Let´s not re-invent the wheel: How small blimps were made between 1900 and 1910.

Hello, blimp enthusiasts. I´m new here, so please bear with me if I state the obvious: we can´t waste time re-inventing the wheel. I believe the history of small blimp construction between 1900 and 1910 can provide valuable insights into what we´re trying to achieve. More specifically, I´d like to refer you to the efforts of aviation pioneer Glenn Curtis, who built and flew many small airships. See, for example, file:///Users/nicolasuribe/Desktop/How%20To%20Construct%20And%20Operate%20A%20One-Man%20Airship.webarchive    and   file:///Users/nicolasuribe/Desktop/Bizarre%20Airship.webarchive

Of course, Curtis´s construction methods can be improved upon enormously using modern materials. 

Early airships were built with very limited materials. These defined the "classical" shape and form that we think of today (cigar shape).  With modern materials and understanding of aerodynamics and gas science, its possible to take advantage of different shapes and configurations that are much more efficient and capable craft. 

Sometimes the wheel needs reinventing.

PS-  The URLs you posted are for your local machine, not the internet. You need to upload them onto a web server somewhere before anyone else can see them.

 I believe the history of small blimp construction between 1900 and 1910 can provide valuable insights into what we´re trying to achieve.

-nicuribe

I totally agree, however , I think that all the airship history should be reviewed but:

1. Jamesg is correct in bringing those ideas up to current technology

2. A lot of things done by the German military was done for war objectives --- not applicable to us - we're not expendable soldiers.

3. The human side must be reviewed. The R100 and R101 are great examples of when people / politics get in the way of advancement.

4. Most of the original inventors were exceptionally wealthy, were intensely smooth talkers, or backed by their government.

Yeah and then there's the smell of PETA folks who are more concerned with cows feelings than they are advancement of science. Happily we have some nice plastics to bypass that problem now.

Unghhh.... I appear to have goofed with regard to the links I was trying to provide. Here they are again. Interesting stuff, if only for their historical value:

http://bizarrelabs.com/airship.htm

http://chestofbooks.com/home-improvement/workshop/Handy-Man/How-To-Construct-And-Operate-A-One-Man-Airship.html

Nicuribe, I enjoyed the articles on how to make a blimp, they were straight forward and made sense for their day.  They did hit on some points we have discussed such as the length to height ratio being about 4 to 1 and turning the envelope inside out after seaming it together.    This reinforces our ideas, telling us we are on the right track.  Back then 7 horsepower was more difficult to come by and his experience with mild winds tells us we need more power than that for a one man ship.   Good job.