33:
171:
220:
844:
832:
856:
370:
301:
353:
was caused by failure of the airship's peculiar box rudder system, which allowed it to maneuver over tight areas. Witnesses reported seeing the entire box rudder slip sideways, and the then-uncontrollable airship flew straight into the ground at the Army's
Norfolk Quartermaster Depot (now the
1261:
320:
during a test flight on
February 21, 1922. The airship left Langley Field around 2:00 PM with 45 people on board, most of whom were US Army airmen. There were also a few civilians, including mechanics and government observers. After lifting off, the pilot, Captain
1254:
208:("Aeronautical Construction Factory"), for the partnership of Nobile, Usuelli, Croce and Giuseppe Valle. The T-34 was designed for trans-Atlantic crossings carrying up to 100 passengers, though initially fitted for 25. When constructed,
276:
flew in
America for the first time on November 15, 1921, with minor problems. On a subsequent flight, a propeller disintegrated, ripped open the envelope and slashed a gas bag but the dirigible managed to return to Langley Field safely.
255:
on a 300-mile (480 km) demonstration flight from Rome to Naples and back. Aboard the dirigible were the US Ambassador to Italy, his wife and several Army officers. The passengers were served lunch while flying over the island of
1247:
888:
231:
As a semi-rigid design it was built about a rigid keel - though the keel was partially articulated to allow some flexibility. The passenger spaces and control cabin were within the keel. The engines, 400 hp
267:
to the United States, but instead the airship was dismantled, packed in several crates and transported by ship, arriving in the US in August, 1921. When the Army unpacked the crates after their arrival at
1402:
654:
six engines...Ansaldo twelve-cylinder, type 4E model 2940...450 horsepower | The
Italians...asked for...$ 475,000 but quite readily negotiated for the US Government to pay the paltry sum of $ 184,000
881:
362:
contacted high-voltage power lines and burst into flames. A total of 34 people were killed, 8 were injured, and 3 escaped unharmed. Among the dead was
Captain Mabry. The crash of the
32:
1205:
874:
1412:
1226:
1407:
1230:
1397:
1052:
1030:
411:
once stood is now a parking lot; it is still known as the "LTA" ("lighter than air") area, and the base's Roma Road is named in memory of the ill-fated airship.
1196:
284:
experienced several engine breakdowns due to the extremely cold weather. After the return flight to
Langley was made on only four engines, the original Italian
272:, they found the airship's fabric outer cover had mildewed and weakened. After being reassembled with some difficulty by US Army Air Service crews at Langley,
251:
for $ 184,000 (equivalent to $ 3.1 million in 2023). During the inspection and delivery ceremonies in March, 1921, the
Italians took the new owners of the
999:
1070:
914:
1165:
990:
1061:
759:
537:
981:
1392:
1174:
629:
972:
1239:
1021:
1214:
1183:
932:
1143:
897:
330:
963:
954:
355:
248:
143:
86:
1122:
695:
158:
inflated airship flown by the US military; all subsequent US Army and Navy airships were inflated with non-flammable
1387:
1323:
822:
170:
236:
4E-2940 V-12s, were mounted outside, angled such that the slipstreams would not interfere with each other.
1131:
805:
269:
61:
385:
for his heroics during the crash. He was the first recipient of the award, which was presented to him by
1346:
1039:
773:
579:
547:
346:
186:
764:
542:
285:
233:
700:
397:
1079:
621:
131:
866:
392:
Although it was
America's worst aviation disaster at the time, a century later the crash of the
1352:
1282:
1101:
1092:
1008:
923:
800:
747:
635:
625:
317:
147:
613:
1305:
1288:
1152:
150:, killing 34 crewmen and passengers aboard, with 9 survivors. As a result of this accident,
191:
860:
848:
386:
358:) from an altitude of 1,000 feet (300 m). Just before the bow struck the ground, the
342:
219:
1317:
587:
326:
201:
197:
75:
1270:
Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States and U.S. territories before 1930
1381:
1358:
1113:
338:
546:. Vol. XII, no. 614. 30 September 1920. pp. 1044–1045. Archived from
1311:
836:
649:
407:. At Langley Air Force base, the location where the massive hangar that housed the
382:
289:
247:
made its first trial flight in
September, 1920. The airship was purchased by the
791:
478:
404:
334:
204:. Designated and advertised as the Model T-34, it was the first project of the
366:
marked the greatest disaster in
American aeronautics history up to that time.
