Editing R38-class airship (section)

===Fatal crash===

[[File:R-38-rescue.jpg|thumb|Rescuers scramble across the wreckage of British R.38/USN ZR-2, 24 August 1921.]]
Following a spell of bad weather, the airship was walked out on 23 August and, in the early morning, took off for its fourth flight,<ref name=Alt>Althof 2004, p. 4</ref> which had an intended destination of [[RNAS Pulham]] in Norfolk, where it could be moored to a mast (a facility unavailable at Howden). The mooring, however, proved impossible because of low cloud, so the airship returned to sea for the night. The next day, after a brief speed trial (during which a speed of {{convert|71.9|mph|kph|abbr=on}} was reached), a series of turning trials was started at a speed of {{convert|62.7|mph|kph|abbr=on}} and an altitude of {{convert|2500|ft|m|abbr=on}}.<ref>Higham 1961, p. 222</ref> Passing over Hull, a series of control reversals were started which the Germans would never have attempted at such a low altitude. Wann, who was in the control gondola, stated that the controls were never put beyond 15 degrees, while Bateman, from the National Physical Laboratory who was recording pressures upon the vertical fins, stated clearly that the rudders were being driven rapidly from hard over to hard over which would have been 25 degrees from one side to 25 degrees to the other.<ref>Douglas H. Robinson, and Charles L. Keller. "''Up Ship!": U.S. Navy Rigid Airships 1919–1935.'' Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1982, p. 45</ref> At 17:37, while close offshore near [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] and watched by thousands of spectators, the structure failed amidships. Eyewitnesses reported seeing creases diagonally along the hull towards the stern. Both ends drooped. The R.38 then cracked open with men and objects dropping from the rupture.<ref>Jamison 1994, p. 101.</ref> The two sections separated with the forward section catching fire followed by two colossal explosions.<ref>Jamison 1994, p. 102.</ref> The two explosions broke windows over a large area with the flaming fore section falling rapidly followed by the aft section descending slowly.<ref>Jamison 1994, p. 104.</ref> The remains fell into the shallow waters of the [[Humber|Humber Estuary]]. 16 of the 17 Americans, and 28 of the 32 Britons, in the crew were killed, including both Maitland and Pritchard.<ref>[https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-72000/NH-72412.html US Navy photograph of plaque showing US losses]</ref><ref>[https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-72000/NH-72413.html US Navy photograph of plaque showing British losses]</ref> The only American to survive was Rigger Norman Otto Walker.<ref>Douglas H. Robinson, and Charles L. Keller. "''Up Ship!": U.S. Navy Rigid Airships 1919–1935.'' Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1982, p. 220, note 36</ref> Four of those who survived were in the tail section, Flight Lieutenant Archibald Herbert Wann, R.38's British Commanding Officer, was in the control gondola and survived.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030193/1921-08-25/ed-1/seq-2/|title=The Evening World. [volume] (New York) 1887–1931, August 25, 1921, Wall Street Final Edition, Image 2|last=Humanities|first=National Endowment for the|date=25 August 1921|access-date=9 November 2019|pages=2|issn=1941-0654}}</ref><ref name=aht/>

A memorial was erected at Hull,<ref name=aht/> and in 2021, a centenary memorial service was held at [[Hull Minster]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Service marking 100 years since Humber airship disaster to be held in Hull Minster |url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/service-marking-100-years-humber-5799672 |website=Hull Daily Mail|date=17 August 2021 |accessdate=18 August 2021}}</ref>