High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! R101 was one of a pair of British rigid airships completed in 1929 as part of a British government programme to develop civil airships capable of service on long-distance routes within the British Empire. It was designed and built by an Air Ministry-appointed team and was effectively in competition with the government-funded but privately designed and built R100. When built it was the world`s largest flying craft at 731 ft (223 m) in length, and it was not surpassed until the Hindenburg flew five years later.