The R34 was Britain's largest airship – as big as the Dreadnought battleship. At 643ft in length it was as long as two football fields. It was given the ironic nickname, Tiny.

 

Its epic journey began in July 1919 from an airfield on the Firth of Forth. Four days later, with only two hours’ worth of fuel left, it landed at Long Island, New York. The speed record had been broken.

 

After a three day break the crew set off for home, expecting to return to their Scottish base. Instead, they were ordered to land at Pulham Airfield, near Pulham St Mary. At this time Pulham was an airship service station with two huge hangars. 

 

The Norfolk locals nicknamed the stately aircraft flying overhead, Pulham pigs. They were delighted by the arrival of Britain's largest airship.

 

The R34 soon returned to Scotland and was later based at Howden in Yorkshire.

 

In January 1921, while flying in thick fog, it struck a moorland hill and struggled to return to base. On landing, it was damaged beyond repair by gale force winds and had to be scrapped.

 

Ocean crossing airships continued to fly until 1937 when the Hindenburg burst into flames as it was landing in New Jersey, killing and injuring a large number of passengers.

 

Diss Museum celebrated the centenary of R34's crossing in 2019 with a blimp tethered over the town, costumed dancers in the marketplace and a musical show in the Corn Hall.

 

One airship model was made by local artist and craftsman, David Whatley, and the other by members of the East Anglian Meccano Set.