Goodyear RS-1

The Goodyear RS-1 was the first American semi-rigid airship which was built by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for the United States Army Air Service in the late 1920s.

Design and development
The main parts of the RS-1 were built at the Goodyear factory at Akron, Ohio in 1924, the parts were shipped to Scott Field, Illinois for assembly. The first flight was delayed due to a mistake made during erection and eventually took place on 8 January 1926, the flight was just over an hour with a crew of eight men. The airship had a gas volume of 720000 cuft and was powered by four Liberty engines. A 35 ft enclosed control car is suspended from the keel at the nose, equipment included a bombing cockpit and the ability to carry 3500 lb of bombs as well as mounts for machine-guns on each side at the forward end of the car.

Operators

 * United States Army Air Service
 * United States Army Air Service