322:
751:
639:
369:
300:
155:
738:
Caliaro, Luginio (January 2021). "The Short Tragic Life of the Airship
213:
138:. Purchased by the United States from the Italian government in 1921,
159:
368:
299:
257:
218:
169:
146:
from November 15, 1921 to February 21, 1922, when it crashed in
1243:
870:
280:
During a flight to Washington, D.C., on December 21, 1921, the
403:, which occurred 15 years later and effectively ended the
799:
Smith, Alfred Emanuel; Walton, Francis (March 3, 1922).
1403:
Accidents and incidents involving balloons and airships
820:
1333:
1298:
1275:
115:
107:
97:
92:
82:
70:
60:
52:
44:
39:
23:
381:Master Sergeant Harry A. Chapman was given the
508:4,800 km (3,000 mi, 2,600 nmi)
1255:
882:
396:has largely been forgotten, eclipsed by the
8:
1413:Aviation accidents and incidents in Virginia
538:"The New Italian Usuelli Semi-rigid airship"
532:
530:
528:
526:
524:
66:Stabilimento Construzioni Aeronautiche (SCA)
690:
688:
686:
1262:
1248:
1240:
889:
875:
867:
618:The Airship ROMA Disaster in Hampton Roads
607:
605:
20:
574:
572:
570:
568:
453:33,810 m (1,193,000 cu ft)
1408:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1922
772:(688): 140, 2 March 1922, archived from
696:"The Roma airship disaster over Norfolk"
308:after it crashed into high tension lines
263:The Army originally planned to fly the
1398:1920s Italian military trainer aircraft
827:
520:
502:90 km/h (56 mph, 49 kn)
496:128 km/h (80 mph, 70 kn)
1053:KLM Fokker F.III Forêt de Mormal crash
580:"Roma was Largest Semi-rigid Airship"
206:Stabilimento Costruzioni Aeronautiche
142:was operated for three months by the
7:
1093:Wooster and Davis's Pathfinder crash
134:, designated by its designer as the
614:"Chapter 3: Roma and Hampton Roads"
119:Destroyed after crash and explosion
435:125 m (410 ft 0 in)
325:, set a course along the shore of
196:, the engineers Eugenio Prassone,
14:
809:. Vol. 130. pp. 369–370
16:US Army airship destroyed in 1922
1175:KLM Fokker F.III Waalhaven crash
1144:Moncrieff and Hood disappearance
898:Aviation accidents and incidents
854:
842:
830:
481:, 300 kW (400 hp) each
441:25 m (82 ft 0 in)
31:
1206:Imperial Airways Hercules crash
973:Aeromarine 75 Columbus incident
471:19,100 kg (42,000 lb)
465:34,500 kg (76,000 lb)
459:15,400 kg (34,000 lb)
356:Norfolk International Terminals
288:engines were replaced with six
1022:KLM Fokker F.III disappearance
991:Air Union Farman Goliath crash
982:Air Union Farman Goliath crash
304:The smoldering remains of the
249:United States Army Air Service
144:United States Army Air Service
87:United States Army Air Service
1:
1393:Airships of the United States
1215:Luft Hansa Junkers G 24 crash
1166:Imperial Airways Vulcan crash
933:SNETA Farman Goliath ditching
801:"The Destruction Of The Roma"
1031:Imperial Airways DH.34 crash
795:, February 22, 1922. Page 1.
1197:Imperial Airways W.10 crash
1071:Air Union Blériot 155 crash
1062:Air Union Blériot 155 crash
612:Sheppard, Nancy E. (2016).
