Part 2 (2/2)

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 airs.h.i.+p 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 s.h.i.+p represented an utterly new departure in design, later universally adopted. A corridor was built forming a keel on the inside and bottom of the s.h.i.+p (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 s.h.i.+p 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 airs.h.i.+p Germany possessed at the beginning of the war.

[PLATE 16: Zeppelin Airs.h.i.+p Bldg. Co.'s Plant, Friedrichshafen, 1910.

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

Zeppelin Airs.h.i.+p 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 airs.h.i.+ps 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 airs.h.i.+ps 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 s.h.i.+ps which could give the performances he felt was essential.

[PLATE 17: Zeppelin Airs.h.i.+p 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 Airs.h.i.+p Bldg. Co.'s Staaken Plant. (View taken from a Zeppelin).

By far the largest and most complete airs.h.i.+p 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 s.h.i.+ps 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 s.h.i.+ps 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.

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