Was there ever any privateer airships?

[Atterton]

I know that back in the day there was airship travel routes, similar to what we have today with airplanes. I was wondering if there also ever existed private owned airships that you could charter for transporting goods and people. For example if you wanted some equipment brough to Klondyke, you could hire them to take you there. Or if it was all just larger companies running established routes.

[heavyporker]

 Well. Far as I can recall, there was only Zeppelin, the company and their airships, and the military airships of the major war powers (Germany, USA, Britain).

 I mean, nowadays, there's Goodyear and their blimps, and maybe a couple scientific airships down in South America (rainforest expeditions). Not to forget the one-man arty stuff that some people nowadays put up for private enjoyment.

 I've never heard of privately-owned airships of any appreciable noteworthiness.


 Sorry to burst your bubble.

[Luella Dobson]

just because they didn't exist doesn't mean that they can't exist in your steampunk world...

[Hikaro Takayama]

Once again, I'll use the following as proof that truth will always be much stranger than fiction:

"In December 1941 and the first months of 1942, the Goodyear blimp Resolute was operated as an anti-submarine privateer based out of Los Angeles. As the only US craft to operate under a Letter of Marque since the War of 1812, the Resolute, armed with a rifle and flown by its civilian crew, patrolled the seas for submarines.[34]"

This from Wikipedia's article on airships.....

[Atterton]

Not quite what I wanted. Still interesting about the Resolute though.

[Albrecht]

And a great hook for a story.

I mean think about it: Why should Zeppelin (and others) not have sold their crafts to private owners if there hadn't been the Great War. And pribately owned or commandeered airships are the liveblood of steampunk.