The pioneering Brits who are heralding the dawn,

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Penguin

Vendor, no problem, den jävla Pingvinen är här nu!


I think they do look like some sexy ships, but I am very sceptic that this enterprise will be a success.
The Germans tried it 10 years ago with the Cargolifter, a ship that should be used mainly for the transport of freight (who would have guessed by the name?) They filed for bankrupcy 2,3 years after their foundation and their construction plans were bought by the Zeppelin company.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CargoLifter
We still have Zeppelin manufacture airships, but they sold the huge amount of 4 zeppelins in the past 14 years...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeppelin_NT

The main reasons why the Cargolifter project failed, are still existent today: the ships are extremly vunurable to weather conditions, the payload is small and the speed is relative slow. The only thing that changed over the past years is a skyrocketing of energy/raw material prices, so that would be the only niche were I would see a use for them: the exploration of inaccessible areas in the search for raw materials.

I love those big-ass airships however and would love them to have a renaissance, so good luck for the next effort to bring them back!

I'm glad for it, thanks, but you are not a "damn" Penguin and will never become one!