page_title: La République (airship)
section_title: Design and development
hierarchical_section_title: La République (airship) / Design and development
caption_attribution_description: English: Photogtaph of the French Airship "Lebaudy République" from below, showing the pointed bow, the gondola and the port and starboard ailerons
context_page_description: The Lebaudy République was a semi-rigid airship built for the French army in Moisson, France, by sugar manufacturers Lebaudy Frères. She was a sister ship of the Patrie, the main differences between the two being in the dimensions of the gasbag and the ballonet. Although she was operationally successful, the République crashed in 1909 due to a mechanical failure, killing all four crew members.
context_section_description: The main structural components of the République, like those of the Patrie, were the gasbag, a nickel-steel frame or keel, and a gondola suspended from the frame on steel cables. Contained within the envelope was a ballonet, the function of which was to ensure that sufficient gas pressure was maintained in the envelope at all times, irrespective of the degree of expansion or contraction of the lifting gas. These components were essentially the same as for the Patrie, the only differences initially being in the dimensions of the envelope and the ballonet, which are given in the Specifications section below. The modular structure enabled the envelope volume to be varied without affecting  the keel or the gondola. For a more detailed description, see Lebaudy Patrie.
caption: The République in Moisson, June/July 1908
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