Imperial Airship Scheme

The British Imperial Airship Scheme was a 1920s project to improve communication between Britain and the distant countries of the British Empire by establishing air routes using airships. This led to the construction of two large and technically advanced airships, the R100 and the R101. The scheme was terminated in 1931 following the crash of R101 in October 1930 while attempting its first flight to India.

In July 1921 A. H. Ashbolt, the Agent-General for Tasmania, proposed the creation of an Imperial Airship Company to the Imperial Conference being held in London. The use of heavier-than-air craft over such distances was seen as impractical at this time. This was to be partly financed by the countries of the Empire, with some funding from private sources and the rest provided by the British government. A sub-committee chaired by Frederick Guest, the Secretary of State for Air, was established to investigate the idea. Although this reported favorably, no firm decision was reached since the members considered that further consultation with the various governments of the nations of the Empire was needed, and eventually none excepting Australia thought that they could afford the investment.

In 1922 Vickers - which had been involved in British airship construction since His Majesty's Airship No. 1 in 1911 - proposed a scheme for the development of large commercial airship to provide a passenger service to link the countries of the British Empire. Named the "Burney scheme" after its creator Dennistoun Burney, it involved the construction of six airships at an estimated cost of £4 million to be constructed and operated by Vickers. £1.2 million would be raised by the issue of shares paying 6% per annum, and a further £2.2 million was to be raised by the issue of debentures. Both would be guaranteed by the British government and by India and Australia, the total public liability being estimated at £119,000 per annum.

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