Now, I am not being rude but have you done what we tell every newbie that trolls around here hoping to get their homework done for them?
Blimey! Around our way that's what's known as the Daily Mail Defense!
Judicators extensive thread on
Air Jellies and my own modest contribution of
Cutler's Wyvern in the thread on Terrors of the Sky? The
Bestiarum Vocabulum was another attempt to create a SteamPunk Cryptozoological reference. I am sure there are more out there - good luck.
I had a quick flick through a few of the Cryptozoological threads, there's some damned impressive imaginations at work out there! Everyone loves a good bestiary, there's something so wonderful about creatures of the imagination!
good luck.
By jimminy I'll need it! Thank you

Sounds interesting! Keep us updated.
Will do! Thank you!
Unfortunately I've not had much time to do more on this today, a couple of rough silhouettes (more parasites and something that looks remarkably like an inflated rubber chicken) but they're still rough lines so unscanned.
I had a quick bash at one of the main vehicles, the Bristol F.2e, very roughly. (very very roughly. I did a poor job!) Plus a rough entry in the antagonists journal.
If this sort of bloggy, work-in-progress approach style thing doesn't sit well, then I'll hang fire till I can start adding a bit more polish it and post it in a more cohesive chronological manner!
----
April 28th, 1917.
Today we ran more of the trapeze tests, I suspect these are more for my benefit than that of the rest of the crew who've already been at this for a number of weeks.
The methodology seems simple enough, we approach the NS and signal our intent to dock, at this point they will turn onto a straight heading with the wind behind them, lower the trapeze and run up to full power. Once prepared they signal their readiness.
Matthews task is then to take us around and approach the NS from the rear, matching our speed to near theirs we'll progress up their belly until we can hook onto the dangling trapeze. Then it's merely a matter of waiting until the NS's crew winch us up to the airships belly.
It sounds very simple in theory, but to actually do it in the sky is another thing entirely, our approach means passing scant meters below the NS's engines, both running at full bore. At near matched speeds the time it takes to pass under those spinning blades seems near infinite, and all the while plagued by the worry that some gust of air will push them down upon us or us up into them.
One cannot help but feel that while all well and good here near land and in good weather, that what awaits us out at sea and far from assistance is another thing entirely. Here a broken trapeze means simply coming about to the landing strip, whereas out there the same would mean being unable to refuel and being too far from land to even hope to see it again.
For all the bravado and confidence Matthews has in his flying ability I know he feels the same worries as me. He is a man of no small faith and takes the time before each attempt at docking to offer a fervent prayer for our safety.

Lieutenant Mathews poses with our trusty Bristol.