100 Years Ago: April 7-13

From The Indianapolis Star, Tuesday, April 10, 1923: The U. S. Army dirigible TC-1, the largest non-rigid American airship, cruised majestically at 500 feet over Indianapolis shortly after noon yesterday, circling above the Monument before departing for St. Louis, leaving in its wake craning necks and mounting waves of excitement. The massive aircraft was greeted by a large crowd when it arrived at Ft. Benjamin Harrison’s Schoen Field at 9:15 in the morning to take on fuel for its mighty twin motors six hours into its maiden flight from Akron, Ohio. The huge gas bag is filled with 200,000 cubic feet of hydrogen gas, its cotton fabric coated with aluminum paint glistening in the sun’s rays. The airship measures 195 feet from nose to tapering tail with two pontoons suspended beneath for the crew. Two motors are mounted on outriggers.