Airships on Channel 4

[DeeCrowSeer]

Just thought it was worth mentioning that Channel 4 (UK) are starting a three part series on airships today. I've only just noticed the listing, after my sister started whining about how there's never anything good on TV these days!

17:25 The Airships
As the Roaring 20s drew to a close, a new era began for the airships: an era that would spark fierce rivalry between nations to dominate the skies.

Not sure if Mike is interested, or if he'll see this before the show goes out, but there's no harm in a few of us Brits taping it just in case. :)

Now, I'll have to ask Una to set the video for me... she's set it up so that it actually moves within the three dimensions of time, and keeps changing the very substance of the multiverse. Women! :roll:

[Marca]

I thought it might be worth someone taping it, in case Mike wanted to see it and wasn't able to.

[DeeCrowSeer]

I might experiment with my sister's DVD recorder too... no promises though. Una might have been playing with that machine too. I don't want to turn into a crystalline entity just trying to set the recording "speed".

[xidrep]

'S'OK, guys! As an (intermittent) member of the Airship Society, I'm apprised of the broadcast and have a traditional 'Video Cassette' primed to record the impressions on a pattern of electromagnetic tape. I shall send it to Texas with the Dr Who's... :D

[DeeCrowSeer]

Hurrah for Airshipman Perdix! I hope you wore a suitably impressive coat while watching the programme?

Personally I knew nothing about airships before today, beyond what I've enjoyed reading in the Bastable books, so I found it all very interesting. How it will seem to people who know about these things, I can't really say. To be honest there is only so much b/w footage of giant frames being erected in sheds that my fidgeting brain can stand, so I hope the pace picks up a little as we get nearer to the present day. Still, the historical context was fascinating, although it's sad how quickly talk turned from the "romantic" nature of the craft to "baby killer" bombing raids.

[Mikey_C]

I didn't realise that Zeppelins and blimps played quite such a large role in WW1. Interesting that the bombing of civilian targets was a great spur for recruitment to the front. Now why didn't Churchill remember that when ordering the bombing of German cities in WW2?

[Michael Moorcock]

The role of the airship in WW1 was seriously curtailed by lone pilot Dogfight Donovan, RFC (aka Dogfight Dixon) as recorded in Dogfight Donovan's Day Off in the forthcoming Adventure!
I'd love to see those programmes, pards. I can't play a conventional tape until I get back to Texas, but I love a DVD if someone can get me one to Majorca!
I have an actual piece of Zeppelin, from one that was brought down over London... Once we started loading tracers, the bombing raids ended.

[DeeCrowSeer]

I'd love to see those programmes, pards. I can't play a conventional tape until I get back to Texas, but I love a DVD if someone can get me one to Majorca!

Sorry, I haven't been paying attention to your itinerary, but the programme has another two weeks to run. If you still fancy a DVD copy after that, then I'll be more than happy to drop one in the post.

[Michael Moorcock]

Cheers, Dee. In Spain I should be able to play the DVD. I should be there by next weekend.

[xidrep]

I thought it was Michael Yorke and Elka Sommer wot stopped them pesky Zepps? :lol:

Mike, is your Zepp fragment part of the Cuffley wreck? The MoD say they want it back under the Official Secrets act

The programme was really very good. Some 'period' CGI that actually worked, and top airship historians (except ME :lol: ) with a pretty complete overview - including my beloved 'Submarine Scouts'. I think they'll cover the 'Shenandoah' disaster, Akron/ Macon and Hindenburg/ Graf Z I&II (all of which, except GZII, had pretty messy ends) in the next episode. I'm just finishing a piece on 'Shenandoah' for PX1...I've known the details of the 'crash' of this (in effect) Zeppelin-style 'height climber' for years, but writing about it this week literaly brought me out in a cold sweat. A staggering story of horror, tortured Duralumin and wires snapping like brittle tendons in a maelstrom of vertiginous disarticulation.
Sorry, it's set me off now... :roll:

[Kalessin]

if someone can get me one to Majorca!

Majorca, eh? North or South?