The girders were secured to a steel
nose-piece at the bow and a pointed stern-piece aft. These
girders, built of duralumin sections, were additionally braced
wherever the greatest weights occurred. To support these girders
in a thwartship direction a series of transverse frames were
placed at 12 feet 6 inches centres throughout the length of the
ship, and formed, when viewed cross-sectionally, a universal
polygon of twelve sides. For bracing purposes mesh wiring
stiffened each bay longitudinally, so formed by the junction of
the running girder and the transverse frames, while the
transverse frames between the gasbags were stiffened with radial
wiring which formed structure similar to a wheel with its
spokes. The frames where the gondolas occurred were strengthened
to take the addition weight, while the longitudinals were also
stiffened at the bow and stern.
Communication was provided between the gondolas by means of an
external keel which was suspended from extra keel longitudinals.
In this design the keel was provided for accommodation purposes
only, and in no way increased the structural stability of the
ship as in No. 9 and later ships. This keel, triangular in
section,widened out amidships to form a space for a cabin and the
wireless compartment.
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