S.S.P.
In 1916 the design was commenced for an S.S. ship which should
have a more comfortable car and be not merely an adaptation of
an aeroplane body. These cars, which were of rectangular shape
with a blunt nose, were fitted with a single landing skid aft,
and contained seats for three persons.
The engine, a 100 horse-power water-cooled Green, was mounted on
bearers aft and drove a four-bladed pusher propeller. The
petrol was carried in aluminium tanks attached by fabric slings
to the axis of the envelope.
Six of these ships were completed in the spring of 1917 and were
quite satisfactory, but owing to the success achieved by the
experimental S.S. Zero it was decided to make this the standard
type of S.S. ship, and with the completion of the sixth the
programme of the S.S.P's was brought to a close.
These ships enjoyed more than, perhaps, was a fair share of
misfortune, one was wrecked on proceeding to its patrol station
and was found to be beyond repair, and another was lost in a
snowstorm in the far north. The remainder, fitted at a later
date with 75 horse-power Rolls Royce engines, proved to be a most
valuable asset to our fleet of small airships.
S.S. ZERO
The original S.S. Zero was built at a south-coast station by Air
Service labour, and to the design of three officers stationed
there.
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