Themes

Armed Forces

Submarine Scout Zero Class Airship, RNAS Mullion, about 1918

Number	HESFM:1996.6738
Place	RNAS Mullion Cornwall United Kingdom
Date	1918. about
Keywords	War and Conflict World War One RNAS Mullion Bonython Armed Forces Royal Navy
Photographer	Unknown
Copyright	© Helston Museum

The World War One Submarine Scout Zero Class airship, SSZ42, at the start of a flight at RNAS Mullion, about 1918. A large number of ground crew can be seen standing underneath the airship. The main role of this class of airship was to escort convoys and search for German U-Boats. The SSZ airships had a crew of 3 including a pilot, engineer and a wireless operator who manned the machine gun. The airships could not be taxied and required teams of ground handling crew to walk them around using rods connecting the airship with the ground. RNAS Mullion was one of the Royal Navy's principal airship stations in the southwest. The foundations for two large hangars and the bases for wind-breaks can still be seen today.