The Flight of the Silver Ship by Hugh McAlister

The Flight of the Silver Ship: Around The World Aboard a Giant Dirigible was written in 1930 by Hugh McAlister, the pen name used by sisters Alice Alison Lide and Margaret Alison Johansen. As classic adventures go, I was not surprised it had a woman's touch - which is to say it is more than just action, it's filled with well rounded characters and intrigue.

David Ellison graduates apprenticeship at the largest airplane factory in the world, where the goal is building the latest in aviation - Dirigibles. Twelve stories high midship and boasting a gondola with control room, radio room, and staterooms for twelve, the ship is named Moonbeam. A year ago David and his buddy Red, chief mechanic, watched the Graf Zeppelin mark her flight around the world - they are sure with David as pilot they will beat that record. Along for the ride is the millionaire owner Hammond, scientists, reporters, doctors and a great king of Wall Street - a crowd of 20,000 spectators let out a mighty roar - a sea of upturned faces watched as Moonbeam rose slowly, her mighty engines drowning out the noise of the crowd. They soon find Hammond's daughter Dulcie has stowed away - she also wants to prove her skills. The route is from Ohio to Lakehurst, from Friedrichshafen across Siberia to Tokyo, across the Pacific and across America at the great altitude of 1000ft. In Germany they are treated to banquets and awards, they wave to farmers in snowy Russia, with the longest visit a gala welcome in Japan where they tour the city and befriend the family of the Emperor himself. Drama erupts when the captain has an attack in an oncoming lightning storm, allowing David to earn merit with new flying techniques and an engine invention to increase speed up to a whopping 100mph. Although a ground crew of up to 500 is needed to launch or dock the giant craft, it's clear the future of aviation belongs to these massive airships.

This was a surprisingly solid adventure, timeless and never pandered to the younger reader. The large cast of characters were well balanced with no juvenile histrionics. David and Red have a strong friendship based on mutual respect, and Dulcie is a modern woman ready for excitement, they get on well. They might even beat the time record of the Zeppelin.

1930 / Hardcover / 252 pages