Astra-Torres airship picture

In 1902 Torres Quevedo presented to the Sciences Academies of Madrid and Paris a new design project of an airship that attracted the attention of the State. In January 4th, 1904 the government decided to provide a certain support to Torres Quevedo experiments with the creation of the Institute of Aeronautics Tests.

In 1905, with the help of Alfredo Kindelán, Torres Quevedo managed the construction of the first Spanish airship in the Service of Military Air terminal of the Army, that did many exhibition and test flights that were highly successful.

The exiguous budget together with the technological deficiencies in Spain were the reasons why Torres Quevedo had to turn to the French firm Astra in 1909 to whom he ceded the rights of use of the patent to the rest of the world.

In 1911, the manufacture of the airships know as "Astra-Torres" started; they were acquired by the French and English Armies since 1913 and used during the First World War mainly in protection and naval inspection tasks.

José Echegaray wrote a report in which he described the improvements that Torres Quevedo introduced in his airships "...a structure made up by three flexible meridian cables from end to end of the balloon, which have triangular frameworks made of roap as well, tied to it. Once the airship is filled, the cables remain taut, rigid, working only by stretching and that with properly assembled crosspieces in the central lower part, by setting up crow's feet, they transmit their action to end pieces that serve as suspension to the nacelle and form the essential part of the balloon which is fitted of the primary conditions of flexibility and ability to keep its shape. It may be easily folded and moved; it benefites from the advantages of the strain relief because of the shape of the cover, the less running resistance because of the suspension system of the nacelle and the resulting less speed resistance, the bigger resistance to the transversal oscillations and all the superiority of the flexible balloons in case of forced landing and forced fall caused by tearing"