some of the old Army personnel. But Germany is a small country and to have the American Army quit the rigid just because the German Army did, is as easy as to have the American Army go out of business because the German Army did. The Commanding General of an aerial host needs a vehicle that can stay out for days at a time. He needs an aerial headquarters. With helium to lift it the airship is no longer the timid thing it used to be. If guaranteed reasonable help, a rigid can proceed over its own lines to vicinity of the front and stay there. Especially at great heights it could direct the operation of a great aerial attack and [[strikethrough]] over [[/strikethrough]] see that the orders were carried out. In the future there will probably be great movements across whole continents. Who will be the director of a land movement, as great and as fast as there will be when with motorized vehicles and aircraft, armies may make movements as fast navies. Thenn too proceeding over narrow waters, a Blue air force of the future, using navies as mere ferry guards and armies as traveling bases, may need airborne citadels of command.

We have a mobile Army, we have a mobile coast defense, we have a blue sea navy, let the air service proceed to equip itself with those things which will produce a Blue Sky Airforce. If it requires rigid airships for the Army, let us have them too.