AERONAUTICS: American Zeppelins

In Akron, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. announced its purchase of all patents and rights to manu-facture Zeppelin dirigibles, including their engines, machinery and auxiliaries. The purchase price was not stated.

The reason for the willingness of the Zeppelin interests to sell out arises from the fact that under the Treaty of Versailles the vast hangars and shops at Friedrichshafen must be razed as soon as the Navy ZR3 is completed. The reason for Goodyear’s acquisition of the patents is to be found partly in the unprofitable character of the tire business at present, and partly because the American Company, as the nation’s largest manufacturer of mechanical rubber goods, can undertake this branch of manufacturing on a large scale with existing equipment.

Twenty-five years ago the famous Count Zeppelin built his first rigid dirigible at Friedrichshafen on the Bodensee, and in spite of many disasters and failures carried on the development of this type of aircraft with indomitable courage. With the purchase of the patents, the Goodyear Co. is also taking over the skilled Zeppelin personnel of designers and constructors.