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The British NS (North Sea) class non-rigid airships were the largest and last in a succession of "blimps" that served with the Royal Naval Air Service during World War I; developed from experiences gained with earlier classes to operate off the east coast of Britain on long-range patrols.〔(''North Sea Three'' ) Turpin, Brian J. Retrieved on 30 March 2009.〕 Despite early problems, examples of the class went on to break all flying records for non-rigid airships,〔Whale (2008), p.69.〕 and the type became regarded as the most efficient of its kind.〔(North Sea class airships. ) The Airship Heritage Trust. Retrieved on 30 March 2009.〕 ==Design== The NS class airship was developed in response to the increasing requirement of the RNAS to carry out long-range anti-submarine patrols and convoy escort duties off the west coast of Great Britain, though its name came from the fact that the type was intended to work in collaboration with the Grand Fleet which mainly operated in the North Sea east of the British Isles.〔 In 1916, Britain's rigid airship programme was unable to provide an effective airship; the NS class was developed as a substitute using experiences gained with the Coastal and improved C * classes to create a larger and more weather-worthy long-endurance non-rigid vessel.〔Whale (2008), p.66.〕〔(British Airship Design. ) Charles Vivian, E., ''A History of Aeronautics'' pt.3, ch.V. Retrieved on 30 March 2009.〕 The main requirements for the new design were:〔Whale (2008), p.67.〕 *Capability to carry out flights of considerable duration (24 hours with a speed of ). *Great reliability. *The necessary lift to carry an ample supply of fuel. *Adequate arrangements to accommodate a double crew in comfort. Approval was given in January 1916 for the construction of six NS class airships; designed and built at RNAS Kingsnorth on the Hoo Peninsula, not far from the Chatham Dockyard in Kent.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「NS class airship」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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