Wingfoot One, the newest Goodyear Blimp, was christened yesterday morning at Wingfoot Lake Airship Operations Balloonport in Suffield Township, Ohio, near Akron.
Goodyear is careful to note that Wingfoot One is not really a blimp since it has a semi-rigid internal structure, whereas the envelope of a true blimp is like a balloon, which uses the pressure of the internal gas to maintain its shape. Goodyear will nevertheless refer to Wingfoot One as a blimp since "Goodyear Blimp" is widely known and recognized.
Parts of the new airship (model LZ N07-101) were built in Germany by ZLT Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik. The fabric envelope was made in Delaware and Goodyear assembled the airship at Wingfoot Lake in Ohio. Goodyear and Zeppelin have worked together before, operating the Akron-based Goodyear Zeppelin Co. partnership from 1923 to 1940.
In addition to its internal structure, the new airship is larger and faster then the older model GZ20A blimps, two of which will continue to be flown by Goodyear until replacements are built:
References and additional information:
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