The main components of the RS-1 were assembled at the Goodyear hangar at Wingfoot Lake in Suffield, Ohio in 1924. The airship was designed by Goodyear engineer and inventor, Herman Theodore Kraft. Components for the dirigible were shipped to Scott Field, Illinois for assembly.^[1] The first flight was delayed due to an error made by a rigger during erection and eventually took place on 8 January 1926, lasting just over an hour with a crew of eight men. The dirigible was 282 feet (85.9 m) long and had a gas volume of 720,000 cu ft (20,388,130 L) and was initially powered by four 300 horsepower, 12 cylinder Liberty engines. In 1927, the Liberty engines were replaced with lighter 500 horsepower, 2A-1500 Packard engines. ^[1] A 35 ft (10.7 m) enclosed control car was suspended from the keel at the nose. The control car included sleeping accommodations, a radio compartment and a small galley. Equipment included a bombing cockpit and the ability to carry 3,500 lb (1,588 kg) of bombs, as well as machine gun mounts on each side at the forward end of the car. The airship was grounded in November, 1928 after an inspection revealed deterioration of the envelope. Due to poor economic conditions of the Great Depression, a replacement envelope was never ordered and the RS-1 never flew again. The airship remained in its hangar at Scott Field until it was deflated and scrapped sometime in 1930.^[1]

  United States

• United States Army Air Service

Data from ^[1]Flight 25 March 1926

General characteristics

• Length: 282 ft 0 in (85.95 m)
• Diameter: 70 ft 6 in (21.49 m)
• Volume: 720,000 cu ft (20,000 m³)
• Powerplant: 4 × Liberty L-12 , 400 hp (300 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 75 mph (121 km/h, 65 kn)
• Cruise speed: 45 mph (72 km/h, 39 kn)

• Roma (airship)
• United States Army airships
• Zeppelin NT, a trio of which are American-based (2010s)