9 August 1922-The Scott Field Airship OA-1 “Baby Blimp” Made its First Flight over Belleville Published Aug. 9, 2018 By Mark Wilderman 375th Air Mobility Wing History Office SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- On February 18, 1922, officials at Scott Field requested one Type OA airship be assigned for instructing personnel of their two airship companies. As a result, on the afternoon of 9 August 1922, a new shape loomed low and slow in the sky over downtown Belleville. It was the first trial flight of the new Scott Field airship, Army Air Service serial number AS-1503, also known as the OA-1 or “Baby Blimp.” The OA-1 (“OA” was the Army’s designator for Observation Airship) was built by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company near Akron, Ohio and erected at Scott Field under the supervision of Mr. A. Leo Stevens, Aeronautics Instructor at the field. The OA-1 was 95.5 feet long, approximately 28 feet in diameter, 38.5 feet high, and 29 feet wide, with an envelope of 35, 350 cubic feet of hydrogen gas. The gondola beneath held a pilot and up to two passengers. The 497-pound control car beneath was 12.1 feet long, 2.8 feet wide, and 4 feet high. The total lift (with hydrogen) was 2,390 pounds and useful lift was 893 pounds. iThe OA-1 was powered by a single Lawrance L-3 40 horsepower pusher type engine turning a single wooden two-blade propeller, propelling the Baby Blimp to full speed at 45 mph (9 hours endurance) and a range of 405 miles. At cruising speed, endurance was estimated to be ten hours and cruising range was 450 miles. The 1922 price of the OA-1 was $21,250. The airship included two spare motors ($2,750 apiece), two spare envelopes ($7,320 apiece), and two spare sets of control surfaces ($2,550 per set). The OA-1’s ceiling was 4,500 feet. The OA-1 was reported to be unstable in flight, due to its blunt shape. In its first appearance over Belleville, the Scott Field Commandant, German-born Major John A. Paegelow, flew the huge silver machine over the city down Main Street a few feet above the buildings. Needless to say, the airship attracted plenty of attention Mishap On 26 September, the OA-1 was involved in a mishap at Scott Field when the Baby Blimp broke loose from its moorings and was dashed against the top of a large hydrogen gas storage tank. Lt. Karl S. Axater, Lt Phillip Schneeberger, and a Sgt Adams were in the car of the ship when it broke loose. Lt Axater and Sgt Adams were thrown from the car and landed atop the gas storage tank. Lt Schneeberger found himself alone in the airship, which now had a damaged propeller and was ascending rapidly out-of-control. Lt Schneeberger leaped from the runaway ship in his parachute, making a safe landing after falling several hundred feet in front of a crowd of horrified onlookers. Lt Axater suffered a sprained ankle and Sgt Adams suffered bruises and slight cuts. The lightness of the now-empty OA-1 caused it to shoot up to 15,000 feet. An airplane from Scott Field, containing Lt Wells and Lt Trumbull, followed the runaway airship and circled it a number of times while it was high in the air, but made no attempt to capture the ship. The entire event was plainly visible from nearby Belleville and was watched by thousands of people. The high altitude reached by the OA-1 caused the hydrogen lifting gas to escape quickly and OA-1 came down to earth on its own, landing near Freeburg several hours after it ascended. Only the slight wind current at high altitude prevented the Baby Blimp from sailing several hundred miles. OA-1 was damaged in its fall and several days of work were required to restore the airship to airworthiness. End of the OA-1 The Baby Blimp continued its training duties at Scott Field for over a year until it was wrecked for a second time, this time on 19 October 1923 in a storm at Scott Field, piloted by 1 Lt Dache.M. Reeves. The OA-1 was soon replaced in training by OB- and TA-type airships.