The Flight of the Silver Ship Around the World Aboard a Giant Dirgible: A Journey of transition and transition in the World of Dirigibles

Air Adventures #2

by Hugh McAlister

1930. David Ellison, with little money but lots of ambition; Wally Cram, who has plenty of money; and Red Ryan, a young Irish mechanic are bound for a school for apprentices for lighter-than-air craft. Three years later, David and Red are putting the finishing touches on the flight of the Silver Ship, a giant dirigible nearing completion in its hanger. Wally appears. He has heard the Silver Ship needs more backing. He puts enough capital into the venture to assure himself a place on her round-the-world flight. He will now be a dazzling figure in the public eye. When the majestic ship leaves her hanger, David is a pilot and Red a mechanic aboard her. When she returns in nineteen days, she holds the record for a world flight. Wally is a very humble rich man, David a victorious pilot and inventor, and Red Ryan the friend that sticketh tighter than a brother. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.

162 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1930

Reviews

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this in a used bookstore for $2 and had to get it -- gorgeous art deco cover (nothing to do with the story!) and I love zeppelins. The story--written in 1930--is, basically, strapping young lad makes good as airship pilot with the help of his trusty red-haired Irish mechanic friend and sweet common-sensical gal pal, no thanks to the nasty rich kid who ends up with no friends because he's a snotty thief. And our hero pilots a brand new airship around the world, with stops in interwar Berlin and Tokyo! And yet, I found it hard to finish. There was a great deal of being feted by the locals and not much plot. And when there is a bit of plot involving stolen blueprints for a new invention, our stalwart hero gets the bad guy to confess by threatening to hurl him to his death, which had the advantage of not taking too much time but was certainly not the way, say, Tom Swift or the Hardy Boys would have handled things.

[Milley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointingly bland. I had hoped for some 1930s sci fi adventure but this was more a fantasy for the masses of two poor boys making their fame and fortune

[Eden Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

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The Flight of the Silver Ship: Around The World Aboard a Giant Dirigible was written in 1930 by Hugh McAlister, the pen name used by sisters Alice Alison Lide and Margaret Alison Johansen. As classic adventures go, I was not surprised it had a woman's touch - which is to say it is more than just action, it's filled with well rounded characters and intrigue.

David Ellison graduates apprenticeship at the largest airplane factory in the world, where the goal is building the latest in aviation - Dirigibles. Twelve stories high midship and boasting a gondola with control room, radio room, and staterooms for twelve, the ship is named Moonbeam. A year ago David and his buddy Red, chief mechanic, watched the Graf Zeppelin mark her flight around the world - they are sure with David as pilot they will beat that record. Along for the ride is the millionaire owner Hammond, scientists, reporters, doctors and a great king of Wall Street - a crowd of 20,000 spectators let out a mighty roar - a sea of upturned faces watched as Moonbeam rose slowly, her mighty engines drowning out the noise of the crowd. They soon find Hammond's daughter Dulcie has stowed away - she also wants to prove her skills. The route is from Ohio to Lakehurst, from Friedrichshafen across Siberia to Tokyo, across the Pacific and across America at the great altitude of 1000ft. In Germany they are treated to banquets and awards, they wave to farmers in snowy Russia, with the longest visit a gala welcome in Japan where they tour the city and befriend the family of the Emperor himself. Drama erupts when the captain has an attack in an oncoming lightning storm, allowing David to earn merit with new flying techniques and an engine invention to increase speed up to a whopping 100mph. Although a ground crew of up to 500 is needed to launch or dock the giant craft, it's clear the future of aviation belongs to these massive airships.

This was a surprisingly solid adventure, timeless and never pandered to the younger reader. The large cast of characters were well balanced with no juvenile histrionics. David and Red have a strong friendship based on mutual respect, and Dulcie is a modern woman ready for excitement, they get on well. They might even beat the time record of the Zeppelin.