Goodyear Type FD

The lack of military contracts caused Goodyear to look at the possibility of building commercial airships, and this led to a series of designs which were to become world famous. The first of these was the Type FD "Wingfoot Express", of 95,000 cu ft, which first flew in June, 1919. Just over 160 feet long and capable of carrying five people, it was powered by two Gnome Le Rhone rotary engines which were suspended from the envelope above and behind the car. Although short lived, it was soon to be followed by three much smaller craft of 35,500 cu ft which were known as "Pony Blimps".