212:was the largest semi-rigid
1429:
1324:Wingfoot Air Express crash
1000:Daimler Airway DH.34 crash
964:Picardie mid-air collision
955:Beijing-Han Airlines crash
1368:
1224:
915:Golders Green O/400 crash
905:
387:President Calvin Coolidge
373:1922 newspaper about the
30:
1370:This list is incomplete.
668:23 September 1920 p.1021
1123:KLM Fokker F.VIII crash
426:General characteristics
744:The Aviation Historian
724:29 December 1921 p.862
447:28 m (92 ft)
378:
309:
228:
178:
174:Ansaldo V-12 from the
166:Design and development
103:15 November 1921 (USA)
101:September 1920 (Italy)
1347:USS Shenandoah (ZR-1)
1114:Dole Air Race crashes
760:"The "Roma" Disaster"
372:
303:
222:
173:
130:was an Italian-built
1227:Before 1920 ◀
701:The Virginian-Pilot
680:24 March 1921 p.202
463:Max takeoff weight:
349:. The crash of the
40:General information
624:. pp. 31–32.
622:Arcadia Publishing
379:
337:, before crossing
329:that took it over
310:
229:
179:
132:semi-rigid airship
1388:Airships of Italy
1375:
1374:
1353:Wooster and Davis
1283:Daniel J. Maloney
1237:
1236:
924:R38 Airship crash
631:978-1-62585-669-2
347:Norfolk Navy Base
341:and passing over
318:Norfolk, Virginia
187:Celestino Usuelli
148:Norfolk, Virginia
123:
122:
1420:
1349:(September 1925)
1306:Archibald Hoxsey
1291:(September 1908)
1289:Thomas Selfridge
1264:
1257:
1250:
1241:
1212:
1203:
1194:
1181:
1172:
1163:
1150:
1141:
1129:
1120:
1111:
1099:
1090:
1077:
1068:
1059:
1050:
1037:
1028:
1019:
1006:
997:
988:
979:
970:
961:
952:
939:
930:
921:
912:
891:
884:
877:
868:
859:
858:
857:
847:
846:
845:
835:
834:
833:
826:
817:
815:
814:
787:
786:
784:
778:
755:
725:
719:
713:
712:
710:
709:
692:
681:
675:
669:
663:
657:
656:
647:
646:
609:
600:
599:
597:
596:
584:
576:
563:
562:
560:
558:
552:
534:
489:
428:
345:en-route to the
195:
185:was designed by
111:21 February 1922
48:Training airship
35:
21:
1428:
1427:
1423:
1422:
1421:
1419:
1418:
1417:
1378:
1377:
1376:
1371:
1364:
1343:(February 1922)
1329:
1314:(December 1910)
1308:(December 1910)
1294:
1271:
1268:
1238:
1233:
1220:
1219:
1210:
1201:
1192:
1179:
1170:
1161:
1148:
1139:
1127:
1118:
1109:
1097:
1088:
1075:
1066:
1057:
1048:
1035:
1026:
1017:
1004:
995:
986:
977:
968:
959:
950:
937:
928:
919:
910:
901:
895:
865:
855:
853:
843:
841:
831:
829:
821:
812:
810:
798:
782:
780:
779:on 6 March 2016
776:
758:
737:
734:
729:
728:
720:
716:
707:
705:
694:
693:
684:
676:
672:
664:
660:
644:
642:
632:
611:
610:
603:
594:
592:
582:
578:
577:
566:
556:
554:
553:on 5 March 2016
550:
536:
535:
522:
517:
485:
424:
417:
343:Willoughby Spit
298:
242:
189:
168:
102:
78:
53:National origin
17:
12:
11:
5:
1426:
1424:
1416:
1415:
1410:
1405:
1400:
1395:
1390:
1380:
1379:
1373:
1372:
1369:
1366:
1365:
1363:
1362:
1356:
1350:
1344:
1337:
1335:
1331:
1330:
1328:
1327:
1321:
1320:(October 1911)
1318:Cromwell Dixon
1315:
1309:
1302:
1300:
1296:
1295:
1293:
1292:
1286:
1279:
1277:
1273:
1272:
1269:
1267:
1266:
1259:
1252:
1244:
1235:
1234:
1225:
1222:
1221:
1218:
1217:
1208:
1199:
1190:
1177:
1168:
1159:
1146:
1137:
1125:
1116:
1107:
1103:L'Oiseau Blanc
1095:
1086:
1073:
1064:
1055:
1046:
1033:
1024:
1015:
1002:
993:
984:
975:
966:
957:
948:
935:
926:
917:
907:
906:
903:
902:
896:
894:
893:
886:
879:
871:
864:
863:
851:
839:
819:
818:
796:
788:
756:
733:
730:
727:
726:
714:
682:
670:
658:
630:
601:
588:New York Times
564:
519:
518:
516:
513:
510:
509:
503:
497:
494:Maximum speed:
483:
482:
472:
466:
460:
454:
448:
442:
436:
416:
415:Specifications
413:
327:Chesapeake Bay
297:
294:
241:
238:
216:in the world.
