Empire of the Clouds [part I]

Let me tell you the story of the R101. The R101 was a huge airship

Something like 730 feet long, the largest aircraft ever on this

Globe. It was built as one of a pair of British rigid airships in

1929 As part of a British government program to develop civil

Airships capable of mail service and passenger transport on long-

Distant routes within the British Empire. It was the Air Ministry

That drew up a schedule for the R101 to undertake the flight to

India for early October 1930. There was a 42-piece crew plus 12

Passengers on board. The accommodation was spread over two decks

Including the cabins, a dining room, a lounge, and two promenade

Decks with windows down the sides of the airship. The control car

Was immediately under the forward section of the lower deck and

Was to be reached by a ladder from the chart room. All was made of

Weight-saving materials like wicker furniture and aluminium cutlery

And the walls were made of doped linen painted in white and gold