In the USSR, airships were used and developed. In the early 1920s, the first Soviet passenger airship was created.
On December 7, 1931, by order of the head of the All-Union Association of Civil Air Fleet, the Dirigiblestroy plant was created.
Airship Disasters
The flight on the airship “Italia” ended in disaster: on May 25, 1928, in difficult weather conditions, the airship became covered in ice, began to descend sharply and fell onto the ice – seven people died.
Thus, the new “USSR B-10”, which was lifted into the air from its parking lot on August 6, 1938, also suffered a catastrophe: due to hydrogen overheating, the envelope burst, and seven aeronauts, led by commander Yevgeny Oppman, died.
However, airships continued to be used for some practical, scientific and commercial purposes. During World War II, the USSR used airships for observation and defense against air attacks. Scientific research was also conducted in the fields of meteorology and geodesy, where airships were used for aerological measurements and aerial photography.
The Soviet Union also collaborated with other countries in the development and use of airships. For example, the Soviet airship Kolos was created together with Germany in 1985 and was used in the merchant navy.
Despite this, airships in the USSR never became a popular means of commercial and passenger aviation, and the development of this industry was limited. And the development was mainly around the 30s of the 20th century.