How Fast Were The Navy K-Class Blimps?
When people think of blimps, two words often come to mind: bulky and
slow. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. The typical Navy K-class blimp was powered by two 425-hp Pratt
& Whitney Wasp engines. These were air-cooled radials, which turned three 8-foot long blades each.The blimps normally cruised at a sustained speed of 57.5 m.p.h., but could obtain a top-speed of around 77.5 m.p.h. Granted, when compared to other aircraft at the time, this was not considered especially fast.
It's important to remember, that these blimps could out-pace all other ships and submarines with ease. When combined with her impressive range, duration, and limited servicing needs, no other vehicle of the period could come close to fulfilling the role of anti-submarine patrol.