The TC-3 and the TC-7 were the two US Army Corps non-rigid blimps used for parasite fighter trials conducted in 1923–24. A single Sperry Messenger biplane was equipped with a skyhook to engage the temporary trapeze mounted to the control carriage of the blimp itself. The first successful docking was achieved on December 15, 1924.[1] Despite the completely successful results of the program, the Army chose not to develop the concept further.[2][3] It was the Navy which began the better-known project in 1925 using rigid airships, the USS Los Angeles (ZR-3), the USS Macon (ZRS-5) and the USS Akron (ZRS-4).
References
- ^ http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?object=nasm_A19580040000
- ^ "The West Point Of The Air"" Popular Mechanics, June 1930, TC class pages 941, 943 (bottom), 944
- ^ "Wild Night In The T-C-10", September 1931, Popular Mechanics article/photos on the TC-10, of the same class as the TC-3