Photograph:
A Cameron Airship in the United Kingdom (Cameron)
Country of origin:
United Kingdom
Description:
Single-seat thermal hot-air airship
Power Plant:
One 48 kw (65 hp) Rotax 582UL two-cylinder, in-line, geared, air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Envelope: 2,548.5 m³ (90,000 cub ft)
- Length: 25.05 m (115 ft)
- Max diameter: 12.80 m (42 ft)
- Height: 15.54 m (51 ft 0 in)
- Max speed: 27 km/h (17 mph)
History:
Known as a thermal airship, the design of the balloon in this case is similar to the Thunder & Colt AS-105 and produced buoyancy by heating air in a large envelope, the density of the internal hot-air as compared to the cool ambient temperature outside air causing an upward force on the envelope. The design is much cheaper to build and operate than a helium airship and has the advantage of being able to be dismantled and packed for storage or transport. As it operates by way of hot-air it has a lighter construction and is usually a non-rigid unit. Some examples have been pressurised. Most examples have a small engine mounted at the tail and use a propeller to provide a vectored thrust allowing the machine to be turned.
Cameron Balloons in the United Kingdom has for many years been the largest manufacturer of hot-air balloons and has produced a wide range of designs, including airships, in its DP Series, the first of this group flying for the first time in 1986. The range of machines in this Series varies from the 1,415.84 m³ (50,000 cub ft) model up through the 1,699.01 m³ (60,000 cub ft) model which is 30.48 m (100 ft) long; the DP-70 which has a 1,982.17 m³ (70,000 cub ft) envelope and is 32.31 m (106 ft) long; the DP-80 which has a 2,265.34 m³ (80,000 cub ft) envelope and is 33.83 m (111 ft) long to the DP-90 which has a 2,548.5 m³ (90,000 cub ft) envelope.
In more recent times the DP series has become known as the Cameron Skystar (DP Series). The DP Series is usually fitted with an engine for manoeuvring and the envelope has two propane tanks installed for the buoyancy burners. Power for forward propulsion is a Rotax 582UL two-cylinder in-line unit with a hush kit driving a three-blade GSC-3 Model Tech II of 1.5 m diameter (4 ft 11 in) in a shroud. Examples of the series were flown at the 1990 World- Hot Airships championships and attained the first three places.
One example is known to have been imported to Australia, being registered on 1 August 1989 as VH-XDP (c/n 1867 – ex G-BPPH) but was cancelled as withdrawn from service later on 15 April 1998.