List of Forlanini airships


This is a complete list of Forlanini airships designed and built by the Italian pioneer Enrico Forlanini from 1900 to 1931. These, like the German Groß-Basenach semi-rigid airships, were the first to have the gondola attached to the envelope, to reduce air resistance.

F.1 ''Leonardo da Vinci''

  • Designed: 1900-1901
  • Maiden flight: 2 July 1909
  • Flights: 38, total distance 850 km.
  • Longest duration: 90 minutes
  • Length: 40 metres
  • Volume: 3,265 cubic metres
  • Propulsion: One Antoinette engine of 40 HP
  • Maximum speed: 52 km/h
Construction started in 1900 collaboration with Cesare del Fabbro. Its first flight in 1909 was one year after the first Italian semi-rigid flight by Gaetano Arturo Crocco. Like all the Forlanini airships, except the Omnia Dir, the empennage comprised groups of multiple planes at the poop and at the tail.

F.2 ''Città di Milano''

  • Maiden flight: 17 August 1913
  • Flights: 43
  • Length: 72 metres
  • Volume: 12,000 cubic metres
  • Gas cells: 12
  • Propulsion: Two Isotta Fraschini engines of 80 HP each
  • Maximum speed: 70 km/h
  • Flight ceiling: 2400 metres
  • Useful payload: 5 tonne
  • Owner: Royal Italian Army
  • Fate: 9 April 1914 emergency landing during storm, then damaged by trees and terrain while moored. While attempting to deflate gas cells, caught fire and destroyed.
F.2's gondola was divided in three compartments: the command cabin, passenger cabin, and machine room. For safety all the material was treated with a fire suppressant and the envelope was double-skinned.

F.3 Città di Milano II

F.4

F.5

F.6

''Omnia Dir''