USS Shenandoah

Margaret, Similar but really two different animals. Both are Lighter than Air craft but that is where the similarity ends. Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin first designed the workable "dirigible [or steerable] balloon" The long cylindrical "Air Ships" of the Graf Zeppelin, Hindenburg , Shenandoah, Los Angeles, Akron and Macon were Fabric covered Metal Frames with large Gas Bags inside to provide the lift. Since the United States cornered the market on Helium a stable non-flammable gas Germany used Hydrogen a highly flammable gas. i.e. The Hindenburg Disaster at Lakehurst. A blimp is not rigid but basically just a large gas bag. the Term "BLIMP" is said to be the sound one gets when a finger is thumped against the skin of the craft, but this story cannot be authenticated. There are some parts of a Blimp that have rigid areas, the nose where the Mooring point is, the belly where the motors and Gondola mounts and the tail where the fins are mounted but other wise its basically a big bag full of smaller bags with Helium, Air and Water for Ballast.

PO2 Rev. Frederick C. Mullis, AFI, CFM - I thank you ever so kindly for your very thorough answer. I learned a Lot from you. Have a Glorious Day!

Yes there is Lt Col Charlie Brown