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Dennis Simms, of Little Eaton, has always been fascinated by the R101 airship which tragically crashed over France on its maiden voyage to India on October 5, 1930. His cousin, C E Taylor, was a rigger on board and, as the airship passed over Normanton Barracks, he wished he was on it. A few days later, he was thankful he was not. Sue Williams recalls the history of the R101, which is illustrated by these magnificent pictures submitted by Dennis.

After the First World War, Britain’s airship fleet was decommissioned – the Air Ministry believing aeroplanes were the way forward.

But, under pressure from Commander Dennistoun Burney, the government was persuaded that a fleet of six airships, connecting the various parts of the Empire, would be a good idea.

In 1924, the R101 programme was launched. Designed by staff at the Royal Airship Works at Cardington under the guidance of assistant director of airship development Lt Col Vincent Richmond, the R101 was as big and luxurious as an ocean liner.

It was literally a Titanic of the skies and destined to have an equally tragic fate.

On Saturday, October 12, 1929, when it was launched, the R101 was the largest flying object ever built – 732ft long and 132ft in diameter, raised aloft by giant gas bags containing more than five million cu ft of highly inflammable hydrogen.

Four tons of dust blew off her back as the airship emerged at dawn from the Royal Airship Works with the help of 200 construction workers, 150 RAF airmen and 50 people recruited from the local labour exchange.

The ship was constructed like a giant Meccano set, the frame sections made by Boulton and Paul craftsmen at their works in Norwich, and then covered with pre-shaped fabric panels.

Inside there were promenade decks, saloons, a dining room, private cabins and even an airtight smoking room.

It was propelled by five engines, two on each side and one at the back, made – not by Rolls-Royce as one reader suggested in an earlier article – but by the Beardmore Aero Engine Co, in Scotland.

A succession of VIPs visited the airship after its launch, including the Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII.

Early in 1930, test flights showed she was too heavy to fly to India and so an additional bay and gas bag were added, making her 777ft long.

Finally, she was given a certificate of airworthiness and on a wet Saturday afternoon – October 4, 1930 – she set out for the trip to India.

The crew knew she was overloaded.

Lord Thomson, the Secretary of State for Air, had a huge amount of luggage, including a Persian carpet to be used at a banquet in Ismailia en route.

Coxswain Sky Hunt hugged his 14-year-old son and told him to look after his mother as he believed “this old rag-bag won’t make it”.

He was right. On the morning of October 5, blown off course, the R101 lost height and exploded on crash-landing at Beauvais in northern France.

Of the 54 passengers and crew, only six survived – five engineers and wireless operator. Lord Thomson and all the VIP passengers and officials from the airship works all died. The fire was so fierce that only five victims could be identified immediately.

Following the tragedy and the loss of some of Britain’s brightest technicians, the airship programme ground to a halt and the remaining airships were dismantled and sold for scrap.

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