Part 6 (1/2)
The Zeppelin-Staaken plant (Plate 17), located in the outskirts of Berlin is considered the most modern airs.h.i.+p factory in the world.
Into it were put all the knowledge and experience of ten years of practical airs.h.i.+p production. There were at one time two large sheds 820 feet (250 meters) long, 150.8 feet (46 meters) wide and 114.8 feet (35 meters) high, with a ring building shed between them, great workshops, research laboratories, administration building, hydrogen plant and all accessories.
The latest and most efficient machinery and tools then devised were provided. A large airdrome was constructed, as it was planned to make Staaken the post-war center of Zeppelin airs.h.i.+p activity.
Here it was planned to locate both stationary and rotary sheds, the latter turning like a locomotive turn-table, making it possible to point their entrances in any direction the prevailing wind might dictate, to insure safe launching or landing of the Zeppelins. Then there were to be airplane factories on the same airdrome. It was at the Staaken plant that the L-59 was fabricated for the record flight to German East Africa and return. In all, twelve Zeppelins were built there.
The Duralumin Works
During the war two plants were put up in the vicinity of Friedrichshafen for making duralumin materials such as angle bars, strips, all kinds of girders, and other parts of the Zeppelin skeleton. They were operated for the most part with female labor.
[PLATE 33: The ”DELAG” Pa.s.senger Zeppelin ”Hansa”, 1912.
The ”DELAG” Pa.s.senger Zeppelin ”Sachsen”, 1913.]
The Woodworking Factory
A woodworking factory (Holzindustrie G.M.B.H.-Meckenbeuren) also was established near Friedrichshafen for the manufacture of propellers, etc.
It has recently been enlarged and is operating at full capacity producing materials for buildings, dwellings, etc. During the war the specially designed Zeppelin propellers were made at Goppingen.
The Maybach Motor Works
One of the accessory companies founded by Zeppelin in 1909 was the Maybach Motor Factory (Maybach-Motorenbau) (Plate 18), at Friedrichshafen. It was enlarged considerably during the war, supplying practically all the airs.h.i.+p motors used. Today the Maybach works include three large three story factory buildings, parts of which are devoted to executive offices, two workshops of recent origin occupying two acres, many engine testing stands, laboratory, and a power plant fully equipped with the latest machinery. The entire plant is under the management of Mr. Maybach, inventor of the only motor designed for airs.h.i.+ps alone. One reason for the peculiar efficiency of the plant is the special workman's training department which has received considerable attention from the executives.
[PLATE 34: ”DELAG”-Zeppelin Harbor at Frankfort a.M., 1912.
”DELAG”-Zeppelin Harbor at Baden-Baden, 1910.]
The first Maybach motors were produced in 1912 (Plate 19), and were 140 and 180 horsepower. They contributed largely to the success of the commercial Zeppelin before the war. In 1915 a 240 horsepower motor was built, and this was the princ.i.p.al motor used on the military and naval Zeppelins. Maybach produced an entirely new motor in 1917. It supplied from 260 to 320 horsepower and is noted as the first supercompression motor. Quickly recognized as the best engine for airplanes, it became the leading German aviation motor until late in 1918 when other motors built on similar principles appeared and were found more adaptable to the planes. Maybach, meanwhile, developed other types (Plate 20), princ.i.p.ally 160 and 260 horsepower units for heavier-than-air craft.
The following table ill.u.s.trates the development in types and performance of engines:
Performance of Engines-1892-1918
================================================================ | | | |Weight| Unit | Fuel | | | |Revolutions| Kg. | Weight |Consumption | Year | Motor | H. P.|per minute | |Kg./H. P.| Gr./hp-hr | ----------------------------------------------------------------| 1892 | Daimler | 11 | 440 | 500 | 45,5 | 500 | 1899 | Daimler | 15 | 680 | 385 | 25,7 | 400 | 1905 | Daimler | 90 | 1050 | 360 | 4,00 | ... | 1907 | Daimler | 100 | 1080 | 400 | 4,00 | 265-240 | 1909 | Daimler | 115 | 1100 | 420 | 3,65 | ... | 1910 | Daimler | 120 | 1100 | 450 | 3,75 | 225 | 1910 | Maybach | 145 | 1100 | 450 | 3,1 | 240 | 1913 | Maybach | 180 | 1200 | 462 | 2,56 | 225 | 1914 | Maybach | 210 | 1250 | 414 | 1,97 | 225 | 1915 | Maybach | 240 | 1400 | 365 | 1,52 | 200 | 1917 | Maybach | 260 | 1400 | 400 | 1,54 | 200 | 1918 | Maybach | 260 | 1400 | 390 | 1,50 | 200 | ----------------------------------------------------------------
The Employment and Training System
Apprentices and girls are given a thorough examination and test to determine their fitness for the work, which requires the utmost accuracy. Then they enter a twelve weeks probationary service. Their apprentices.h.i.+p lasts four years. All apprentices are given instruction by engineers and foremen in physics, chemistry, knowledge of materials, model making, foundry work, algebraic calculation methods, the handling of graphics, curves, statistics, price calculation, machines and tools and particularly the principles and functions of internal combustion engines.
On January 1st, 1918, 1980 workmen were employed, 416 of them women.
There were 57 women on the executive and office staff of 217. On November 1st, that year, 3300 workmen and 349 others were employed, 599 of them women.
[PLATE 35: ”DELAG”-Zeppelin Harbor at Hamburg, 1912.
”DELAG”-Zeppelin Harbor at Leipzig, 1913.