Examining the development of the airship, this detailed history ranges from the pre-World War I dirigibles up to date. Covering the airship in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and the U.S., author John Richards has delved into every aspect. The book ranges from the first fully controlled powered flight and the flight around the Eiffel Tower, the failed attempts to cross the Atlantic and the first London-Paris flight, to the many uses of the airship in times of war, including anti-submarine campaigns, convoy escorts and patrols. Between the wars Arctic expeditions were undertaken and events included a successful Atlantic crossing, Graf Zeppelin?s 21-day round-the-world flight, a service to South America and the launch of the Hindenburg. World War II and a discussion of the airship?s functions in the more modern world round off a fascinating and definitive guide to the airship.