METAL-CLAD BLIMP ZMC-2 One of Only 4 Metal Hulled Blimps Ever Built

One of Only 2 Metal Hulled Blimps Ever Flown

METALCLAD AIRSHIPS. Presentation book promoting the first Metal-Clad blimp, with photographs showing the development, production and test flight of the ZMC-2 "Metalclad". Includes THIRTY-FOUR (34) ORIGINAL, GLOSSY, LINEN-BACKED 8x10 PHOTOGRAPHS of the ZMC-2 "METALCLAD" BLIMP as it was being developed and tested as a prototype for the U.S. Navy, which was expected to order a fleet of ZMC-2 blimps for military purposes. However, only ONE ZMC-2 metal-clad blimp was ever built. This one.

Presentation book, flexible leather boards, with title page, information sheet, and 34 linen backed photographs bound in. Each photograph is stamped on the linen backing "KALEC INC. / DETROIT". Kalec was an early Detroit photography company.

An 8x10 inch metal sample of the "Alclad Sheet" used on the hull of the ZMC-2 is laid in loosely at the front (it was bound in at the front but became disbound at some point).

Published by the Detroit Aircraft Corporation, circa 1929 for the purpose of promoting its metalclad blimps.

GOOD Condition: A few of the photos and the title page have some soiling, the metal sample of the hull is disbound, as noted above, overall a complete and amazing look at the production stages of a metal clad dirigible.

About METAL-CLAD AIRSHIPS (from Wikipedia):

******Metal-clad airships are airships which have a very thin airtight metal envelope, rather than the usual fabric envelope. Only four ships of this type are known to have been built, and only two actually flew: Schwarz's aluminum ship of 1893 collapsed on inflation; Schwarz's second airship flew at Tempelhof, Berlin in 1897, landed but then collapsed; the ZMC-2 that was ever manufactured flew 752 flights between 1929 and scrapping in 1941; while the Slate City of Glendale, was built in 1929 but never flew.

From the Presentation Book's Information Sheet:

******U.S. NAVY ZMC-2 // The photographs which follow describe the progressive steps in the construction of the world's first METALCLAD AIRSHIP, built at Grosse Ile Airport, Detroit, Michigan, for the U. S. Navy by the Aircraft Development Corporation, division of Detroit Aircraft Corporation. This first successful application of all metal construction to rigid airships is the result of the cooperation of the Federal Government with private initiative.

The first rivet was driven in the bow section of the hull on March 7, 1928, and the ship was completed and inflated with helium seventeen months later. On August 19, 1929, the ZMC 2 made its first test flight of 49 minutes and 55 seconds.

Included with these photographs is a sample of the machine riveted ALCLAD sheet with which the hull of the ship is covered. The diffusion of helium through the riveted seams is considerably less than through goldbeater skin. Its resistance to fatigue from vibration has been successfully demonstrated.

The METALCLAD ZMC-2 is the first all American conceived, American designed and American built rigid airship. As an experimental unit, it has a displacement of only 200,000 cubic feet and is too small for extended military and commercial uses. In its larger sizes [which were in development by the Detroit Aircraft Corporation but later abandoned], it is destined to play an important role in the general advancement and prosperity of our country.

Compliments of DETROIT AIRCRAFT CORPORATION [no relation to the Detroit Aircraft Company incorporated in 2011].******