N-class blimp
| N class | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Role | Patrol airship |
| Manufacturer | Goodyear Aircraft Corporation |
| Retired | 1962 |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary user | US Navy |
| Produced | Delivered 16/6/1952 to 31/5/1957 |
| Number built | 1, N-1 / 12, ZPG-2 / 5, ZPG-2W for 18 total ships in class. |
The N-Class, or as popularly known, the Nan ship, was a line of non-rigid airships built by the Goodyear Aircraft Company of Akron, Ohio for the US Navy. This line of airships was developed through many versions and assigned various designators as the airship designation system changed in the post World War II era. These versions included airships configured for both anti-submarine warfare and airborne early warning (AEW) missions.
The initial version, designated ZPN-1, was a follow-on to the M-class blimp for patrol missions. The Nan ship used a significantly larger envelope than the M-ship although their overall lengths were similar. Two Wright radial air-cooled engines powered the N-Class blimps.
An initial contract was awarded to the Goodyear Aircraft Company for the prototype N-class blimp in the late 1940s, with delivery of the first on in 1952. The ZPN-1 designation was changed to ZPG-1 in 1954, and then to SZ-1A in 1962. The envelope capacity for the ZPN-1 was 875,000 cu ft (24,777 m3) and used the gas helium for lift.
The ZPN-1 was followed by an order for four improved N-class blimps that were delivered in 1954. These airships were designated ZP2N, and re-designated in 1954 as the ZPG-2. Three of the ZP2N airships were modified for an airborne early warning mission in the mid-1950s and were designated, originally, ZP2N-1W but at delivery were designated ZPG-2W. Their designation was changed to EZ-1B in 1962. The envelope capacity of these airships exceeded 1×106 cu ft (28,317 m3). The ZPG-2W was equipped with the AN/APS-20 radar with its antenna installed beneath the gondola. An AN/APS-69 height-finding radar antenna was mounted on top of the envelope. The engines were installed in the control car and drove the propellers through extended shafts. The airship carried a crew of 21 to 25 and had an endurance capability of over 200 hours. The first ZPG-2W was delivered to the Navy at NAS Lakehurst in May 1955.
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