- Astra-Torres airship
The Astra-Torres airships were non-rigid
airship s built bySociété Astra to a design by SpaniardLeonardo Torres Quevedo in France between about 1908 and 1922. They had a highly-characteristic tri-lobed cross-section rather than the more usual circular cross-section. This was the result of moving most of the blimp's bracing wires inside the envelope in an attempt to minimise drag. Early Astra-Torres airships could be trimmed by moving the entire gondola fore-and-aft.Astra-Torres airships were used by the
French Navy duringWorld War I and for a few years before and after. A few of these were transferred to the American expeditionary forces in Europe, and AT-1, AT-13, and AT-17 were eventually taken back to the United States.Britain's
Royal Navy purchased AT-14, AT-17, and AT-19, these becomingHMA No. 3 ,HMA No. 8 , andHMA No. 16 respectively. All were taken out of service in May 1916, although the Astra-Torres design was imitated in Britain's ownCoastal class airship s that served through to the end of the War.After the war, AT-16 was operated by
Transaérienne , carrying sightseeing passengers over Paris, and AT-24 was purchased by the Japanese Navy.Operators
;FRA
*French Navy ;JPN
*Imperial Japanese Navy ;UK
*Royal Navy References
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