202:Gaetano Crocco
198:Umberto Nobile
167:
164:
121:
120:
117:
113:
112:
109:
105:
104:
99:
95:
94:
90:
89:
84:
80:
79:
76:Umberto Nobile
74:
72:
68:
67:
64:
58:
57:
54:
50:
49:
46:
42:
41:
37:
36:
28:
27:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1425:
1414:
1411:
1409:
1406:
1404:
1401:
1399:
1396:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1385:
1383:
1367:
1361:(August 1927)
1360:
1359:Dole Air Race
1357:
1354:
1351:
1348:
1345:
1342:
1339:
1338:
1336:
1332:
1325:
1322:
1319:
1316:
1313:
1310:
1307:
1304:
1303:
1301:
1297:
1290:
1287:
1284:
1281:
1280:
1278:
1274:
1265:
1260:
1258:
1253:
1251:
1246:
1245:
1242:
1232:
1231:▶ 1930
1228:
1223:
1216:
1209:
1207:
1200:
1198:
1191:
1189:
1187:
1186:Santos Dumont
1178:
1176:
1169:
1167:
1160:
1158:
1156:
1147:
1145:
1138:
1136:
1135:disappearance
1134:
1126:
1124:
1117:
1115:
1108:
1106:
1105:disappearance
1104:
1096:
1094:
1087:
1085:
1083:
1074:
1072:
1065:
1063:
1056:
1054:
1047:
1045:
1043:
1034:
1032:
1025:
1023:
1016:
1014:
1012:
1003:
1001:
994:
992:
985:
983:
976:
974:
967:
965:
958:
956:
949:
947:
945:
936:
934:
927:
925:
918:
916:
909:
908:
904:
899:
892:
887:
885:
880:
878:
873:
872:
869:
862:
852:
850:
840:
838:
828:
824:
808:
807:
802:
797:
794:
793:
789:
775:
771:
767:
766:
761:
757:
753:
749:
746:(34): 50–57.
