Masters of the Skies

"Airships must be powerful masters of the skies as the ultimate symbols of freedom and defiance, roaming the clouds without hindrance and restraint".
-- Nick Ottens

view from French dirigible (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Nick Ottens has posted a splendid article at The Gatehouse on the ups-and-downs (Haw Haw) of airships in wartime. The main vulnerability was the flammable hydrogen gas used for lift. Also, the effectiveness of airships as bombers was hindered by altitude, wind and cloud cover. All problems easily solvable in a world of Science gone Mad!
Firstly the development of non-flammable lifting gas or alternate means of neutral buoyancy. Cavorite comes to mind. With a strong enough lifting force armor becomes possible. Clockwork ailerons could make bombs into self-correcting air torpedoes while dastardly spies guide the attack with wireless telegraphy.

Related articles

• The Heyday of Rigid Airships
• A new age of airships
• Steampunk Hands Around The World - Join in!
• Mad scientists, airships and class: the politics of Steampunk by Rjurik Davidson
• The Rise Of The Blimp

The Hits Just Keep Coming...

Another interesting announcement from Osprey. (Previous interesting announcement here.) They're gearing up "Osprey Adventures" for March, 2013. Along with classic Myths and Legends there will be Urban Myths and Legends in the style of Zombies: A Hunter's Guide , beginning with The Nazi Occult by Ken Hite. I've been a fan of Ken Hite, Master of Secret History, or Secret Master of History, fnord, since Suppressed Transmission (Steve Jackson Games) and I'm always glad to see his eldritch brand of lunacy in print. Can't wait for The Nazi Occult? More Ken Hite madness here.

Atlas Obscura: Kinetic Steam Works

Atlas Obscura is a great place for inspiration and story hooks. Here's an article on Kinetic Steam Works , a Bay Area collective dedicated to restoring steam-powered kinetic art.