1929 promotional publication. *** Includes 11 charts and tables, 1 small b/w map, 2 b/w illustrations, 25 b/w photos, many showing manufacturing stages. Glossy throughout. Historical text by Carl B. Fritsche. *** The ZMC-2 (Zeppelin Metal Clad) was the world's first and only metalclad airship, constructed for the US Navy between 1927 and 1929 by the Detroit Aircraft Corporation and in service until 1941. *** The ZMC-2 (Zeppelin Metal Clad) was the world's first and only metalclad airship, constructed for the US Navy between 1927 and 1929 by the Detroit Aircraft Corporation and in service until 1941. Operated with a zero internal pressure at speeds up to 20 mph, sufficient for it to be considered a 'rigid' airship
The ZMC-2 sub-scale test vehicle (Zeppelin Metal Clad 200,000 cubic foot capacity)[1] was the only successfully operated metal-skinned airship ever built. Constructed at Naval Air Station Grosse Ile by The Aircraft Development Corporation of Detroit, the ZMC-2 was operated by the U.S. Navy at Lakehurst, New Jersey from 1929 until its scrapping in 1941. While at Lakehurst it completed 752 flights, and logged 2265 hours of flight time.