cylindrical in shape, tapering to a point at each end. Beneath
the whole length of the cylindrical portion was suspended a
bamboo framework which served as a car for the crew, and a
housing for the motors supplying the motive power of the ship.
This framework was suspended from the envelope by means of steel
cables. Installed in the car were two 50 horse-power Buchet
engines which were mounted at the forward and after ends of the
framework. The propellers in themselves were of singular design,
as they consisted of three pairs of blades mounted one behind the
other. The were situated on each side of the car, two forward
and two aft. The drive also include large friction clutches, and
each engine was under separate control.

To enable the ship to be trimmed horizontally, water tanks were
fitted at either end of the framework, the water being
transferred from one to the other as was found necessary.

A series of planes was mounted at intervals along the framework
to control the elevation of the ship.

This ship was completed in 1905 and was tried at the Alexandra
Palace in the July of that year. She, unfortunately, did not
come up to expectations, owing to the difficulty in controlling
her, and during the trial flight she drifted away and was
destroyed in landing.


WILLOWS No. 1

From the year 1905 until the outbreak of war Messrs. Willows &