The R101 Shed.

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At Cardington, just outside Bedford are two huge sheds constructed to manufacture and hanger Britains two Airships R100 and R101. Shed 2, (photograph to the right) housed R101 and at the time had the biggest doors in the world.

 

R101 was one of a pair of British rigid airships completed in 1929 as part of a British government programme to develop civil airships capable of service on long-distance routes within the British Empire. When built it was the world's largest flying craft at 731 ft (223 m) in length, and it was not surpassed by another hydrogen-filled rigid airship until the Hindenburg flew seven years later.

 

After some trial flights, it crashed on 5 October 1930 in France during its maiden overseas voyage, killing 48 of the 54 people on board. Among the deceased passengers were Lord Thomson, the Air Minister who had initiated the programme.