Zeppelin Part 2

Which made the still unbroken World's Record Non-Stop Flight of 4225 miles from Jambol in Bulgaria to just west of Khartum in Africa and back to Jambol, carrying 14 tons of freight in 95 hours, November, 1917.

Zeppelin "L-59" Engine. Telegraphs and Navigators Desk.

Zeppelin "L-59" Elevator Rudders Control Stand and Alt.i.tude Navigation Instruments.]

When Count Zeppelin died in 1917 his a.s.sistants were placed under obligations to carry on the work and administer the Zeppelin Endowment according to the original terms which do not limit its activities to national boundaries, but encourage the development of aerial navigation throughout the world.

Early Development and Flights

Commencing in 1908 Zeppelin devoted his energies to perfecting aircraft.

There were many epoch making achievements, not only the record flights and increasing efficiency and performance tests but continuous discoveries and inventions no less important and significant because they were for the time being accomplished within the walls of laboratory and factory. They const.i.tute one of the most remarkable chapters in this age of mechanics and engineering, and are worthy of further explanation later on.

[PLATE 12: Route of the Zeppelin L-59]

One of the first flights, under the new organization, was that of the new Zeppelin Z-1, April 1st, 1909, from Lake Constance to Munich. Before it could land at Munich a heavy southwest wind pushed it back from the field over which it hovered. The Commander decided to "weather the storm" in the air; and for the first time in the history of aerial navigation the airship remained aloft, her nose against the wind, her motors turning over just enough to keep her in the same spot. Eleven hours later the Z-1 was still up but shortly afterward signalled that she was being forced to land because her fuel supply was becoming exhausted. Soldiers detailed for the purpose a.s.sisted in mooring her fast in a field near Loiching, where guarded by hundreds she lay all night in the storm, unharmed, though repeatedly a.s.sailed by squalls which often swept against her with 40 miles per hour (18 meters per second) velocity. The next day she went up and hopped over to Munich and received a wildly enthusiastic greeting from the thousands who had followed her adventure with personal pride and interest. The Z-1 spent four hours flying over Munich and then turned on her heels and back to her harbor at Friedrichshafen. If there was anything necessary to silence the few critics who still entertained doubts as to the ultimate practicability of rigid airships, that flight of the Z-1 accomplished the purpose.

Count Zeppelin meanwhile was rebuilding his "Echterdingen" airship and on May 29th, 1909, he took it out of Manzell toward the north of Germany. He kept on until he reached Bitterfeld before turning back toward Lake Constance. After 38 hours in the air during which he had traversed 683.5 miles (1100 kilometers) he landed at Goppingen for gasoline. In landing the ship struck a tree but the damage was quickly repaired and the rigid was able to return under its own power to the air harbor on Lake Constance.

Hailed as National Hero

After a thorough overhauling Count Zeppelin flew the same airship to Berlin, at the express invitation of the Kaiser, who gave a dinner in his honor at the Royal Palace following an enthusiastic popular reception from the entire populace in the capital. On his return to Lake Constance he met severe storms and a broken propeller compelled a landing. It was found that a piece of the blade had penetrated one of the gas bags; and three days were required to repair the damage.

Finally, after 27 hours in the air, the ship once more rested in its home shed. It is said that this flight forever established Zeppelin in the confidence of the people and the Government. His ships acquired the reputation of the builder in being able to surmount tremendous difficulties. The Zeppelin headquarters at Friedrichshafen became the German Mecca. But the Germans were not alone in their pilgrimage for thousands of persons interested in aeronautics journeyed to Lake Constance on the sh.o.r.es of which great plants had grown up on the land which Zeppelin had purchased for his wonder city of the air.

[PLATE 13: Zeppelin "L-70" Naval Airship, 1918. The fastest of the "big ones" with a speed of 82 miles per hour.

Zeppelin "L-71". The Last Naval Airship in Actual Service.

Leaving Friedrichshafen, 1918.]

In the fall of 1908 the members of the Reichstag and the Bundesrath came to Friedrichshafen, a hundred or more trusting themselves to the Zeppelin ship, the sole feature of the national celebration. Thousands of watercraft dotted the clear waters of the lake as the Zeppelin went up again and again filled to capacity with the leaders of German political, financial, and industrial life (Plate 4). Zeppelin was hailed as a national hero, and more, for it was generally recognized that his great vehicles possessing such speed and durability were world travelers and as such would do much toward bringing all parts of the world together and thereby eliminating national borders-as far as trade, travel, and commerce were concerned, at least.

The New Construction Plant

It was during the same year that Zeppelin abandoned the floating shed at Manzell, where all his ships had been built. New work shops were located on sh.o.r.e near Friedrichshafen (Plate 4). Half of the original contribution went into the new construction plant which was incorporated as Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin, G.M.B.H. (the Zeppelin Airship Building Co., Ltd.). Here the construction of the new Zeppelins was begun with augmented forces of engineers and workmen.

[PLATE 14: Zeppelin "L-70" Naval Airship Entering Largest Shed at Friedrichshafen. Winter of 1918.]

Naturally the first airship was ordered by the Deutsche Luftschiffahrt A. G. ("DELAG")-the German Airship Transportation Company-which had a paid in capital of 3,000,000 marks ($714,000.00) subscribed by a number of public spirited men solely to start a Zeppelin pa.s.senger and mail service. It was planned to employ larger ships than those with which Zeppelin had convinced the public, to secure greater lifting and carrying capacity. These ships developed rapidly.

Military Value Proved by Commercial Operation

They attracted attention among the military authorities who had decided that the Zeppelins offered advantages over the existing types of observation aircraft, that they were in no way difficult to handle in the air or on the ground and, in fact, were better adapted to military purposes than others previously built. A deciding factor in favor of the Zeppelins was the ease with which they could be put into their sheds after each flight. The Government, accordingly, ordered three airships built and equipped for military service. Their performance was kept secret but they were accepted and obviously performed equally as well as their contemporary commercial craft.