745:
741:
736:
735:
731:
723:
718:
715:
703:
702:
697:
691:
689:
687:
683:
679:
674:
671:
667:
662:
659:
655:
651:
641:
637:
633:
627:
623:
619:
615:
608:
606:
602:
590:
589:
581:
575:
573:
571:
569:
565:
549:
545:
544:
539:
533:
531:
529:
527:
525:
521:
514:
512:
507:
504:
501:
500:Cruise speed:
498:
495:
492:
491:
490:
488:
480:
476:
473:
470:
467:
464:
461:
458:
457:Empty weight:
455:
452:
449:
446:
443:
440:
437:
434:
431:
430:
429:
427:
422:
421:
414:
412:
410:
406:
402:
400:
395:
390:
388:
384:
376:
371:
367:
365:
361:
357:
352:
348:
344:
340:
339:Hampton Roads
336:
332:
331:Buckroe Beach
328:
324:
319:
315:
307:
302:
295:
293:
291:
287:
283:
278:
275:
271:
270:Langley Field
266:
261:
259:
254:
250:
246:
239:
237:
235:
226:
221:
217:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
193:
188:
184:
177:
172:
165:
163:
161:
157:
154:was the last
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
128:
118:
114:
110:
106:
100:
96:
91:
88:
85:
81:
77:
73:
69:
65:
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
43:
38:
34:
29:
26:
22:
19:
1355:(April 1927)
1340:
1312:John Moisant
1211:Nov 6, 1929
1202:Sep 6, 1929
1193:Jun 17, 1929
1185:
1180:Dec 3, 1928
1171:Jul 14, 1928
1162:Jul 13, 1928
1154:
1149:May 25, 1928
1140:Jan 10, 1928
1132:
1128:Aug 31, 1927
1119:Aug 22, 1927
1110:Aug 16, 1927
1102:
1098:May 8, 1927
1089:Apr 26, 1927
1081:
1076:Apr 16, 1927
1067:Oct 2, 1926
1058:Aug 18, 1926
1049:Jun 25, 1925
1041:
1036:Sep 3, 1925
1027:Dec 24, 1924
1018:Apr 24, 1924
1010:
1005:Dec 21, 1923
996:Sep 14, 1923
987:Aug 27, 1923
978:May 14, 1923
969:Jan 13, 1923
960:Apr 7, 1922
951:Mar 31, 1922
943:
941:
938:Feb 21, 1922
929:Aug 26, 1921
920:Aug 23, 1921
911:Dec 14, 1920
900:in the 1920s
811:. Retrieved
804:
790:
781:, retrieved
774:the original
769:
763:
743:
739:
732:Bibliography
721:
717:
706:. Retrieved
704:. 2010-06-29
699:
677:
673:
665:
661:
653:
650:Google Books
648:– via
643:. Retrieved
617:
593:. Retrieved
591:. 1922-02-22
586:
555:. Retrieved
548:the original
541:
511:
505:
499:
493:
486:
484:
474:
469:Useful lift:
468:
462:
456:
450:
444:
438:
432:
425:
423:
419:
418:
408:
398:
393:
391:
383:Cheney Award
380:
374:
363:
359:
354:location of
350:
313:
311:
305:
290:Liberty L-12
281:
279:
273:
264:
262:
252:
244:
243:
230:
224:
209:
205:
200:and Colonel
182:
180:
175:
151:
139:
135:
126:
125:
124:
98:First flight
62:Manufacturer
24:
18:
1326:(July 1919)
1285:(July 1905)
1080:Fokker C-2
806:The Outlook
792:Tampa Times
487:Performance
479:Liberty L12
475:Powerplant:
405:airship era
335:Fort Monroe
316:crashed in
190: [
108:Last flight
1382:Categories
1184:Dornier J
1133:St Raphael
1042:Shenandoah
813:2009-07-30
708:2021-11-11
645:2022-01-01
595:2022-01-01
515:References
399:Hindenburg
323:Dale Mabry
136:Model T-34
783:20 August
752:2051-1930
640:944247591
557:20 August
439:Diameter:
420:Data from
389:in 1928.
1229:
1153:Airship
1009:Airship
942:Airship
861:Aviation
849:Virginia
401:disaster
156:hydrogen
71:Designer
1213:
1204:
1195:
1182:
1173:
1164:
1151:
1142:
1130:
1121:
1112:
1100:
1091:
1082:America
1078:
1069:
1060:
1051:
1038:
1029:
1020:
1011:Dixmude
1007:
998:
989:
980:
971:
962:
953:
940:
931:
922:
913:
823:Portals
451:Volume:
445:Height:
433:Length:
286:Ansaldo
240:Service
234:Ansaldo
214:airship
93:History
83:Service
1155:Italia
765:Flight
750:
722:Flight
678:Flight
666:Flight
638:
628:
543:Flight
506:Range:
333:, and
160:helium
1334:1920s
1299:1910s
1276:1900s
1188:crash
1157:crash
1084:crash
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