Airship R.101
‘It is indeed a superb manifestation of applied science and engineering skill. She is a great strong thing.’
British Secretary of State for Air, Lord Christopher Thomson addressing the Imperial Press Conference, June 1930
R101 was created in an era when lighter-than-air travel was still being considered as an alternative to long-distance passenger ship voyages.
At the time passenger planes were not considered a viable means of international travel as range was too limited - instead, massive airships like R101 were constructed to bridge the gap.
R101 was built alongside R100 although the two were not sisters - R100 was built by private subsidiary of Vickers while R101’s design and construction would be headed by the British Air Ministry. Unfortunately, design flaws and a rushed development saw R101’s first flight cut short by a catastrophic failure which caused her to crash in France with the loss of nearly all her crew.
R101 would have provided passengers with a comfortable alternative to passenger ship travel, with lounges and a spectacular viewing gallery from which to observe the landscape and clouds passing by beneath.
In GRAND VOYAGE, players will be able to explore almost the entire interior of the airship including crew and passenger spaces.
Learn More
In 2022 Oceanliner Designs released ‘Incredible Negligence: the R101 Disaster’, a documentary outlining the story of R101’s construction and final flight.
‘R.101’
In GRAND VOYAGE, players will be able to explore the R.101’s interiors, including the Control Cab, Engine Cars, Crew Smoking Room, Galley and passenger spaces like the Dining Saloon and Lounge. Because of the limited nature of the airship’s interior, it is intended that virtually all of the crew and passenger spaces will be recreated for the player.
Players will also be able to explore passenger accommodation spaces and areas of the airship’s structural gangways.
