The USS Macon was a rigid airship, or dirigible, built by the United States Navy in the 1930s. It was designed to serve as an airborne aircraft carrier, capable of launching and recovering small fighter planes, specifically the F9C Sparrowhawk. The Macon was one of the largest airships ever constructed, measuring 785 feet in length. Launched in 1933, the USS Macon had a short operational life, primarily due to challenges with airship technology and safety. It was ultimately lost in a storm off the coast of California in 1935, marking the end of the Navy's airship program.