Strasser class, TL-5 Rigid Airship

A pair of Strasser class airships on early morning patrol

The Strasser is representative of the airships once used in war on Terra. They initially had several advantages over aircraft of the period: Their range, payload capacity and most importantly they were able to operate at altitudes that keep them safe from ground fire and enemy aircraft. However with time aircraft were designed that were able to reach to higher altitudes faster allowing them to exploit the airships' biggest weakness, the inflammable hydrogen use to lift the airships.

A Cargo version useful in remote operations such as mining and transport of lightweight, high value cargo and medical equipment is available at no extra cost. Bomb bays are replaced with same-size cargo bays with electric cargo doors. Additional drop-down jump seats come stock/standard with the cargo bays to allow transportation of personnel if required, but only at the weight for weight expense of less cargo.

Dimensions: 165m length, 19.1m diameter
Tech Level: 5
Overall Volume: 44,050m3
Overall Mass/Useful Lift: 49,720/25,000kg
Engines: 4 x 9.56KN TL-5 Propeller+
Max Speed: 96kph
Fuel Capacity: 13,078kg/14.531m3 of Hydrocarbons distillates
Endurance: 53.3hours, 246kg/hour
Accommodations: Life support (Basic II), 11 Crew members (pilot, copilot, navigator, bombardier (or loadmaster in cargo version; may not be required if double-skilling another crewman, which frees that much weight for an extra passenger or freight), 4 gunners, 2 flight engineers, radio operator)
Cruise Speed: 72kph
Electronics: TL-5 50km Radio, TL-5 Avionics (Gyrocompass, barometric altimeter)
Weapons: 4 Machineguns (Medium-5 from "Central Supply Catalog" with 6 reloads each) and Bomb payload of 3,000kg if Bomber version is purchased
Cargo: Bomber version=none. Cargo Version=3,000kg.
Cost: 2.85MCr
Operator Skill: Airship
Ease of Use: +2
Quality: 5
Reliability: +1
Hazard: 0
Comments: If Helium is used instead of Hydrogen the Useful Lift is reduced from 25,000kg to 21,464kg, Bomb or Cargo payload is reduced from 3,000kg to 2,500kg and fuel usage goes from 246kg/hour to 211kg/hour.

The class is named after Peter Strasser who commanded the German navy's airship program during the First World War. In August 1918 Strasser was killed along with the crew of L-70 in what would be the last raid against England of the war.

Designed with the Playtest version of Fire, Fusion & Steel for Marc Miller's Traveller

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by Chris Cox A.K.A. chriscox@ix.netcom.com
Copyright© 1996, 1997 by Lawrence C. Cox

®1997. Traveller is a registered trademark of
FarFuture Enterprises. All rights reserved.

Minor addition of optional Cargo version by Stewart Wochen, 1999, with permission by Chris Cox.