Goodyear ‘M’ Class

In order to improve range, endurance, and war load still further, Goodyear designed the M-Class, the last of the wartime designs to be built. Of 625,000 cu.ft. capacity and powered by two Pratt & Whitney Wasps of 600 h.p., twenty-two were originally ordered. First flight of M-1 was on 27 October, 1943, but with the improving anti-submarine situation after 1944 only three more were completed (M-2 to 4). They were used after the war on airship research and development work and XM-2 was flown with a retractable tricycle landing gear which was used on later naval airships.

M-1
Volume: 625,000 cu ft.

GZ-5
Volume: 647,000 cu ft.
Length: 310ft.
Max Dia: 73ft.
Engines: 2 x 600 h.p. Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-2 Wasp.