View of the Royal Airship Works, Cardington with R.33 overhead, 16 June 1921

The Royal Airship Works, Cardington, with the Armstrong Whitworth R.33 overhead, 16 June 1921.

The R.33 was built in 1919 by Armstrong Whitworth in Barlow, North Yorkshire. It had the longest career of any British airship and was considered the luckiest. The RAF investigated the use of airships as a type of aircraft carrier, extending the range of fighter aircraft, but decided against the idea after trials using the R.33. The airship was dismantled in 1928.