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#1
12-07-2019, 08:59 AM
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KFS and Airships
I have been toying with an idea that KFS may have copied other aircraft, specifically airships. The problem with this is how would they be used. The military applications for long term observation of an area are obvious. But just as the Graf Zeppelin and Hindenburg, they were also used for commercial travel. If KFS airships were used in the same manner, where would the wealthy in KFS take a trip on such an airship?
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#2
12-07-2019, 07:53 PM
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Airships are an interesting idea! Primary concerns are what lift gas the KFS uses, would there be enough for luxury passengers? Perhaps enough for critical cargo/passenger transport and aerial recon.
If you go with the larger version of the KFS, then barrier island resorts in the Carolinas, ski resorts in the New England states come to mind.
__________________
The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
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#3
12-07-2019, 10:56 PM
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For the lifting gas, I would go with hydrogen. Yes it is flammable and it was banned as a lifting gas, but that ban was not based on engineering studies. There are many new designs for airships that use hydrogen as a lifting gas coming out of Europe. With new materials and safety precautions, many believe it can make it safer to use hydrogen.
Even in the 1930s, a case can be made that hydrogen was able to be used safely. Graf Zeppelin LZ-127 made 590 flights covering over a million miles, carrying over 30,000 people, about 13,000 that were paying passengers, and a great deal of cargo over its almost nine years of operation. I guess I need to have some KFS imperialism to make their influence on the continent bigger. Establish some colonies that become vacation destinations.
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#4
12-08-2019, 08:17 AM
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Hydrogen is not a major problem and since the U.S. is the major buyer of helium, arguments can be made that the KFS might have access to some stockpiles.
In spite of two modules that limit the size of the KFS, the manual has a much larger KFS, reaching into the New England states and the eastern seaboard. I really don't see much of a problem with the barrier islands being converted into vacation homes for the elite nor mountain and ski resorts in New York and the New England states.
__________________
The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
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#5
12-08-2019, 05:20 PM
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You have me convinced. I think I will make the commercial use of airships a recent development and a welcome change for those traveling from New Manhatten to the ski lodge in New Hampshire for a relaxing getaway. Now instead of the almost two-week luxury coach trip (I am imagining something like a motorcoach with seating for ten, a bar, staterooms, and a waitstaff), they can make the trip in just over a day with none of the bumps from the rough roads and less risk of being attacked by raiders. I will also have the KFS only having one large airship in use, with a second under construction. Now I just need to come up with good names for the airships.
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#6
12-10-2019, 11:02 AM
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Quote:
Airships take up large areas for upkeep. There should be several bases for emergency landing due to stormy weather, the reason for US loss of naval airships. The cream of the crop is flying in luxury, like a cruise in their yacht on the rivers of Kentucky and middle Tennessee. The families safety comes first. They have airplanes. I think they might have prop driven passenger planes, several per family. The plane's performance is less susceptible to wind changes than a lighter than air craft. An airship flies like a big wind vane. How far do the Five Families have to fly, 400 miles, at most, for a majority of flights? It takes a lot of ground crew to assist in landing an airship. Airships do not taxi to a runway, they drop lots of ropes for ground crew to use in recovering the vehicle.
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#7
12-10-2019, 10:14 PM
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Quote:
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#8
12-13-2019, 12:55 PM
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If the Rich Five need a luxury aircraft, they can use the Double Wasp engine from the P47 in a passenger liner, either modeled on the Martin 4-0-4 or the Bréguet 763 Deux-Ponts, which can reduce fuel tanks and range in exchange for greater weight for luxury appointments. Both aircraft could cut the number of passengers in half, then add back several staff, waiters to tend to their comfort. The Bréguet 763 Deux-Ponts with dual decks can have space in the lower deck for a 'bulletproof' car(s) for the family and entourage.
Martin 4-0-4:  Bréguet 763 Deux-Ponts 
Last edited by RandyT0001; 12-13-2019 at 01:30 PM.
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#9
12-13-2019, 05:02 PM
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My original intent for airships was a military application. The loiter time for high altitude observation utilizing little fuel is a great fit for an airship, especially when you have air superiority.
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