ong and composed of
2-inch manilla. This is attached, properly coiled, to the side of the
car and is dropped by a release gear. It is so designed that when the
airship is held in a wind by the trail rope the strain is evenly
divided between the envelope and the car. The grapnel carried is
fitted to a short length of rope. The other end of the rope has an
eye, and is fitted to slide down the main trail rope and catch on a
knot at the end.

For steering and stabilizing purposes the S.S. airship was originally
designed with four fins and rudders, which were to be set exactly
radial to the envelope. In some cases the two lower fins and rudders
were abandoned, and a single vertical fin and rudder fitted centrally
under the envelope were substituted. The three planes are identical in
size and measure 16 feet by 8 feet 6 inches, having a gross stabilizing
area of 402 1/2 square feet.

They are composed of spruce and aluminium and steel tubing braced with
wire and covered by linen doped and varnished when in position.

The original rudders measured 3 feet by 8 feet 6 inches. In the case,
however, of the single plane being fitted, 4-feet rudders are
invariably employed. Two kingposts of steel tube are fitted to each
plane and braced with wire to stiffen the whole structure.

The planes are attached to the envelope by means of skids and stay
wires. The skids, composed of spruce, are fastened to the envelope by
eight lacing patches.

The car, it will be remembered, is a B.E. 2C fuselage stripped of its
wings, rudders and elevators, with certain other fittings added to
render it suitable for airship work. The undercarriage is formed of
two ash skids, each supported by three struts. The aeroplane landing
wheels, axle and suspensions are abandoned.

In the forward end of the fuselage was installed a 75 horse-power air
cooled Renault engine driving a single four-bladed tractor propeller
through a reduction gear of 2 to 1. The engine is of the 8-cylinder V
type, weighing 438 lb. with a bore of 96 mm. and a stroke of 120 mm.
The Claudel-Hobson type of carburettor is employed with this engine.
The type of magneto used is the Bosch D.V.4, there being one magneto
for each line of cylinders. In the older French Renaults the Bosch
H.L.8 is used, one magneto supplying the current to all the plugs.
Petrol is carried in three tanks, a gravity and intermediate tank as
fitted to the original aeroplane, and a bottom tank placed