The Hybrid Air Vehicles Airlander 10 is a fascinating aircraft. It's a new type of airship developed for travel into the 21st Century. It's also built by a company near to me in Bedfordshire.
You don't get to see these things in action very often. A couple of years ago though, they were conducting some test flights in the skies around Bedfordshire, and I wanted to see it in action. I caught a glimpse of it around 6pm and decided to go airship chasing. I got in the car and drove in it's general direction, to see it in action close up.
I failed to see it close up in the sky, it was returning home. I persevered though, and followed it all the way home, where I managed to capture the Airlander after landing, superimposed over a dramatic sunset.
Home for the Airlander is Cardington Hangers. These hangars were built over 100 years ago, specifically for use by airships, so a fitting place for this new aircraft to call home. Cardington actually has two aircraft hangars, the second is now used as a film studio due to it's huge size. It's been used for Star Wars and Batman films, as well as used by bands to rehearse before they take there sets on tour.
Unfortunately this was one of the last times we'd get to see the Airlander, at least for a while. Around 10 days later it broke loose from it's moorings, and was automatically deflated. It hasn't been seen since, but hopefully it will rise up again!
(I've also included some other shots of the Airlander taken a week or two before which show it a little more closeup, in daytime...)
