Airship SSP 4
The SSP Airships
The SSP ( Submarine Scout Pusher) airship was developed in early 1917 following the success of the Maurice Farman type using a re designed car with a rear mounted 75hp Rolls Royce engine giving a top speed of 52 mph. These engines were later changed for 100hp Green engines. The Car was rectangular, 25 foot long with a rounded nose and took a crew of three and on the bottom was a single landing skid. The 143.5 foot long envelope of the airship had a capacity of 70,000 cubic feet. Only six SSP airships were ever built.
Airship SSP 4
At 17.00 on the 21st December 1917 the airship SSP 4 left Caldale for anti submarine patrol of the north of the Orkney Isles. The night had a full moon and weather reported as ''favourable'' and it was hoped the airship may catch a U boat by surprise on the surface. The crew for this flight were:
Pilot Ft Commander William Frith Horner
Engineer A.M (E) Ernest Frank Anthony. DSM
W/T A.M 2 (w/t) Rowland Charles Behn
By 17.45 the wind and increased with snow showers and at 17.50 SSP 4 reported that she would be returning to base due to heavy snow. At Caldale the base and hanger lights were turned on to await the airships return.
At 18.10 a message was received from SSP 4 requesting information on wind strength and direction which was then given as ''wind WSW, 15 to 20 knots''.
At 18.20 a message from SSP 4 asking for a destroyer to be sent to 72K and use searchlight.
18.50 and another request from SSP 4 for weather conditions at base. SSP 4 was told that destroyer had been sent to the position 72K grid square on chart and was asked if they were having difficulties.
SSP 4 then started having communication problems with base and not receiving messages with Caldale although Caldale could hear SSP 4 loud and clear. SSP 4 started communicating through Peterhead.
19.25 message sent saying SSP 4 '' Making no headway, ask Destroyers to search east of Orkney'' It seems now SSP 4 was lost and needing to get a position fix. Both Copinsay and Auskerry lighthouses were lit and destroyers and patrol boats sent out.
SSP 4 the asked Peterhead for a radio fix bearing, ''Bearing from Peterhead 355, no fix obtained''
The lights and flares at Caldale were then put out as it was thought the airship would not arrive back for some hours.
At 21.10 a message was intercepted from SSP 4 to HMS Campania '' Dispatch destroyer at full speed with searchlight to bearing 355 from Peterhead''
22.00 Admiral Commanding Orkney and Shetland (A C O & S) sent the following message, ''Priority, Make following message to SSP 4, can you see any searchlights or shore lights''
At this time Caldale had restored full communication with SSP 4 and the wireless operator said the airship could be no more than 20 miles away from the base.
22.10 Message from SSP 4 ''Send destroyer to Sanday, may not be able to get back''
A message was sent to SSP 4 saying Old Head w/t station was looking for bearing but this message was not acknowledged, in fact SSP 4 never acknowledged any further messages but did continue to transmit messages requesting wind speed and direction information.
22.33, a message was received at Caldale from A C O & S to be passed to SSP 4. ''Priority, you passed over Mull Head Papa Westray at 22.00'' , with this news the lights at the base were lit again.
23.15 yet another message to Caldale from A C O & S to be sent to SSP 4 ''Priority, you were over Skea Skerries at 22.45, ships in Flow are burning searchlights''
Nothing more was heard from the airship and at 01.00 the lights at Caldale were turned off as the airship was known only to have enough fuel to last until midnight.
Next morning the wreck of SSP 4 was found at Tafts on the south shore of Westray but there was no sign of the crew. The confidential papers, charts, a boot, leather jacket and a glove were found still on board. The airship was salvaged and returned to Caldale where a court of enquiry found that the switch was still in the contact position and the throttle still set at full forward and the propeller was very badly damaged so it is thought the SSP 4 hit the water while the engine was still running. The crew may have abandoned the ship thinking it would sink. The crew were never found.
© Aviation Research Group Orkney & Shetland.
Pilot Ft Commander William Frith Horner
Engineer A.M (E) Ernest Frank Anthony. DSM
W/T A.M 2 (w/t) Rowland Charles Behn
By 17.45 the wind and increased with snow showers and at 17.50 SSP 4 reported that she would be returning to base due to heavy snow. At Caldale the base and hanger lights were turned on to await the airships return.
At 18.10 a message was received from SSP 4 requesting information on wind strength and direction which was then given as ''wind WSW, 15 to 20 knots''.
At 18.20 a message from SSP 4 asking for a destroyer to be sent to 72K and use searchlight.
18.50 and another request from SSP 4 for weather conditions at base. SSP 4 was told that destroyer had been sent to the position 72K grid square on chart and was asked if they were having difficulties.
SSP 4 then started having communication problems with base and not receiving messages with Caldale although Caldale could hear SSP 4 loud and clear. SSP 4 started communicating through Peterhead.
19.25 message sent saying SSP 4 '' Making no headway, ask Destroyers to search east of Orkney'' It seems now SSP 4 was lost and needing to get a position fix. Both Copinsay and Auskerry lighthouses were lit and destroyers and patrol boats sent out.
SSP 4 the asked Peterhead for a radio fix bearing, ''Bearing from Peterhead 355, no fix obtained''
The lights and flares at Caldale were then put out as it was thought the airship would not arrive back for some hours.
At 21.10 a message was intercepted from SSP 4 to HMS Campania '' Dispatch destroyer at full speed with searchlight to bearing 355 from Peterhead''
22.00 Admiral Commanding Orkney and Shetland (A C O & S) sent the following message, ''Priority, Make following message to SSP 4, can you see any searchlights or shore lights''
At this time Caldale had restored full communication with SSP 4 and the wireless operator said the airship could be no more than 20 miles away from the base.
22.10 Message from SSP 4 ''Send destroyer to Sanday, may not be able to get back''
A message was sent to SSP 4 saying Old Head w/t station was looking for bearing but this message was not acknowledged, in fact SSP 4 never acknowledged any further messages but did continue to transmit messages requesting wind speed and direction information.
22.33, a message was received at Caldale from A C O & S to be passed to SSP 4. ''Priority, you passed over Mull Head Papa Westray at 22.00'' , with this news the lights at the base were lit again.
23.15 yet another message to Caldale from A C O & S to be sent to SSP 4 ''Priority, you were over Skea Skerries at 22.45, ships in Flow are burning searchlights''
Nothing more was heard from the airship and at 01.00 the lights at Caldale were turned off as the airship was known only to have enough fuel to last until midnight.
Next morning the wreck of SSP 4 was found at Tafts on the south shore of Westray but there was no sign of the crew. The confidential papers, charts, a boot, leather jacket and a glove were found still on board. The airship was salvaged and returned to Caldale where a court of enquiry found that the switch was still in the contact position and the throttle still set at full forward and the propeller was very badly damaged so it is thought the SSP 4 hit the water while the engine was still running. The crew may have abandoned the ship thinking it would sink. The crew were never found.
© Aviation Research Group Orkney & Shetland.
Westray Tafts Bay/ Orkney Islands - northern sheet (1915) (UKHO)
