Photo Gallery: USS Macon, The Navy’s Last Flying Aircraft Carrier

August 19, 2015 1:34 PM - Updated: August 20, 2015 7:31 AM

In the 1920s and 1930s, the Navy experimented with lighter-than-air craft in its fleet. In addition to work with blimps, it built and commissioned two dirigibles – with USS designation – to serve as flying aircraft carriers.

These rigid airships, which could stay in the air for about a week, would launch up to five Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk biplanes from a “trapeze” that would come down, and the planes would land again by hooking into loops in the trapeze.

The two airships, USS Akron (ZRS-4) and USS Macon (ZRS-5), were commissioned into the fleet to serve as early intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance motherships. Sailors lived aboard the airship, complete with a galley and other amenities, and the biplanes would go out on scouting missions as needed.

Though they solved a valid requirement, LTA aircraft proved difficult to handle, and four of five dirigibles the Navy built crashed. Only one – the German-built USS Los Angeles, given to the United States as part of the World War I reparations – survived, but the Navy dismantled it in 1939.

Naval History and Heritage Command, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and several other non-profits conducted an exploration of the wreckage on Tuesday.

The following are a collection of images from the National Archives and the U.S. Naval Institute’s photo collection of USS Macon.

USS Macon (ZRS-5) preparing to land.
USS Macon (ZRS-5) preparing to land.
USS Macon (ZRS-5).
USS Macon (ZRS-5).
USS Macon (ZRS-5).
USS Macon (ZRS-5).
Curtiss F9C-2 Sparrowhawk hangs from USS Macon (ZRS-5).
Curtiss F9C-2 Sparrowhawk hangs from USS Macon (ZRS-5).
USS Macon (ZRS-5) in 1933 or 1934.
USS Macon (ZRS-5) in 1933 or 1934.
USS Macon (ZRS-5) over New York City in 1933 or 1934.
USS Macon (ZRS-5) over New York City in 1933 or 1934.
USS Macon (ZRS-5) over San Diego Harbor on Feb. 9, 1934.
USS Macon (ZRS-5) over San Diego Harbor on Feb. 9, 1934.
USS Macon (ZRS-5) over San Diego Harbor on Feb. 9, 1934.
USS Macon (ZRS-5) over San Diego Harbor on Feb. 9, 1934.
A Curtiss F9C-2 Sparrowhawk recovery on USS Macon (ZRS-5) in 1934.
A Curtiss F9C-2 Sparrowhawk recovery on USS Macon (ZRS-5) in 1934.
Curtiss F9C-2 Sparrowhawk attached to USS Macon (ZRS-5) in 1934.
Curtiss F9C-2 Sparrowhawk attached to USS Macon (ZRS-5) in 1934.
Two Curtiss F9C-2 Sparrowhawks drop simultaneously from USS Macon (ZRS-5) over Sunnyvale, Calif. in 1934.
Two Curtiss F9C-2 Sparrowhawks drop simultaneously from USS Macon (ZRS-5) over Sunnyvale, Calif. in 1934.
Two Curtiss F9C-2 Sparrowhawks, with landing gear removed, under USS Macon (ZRS-5) in 1934.
Two Curtiss F9C-2 Sparrowhawks, with landing gear removed, under USS Macon (ZRS-5) in 1934.
Megan Eckstein

Megan Eckstein

Megan Eckstein is the former deputy editor for USNI News.

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