ZRS is the novel creation of Australian author Rowan Partridge, inspired by the Zeppelin Rigid Scouts. [Read Author’s tech notes here]
As we clarify what TV and other media usually sensationalize, muddle or leave out, the reader
will learn why Partridge’s ZRS is actually a modestly alternative history. We will propose how, with your participation, we’ll proceed to bring the rigid airship flying aircraft carrier out of grainy old B&W footage onto the 3-D motion picture theater screen. (While TV has milked the cash cow of the LZ-129 “disaster” endlessly, only a small number of films involving LTA have been produced – we complied a list – but very few with good production values about airships in particular.)
So, let’s proceed to learn about the ZRS, both real and imagined: Click on play > icon in the window below for a one-minute video in which author Rowan Partridge will explain his vision.
So, what if the three countries’ most famous airship accidents had not happened… ?
Read on – to INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND or…
You can return to this home page any time to use the following TABLE OF CONTENTS (in continuous update) to read our pages in any order you chose, though we generally recommend following the numbered sequence as listed here (* means page has embedded short video):
…………..1.1.1. Save the Observation Balloons!
1.4.1. R.100 (Under Construction)
1.5. The US Navy and the Rigid Airship *
2. Design for Helium: the ZRS Program
2.4. LTA’s Most Costly Accident
2.5.1. “Min” Miller’s Presentation Part One
2.8. USS Macon Flying Carrier Perfected
2.9. Miss-stepping to a Premature Burial
2.10. Ground Handling Evolution *
2.10.1 Class “B” Mooring Bases
3. History’s Most Famous Airship *
3.2. The US Navy and the Hindenburg
3.3. Hindenburg Götterdämmerung
3.5. The Zeppelin Rebirth: Finding the Cause
4.3. Tests of the “Years of Confusion”
5.1. The Zeppelin Reborn: LZ-130
5.2. ZRCV: The Giant That Almost Was
5.2.1. Planes for ZRCV (and ZRS the Movie) *
5.3. LZ-130: The Final Zeppelin Missions
5.4. The Flying Carrier: The Goodyear Proposals
5.5. ZRN: The Rigid’s Last Best Hope
5.6. The Rigid’s Final Days and WWII *
5.6.1. Carrier Crisis Part One
5.6.2. Carrier Crisis Part Two
6. ZRS: The Major Motion Picture
6.3. Our “P-77,” our Silence Twister *
7.1 USS Macon: Respects Paid 2006 Part 1
7.2 USS Macon: Respects Paid 2006 Part 2
8. Hollywood and the Airship *
9. Lessons applied: DARPA Proposal
* indicates a short video is embedded in the page
O.K., after all that, you have read enough of the history, and perhaps even the novel that was inspired by the history. Perhaps you are ready to envision a slight additional / revision to the history, just for fun. So, let’s design our movie flying carrier airship:
10.1 USS Long Island Theory & Design, Part One
10.2 USS Long Island Theory & Design Part Two
10.3 USS Long Island Theory & Design Part Three
10.4 USS Long Island Theory & Design Part Four
If you are still scrolling down on this list, you certainly want to see the movie happen. Link me to how to help make it happen.
or….