Duncan Black
I would like to acknowledge the invaluable help of Duncan Black (aka Manica) on the Great War Forum in providing information on the crew of NS11. His help has enabled me to now show information on ever member of the crew. Duncan sadly died on Boxing Day – without doubt his passing will be a great loss to the RNAS-studies community. Given his generosity with information gathered over many years this site, and many other research projects, have benefited enormously. His collection of information on RNAS men is held at the Fleet Air Arm Museum. Image from South Cadbury Environs Project...
Read More24 Hour Museum – Website of the Week
The year ends with the honour of being awarded Website of the Week by the 24 Hour Museum – the UK’s official National Virtual Museum. This would not have been possible without the tremendous amount of support this site has been given. Culture 24
Read MoreLondon from an Airship
Once again eBay throws up an incredible treasure – The Sphere magazine for 6 November 1920. In it is a reproduction of a painting by Alfred Egerton Cooper showing NS11 flying above London. Not only is this a fantastic work of art; it is also the first visual record we found of NS11 having flown over the capital. The original painting is now in the Cranfield University Collection. To view the painting and find out more about the artist go to London from an Airship.
Read MoreNorfolk Chronicle story
The Norfolk Heritage Centre at the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library has provided a newspaper story on the loss of NS11 from the Norfolk Chronicle of 18 July 1919. The article provides a good deal more detail than the stories in many other newspapers as well as the home addresses of each of the crew members. As well as some of he more widely-published eye-witness accounts there are also several that seen exclusive to the Norfolk Chronicle. We would like to thank the Norfolk Heritage Centre and Peter Franzen, Editor of the Eastern Daily Press and Archant Norfolk for giving us permission...
Read MoreNew timelines section
A new section goes live on the site that graphically explores the timelines of NS11; her crews; and the North Sea Class airships as a whole. As I hope you will agree, charts such as these are capable of revealing much more than the written word alone – they put the people, technology and events into sharp context. Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions for more charts.
Read MoreSupport grows
Month by month, as this project grows, more people become part of the community that supports it. Site supporter Craig passed on the contact details of naval airship expert Brian Turpin. Brian replied to my e-mail with not only an incredible amount of valuable and fascinating information but also an enthusiasm and generosity that makes this project so worthwhile. Not only has Brian given me details of Charles Lewry’s time on Coastal Class airship C14, but also detailed flight records of NS11 and extracts from his forthcoming book that include incredible accounts from Captain P E Maitland AFC...
Read MoreNew image of NS11
After vigorous bidding I lost out on a postcard of NS11 on eBay. The winning bidders, Valerie and Geoff Dear (who are collectors of anything to do with RAF College Cranwell) have generously provided a image for this site. The title of the postcard is “N.S.11 off for a cruise, Cranwell.” This image looks like it was taken the same day as the other NS11 postcard in the gallery. Thanks again to Valerie and Geoff.
Read MoreNew feature article
With the kind permission of Alastair Lawson of the Airship Heritage Trust I have published Nick Walmsley’s excellent article from the Trust’s Dirigible magazine on the loss of NS11. This is the first entry in the Special Features section which I hope will grow over time. If you have any ideas for more articles for this section please let us know.
Read MoreCaptain Warneford
Today I spent a couple of hours in the Research Department at the RAF Museum in Hendon. While we still didn’t manage to find out the elusive answer to question – why Charles Lewry was awarded the AFM – we have unearthed some new material. Leafing through bound copies of Longside’s monthly journal, The Battle Bag, I came across a mention of the 101 hour record and also found a photograph of Captain W K Warneford (shown here in the centre of the front row). The photograph shows him as percussionist of the Longside Aero Orchestra. It’s fantastic to be able to at last put a face to this...
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NS11 – As Bright As Day is very much a work in progress and has been made possible by the generous and enthusiastic support of many individuals and organisations. If you have any information, records or material relating to British NS Class airships we would be very interested to hear from you – especially anyone related to members of the crew of NS11 or any airship of the class during their service with the RNAS or RAF during and beyond WWI. 
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