NEAM's K-28 Airship Update

[Jerry O'Neill]

I stopped by the New England Air Museum yesterday to see the new Kaman Seasprite, which looks fabulous BTW, and checked out the Goodyear Airship ZNPK (K-28) "Puritan" being restored. It looks great and still has a way to go. They have installed the turret and gun at the top front of the gondola and it looks great.
Here's a few pics for those interested in the US Navy's WWII Airships.
Jerry

Wide shot of the Cabin's front end.


Close-up of newly constructed turret.


Wooden "mold" used to create turret and engine nacelle.


Info from the museum's website:
The museum's airship control car is one of 134 K-types built between 1938 and 1944 for the purpose of anti-submarine patrol and convoy export duty. Only 4 "K" ships were available for operations at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The fleet of reliable blimps was steadily increased to a strength of over 15 squadrons, including one stationed in French Morocco, North Africa, protecting the waters of the Mediterranean.

[StangStung]

Wow, pretty cool. Did any of those turrets get used in combat?

[Jerry O'Neill]

Yes. They would shoot at subs as they were making an attack run.
Jerry

[cooper9411]

Cool pictures.

[StangStung]

I'm woefully ignorant of the Navy's airship program. How many actual runs on subs did they make? It seems like if the sub saw this coming it would have been rather like watching a snail racing to attack an ant.

[Jerry O'Neill]

I'm woefully ignorant of the Navy's airship program. How many actual runs on subs did they make? It seems like if the sub saw this coming it would have been rather like watching a snail racing to attack an ant.

Well, the airspeed of the blimps were actually quite a bit higher than the sub, even when surfaced. K-Ships could fly as fast as 75 MPH, so though the blimps were easily seen, they could "get" to a sub in time to depth charge it and if there were some cloud cover or the sub accidentally surfaced closer to the airship, a surface battle could ensue. Also, when a sub was brought to the surface, the guns cold be used to cover a boarding party of fight back.
Jerry

Site here mentions Blimp crews shooting back at subs:
http://www.myspace.com/navalairshipcommand

Painting depicts an incident in the Florida straits where blimp and sub fought, with the unfortunate outcome of the downing of the blimp.

[TAdan]

Thanks for the update Jerry. I did not realize these blimps were equipped with turrets. I am sure attacking a sub was a harrowing experience when you had to rely on that gas bag to stay aloft. Not very bullet resistant

[Jerry O'Neill]

True, but it would take a lot of holes to bring the gas bag down. Probably could take more "hits" in the gas bag than a B-17 could before it would come down.

[StangStung]

Thanks for the info Jerry! I'll have to look into it further. Really interesting!

[TAdan]

True, but it would take a lot of holes to bring the gas bag down. Probably could take more "hits" in the gas bag than a B-17 could before it would come down.

Very interesting! I've heard that a modern blimp can fly with a dinner plate sized hole without much trouble.

[Dave Lindauer]

Awesome! The contrast between my last pictures of her (a few years ago) and yours is dramatic. Wonderful work!

[kscessnadriver]

Great pictures. This thread actually made me decide to go ahead and sign up for an account, been reading for a while, but never had a reason to post until you.

I'd love to get a chance to fly one of those K-ships, but that will never happen, sadly. I would imagine they were quite maneuverable, just from my experience flying some of the airships I fly today.

[JohnB]

Great project.
I didn't know USN Blimps had turrets.

It would be neat when finished, if they could suspend it from a (probably ridgid) facsimile section of a bag, to give visitors an idea of what it was like.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Great pictures. This thread actually made me decide to go ahead and sign up for an account, been reading for a while, but never had a reason to post until you.

I'd love to get a chance to fly one of those K-ships, but that will never happen, sadly. I would imagine they were quite maneuverable, just from my experience flying some of the airships I fly today.

Welcome aboard! Always glad to have new members! It's neat that you are currently flying airships. I think you are the first one on WIX with that distinction. Love to hear some "Blimp" stories!

The NEAM K-28 became the Goodyear "Puritan" advertising Blimp after the war. It was stripped of it's military items and flown for many years in the Goodyear Blue and Yellow scheme. They stored it for many years and eventually donated it to NEAM in the early 1980's. It arrived with it's original paint. Hard part was finding the military stuff to put back on the airship. I even donated a complete Aldus Lamp for the project. Cant wait until it's finished.
Jerry

[mustangdriver]

My late friend Clair was in a Navy squadron after WWII that had a few blimps. He had some cool stories. kcessnadriver, have been by Elkhart in the last summer. We had one of your blimps through our airspace