Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Zeppelin machine gun position

 


11 comments:

  1. Makes you wonder what hot brass by the thousand does for a canvas zepplin skin containing hydrogen.

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    1. Looks like the decking for the position has a short rim. Given the air speed they would be flying at, any brass on the outer skin would be blown and rolled off almost immediately. Not a problem.

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  2. IIRC, the hydrogen was contained in internal bags, so it should be safe from the brass.

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    1. How about from the canvas when it catches fire from the hot brass?

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  3. Aggie you are spot on about the leaking hydrogen. The zeppelins had vertical exhaust vents to remove the hydrogen that leaks from the gas bags.
    So firing the guns would be a hazard, but the incendiary bullets from an attacking warplane would be much worse.

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  4. Although hydrogen has a very wide LEL (4%) to UEL (75%) is also has a very fast dissipation rate due to it's small molecular size and fast movement. It's not like gasoline vapor that seems to hang around and cause trouble but it more flock of birds fleeing a loud noise. This is perhaps its only mitigating characteristic.

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  5. Please take note of the deck surface under the gun mounts. I am guessing that someone had a bit better perception about hot brass and put a hard surface down.

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    1. The outer skin was doped with nitro-cellulose lacquer which is highly flammable, nitro-cellulose is also used to make explosives such as gun-cotton. There was enough room for a fit man to move between the gas bag and the outer skin of a Zeppelin due to the width of the skeleton frame. The accident investigation reports, both US and German, both concluded the outer skin's flammability doomed the Hindenburg.
      Al_in_Ottawa

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  6. OSHA, please pick up the white courtesy phone.

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  7. Not only the machine guns but is that not a mortar at the apex. It has a 360° floor where the mg's appear to have a limited field.

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    1. Looks like a third tripod without a MG mounted.

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