HML Leviathan (I) was the first fully operational leviathan of the British Empire. An earlier unnamed vehicle designed to test the ability to levitate failed after reaching an altitude of fifty meters, killing the sole crewman, but it did not otherwise resemble the airships known as leviathans.
History[]
The very first British leviathan, as well as the first named Leviathan, this vessel didn't even originally carry the prefix HML, since its own name had yet to be accepted as the description of such vessels.
This was the second electrical flying vessel witnessed by the general public, mere minutes after the French Ganymède had made its triumphant lift off over the Crystal Palace at the Great Exhibition of 1890. The vessel betrayed the fact that it was mostly based on steam locomotive technology
A young Jackie Fisher was the only officer aboard at the time, with the rest of the crew being cadets borrowed from a training vessel.[2][3]
Notable Crew[]
| Commanding Officers of HML Leviathan (I) | |||
| Rank | Name | Dates | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain | Jackie Fisher | - 1890 - | [2] |
The rest of the crew were from the TS Stirling at Whale Island.[3]