There was the Zeppelin "=Sachsen=" which flew to Vienna from Baden-Baden in less than eight hours. This commercial flight led the German army to buy three more military ships of the "=Sachsen=" type.

Activities Early in the War

The Navy followed suit and in October, 1912, bought the L-1 (Plate 6), for experimental and training purposes in connection with the fleet. The L-1 carried 706,200 cubic feet (20,000 cubic meters) of Hydrogen and proved its worth on its trial flight from Friedrichshafen, thence north over Germany to Helgoland in the North Sea, thence to the Baltic, side trips here and there, and finally to the airship harbor at Johannisthal where it was to be stationed. The flight lasted 34 hours.

[PLATE 15: Development of the Zeppelin from 1900 to 1919.]

This persuaded the Naval officials that Zeppelins were essential in marine warfare both for offense and defense. Another order was placed, this time for a Zeppelin of much larger dimensions. It was christened the L-2 and delivered in September, 1913 (Plate 6). This ship represented an utterly new departure in design, later universally adopted. A corridor was built forming a keel on the inside and bottom of the ship (Plate 7). It had a gas capacity of 953,370 cubic feet (27,000 cubic meters) and was equipped with four motors of 180 horsepower each.

Being the first of the kind it was inevitable that the corridor arrangement should develop a flaw. It lacked proper ventilation.

Hydrogen leaked out from the ship and was drawn into the motor gondolas.

On one of its first flights this caused an explosion on the L-2 which sent it to the ground a wreck.

Operations with the Fleet

Early in the spring of 1914 another Zeppelin, the L-3 (Plate 8) was delivered. It held 787,400 cubic feet (22,300 cubic meters) of hydrogen and carried besides its own weight approximately 19,840 pounds (9,000 kilograms). The average speed was 43.5 miles (70 kilometers) per hour with motors aggregating 630 horsepower. It carried at least 6,614 pounds (3,000 kilograms) to a height of 9,186 feet (2,800 meters). The L-3 was the only naval airship Germany possessed at the beginning of the war.

[PLATE 16: Zeppelin Airship Bldg. Co.'s Plant, Friedrichshafen, 1910.

Showing First Double Shed (now used for Hull Frame Work only) Machine Shops, Foundries and Office Buildings.

Zeppelin Airship Bldg. Co.'s Plant, Friedrichshafen, 1919.

Note the two large single sheds. The largest shed is 115 feet high, 151 feet wide and 787 feet long.]

Following the ideas of the inventor both the German army and navy used the Zeppelins for strategical reconnoissance in the early days of the conflict. The Zeppelins flew the western and eastern boundaries of the empire seeking information concerning the movements of the Allied armies. This proved dangerous, however, for the airships then could not rise to high alt.i.tudes; and consequently were exposed to enemy fire from the batteries below and airplanes above.

The L-3 operated with the fleet in the North Sea and her activities served to show the value of supplying as quickly as possible Zeppelins able to fly high and with greater speed than ever. It was also found advisable to cease flying over land by day. The Zeppelins became the night cruisers of the air, and were a.s.signed the task of destroying railway junctions, bridges and ammunition dumps along the enemy line of advance.

The Navy soon acquired the Zeppelins L-4, L-5, L-6 and L-7, which joined the L-3 in the North Sea operations where they became indispensable as the eyes of the fleet and a continual menace to the enemy attempting to establish himself on the German Coast. All these airships were duplicates of the L-3 except in minor details. Their hulls long and cylindrical, of uniform cross sections, that is excepting the ends each part was the same size as the others. This was the first attempt at standard construction and it permitted quant.i.ty production more economical and quicker for they were not compelled to design and fabricate each section as it was needed. The plant at Friedrichshafen had been expanded and was working to capacity. Every effort was made to save time. The result was remarkable for they were able to produce one Zeppelin every six weeks. Late in 1914 the Zeppelin Z-11 was delivered to the army and the L-8 to the navy.

The Growth of the Zeppelins

Larger sheds (Plates 8 and 9) were completed at Friedrichshafen enabling Zeppelin to build bigger ships which could give the performances he felt was essential.

[PLATE 17: Zeppelin Airship Bldg. Co.'s Colossal Plant at Staaken (1919). Near Berlin.

Consisting of two large sheds (at the left) between which is located the Traverse Ring Fabrication Shed. The Administration Bldg. is shown in the right foreground.

Zeppelin Airship Bldg. Co.'s Staaken Plant. (View taken from a Zeppelin).

By far the largest and most complete airship building plant in the world.]

The first of these, the LZ-38, left the shed in April, 1915, and joined the army. It had 1,130,000 cubic feet (32,000 cubic meters) of hydrogen capacity and was fuller, that is, its ratio of length to diameter was 9 to 1 where in the former ships it was 11 to 1. The wider girth afforded more freedom in design and the stern was drawn out much finer, resulting in more speed; on later ships reaching 58.1 miles per hour (26 meters per second). The LZ-38 could carry a useful load of 30,865 pounds (14,000 kilograms) besides her own weight, more than 37% of her total lift. The Zeppelins of this type (Plate 10-LZ-77) proved from the day they were first flown equal to all the demands made upon them.

North Sea Patrol Flights

They cruised over the North Sea scouting and guarding the coastline, remaining in the air for thirty hours at a time. They flew out from the western outlet of the Kiel Ca.n.a.l, northward along the sh.o.r.es of Denmark to the Norwegian coast and thus were able virtually to command the sea hundreds of miles around with powerful gla.s.ses.