Zeppelin---A Rigid Airship

We all know that airships are divided into three different categories - rigid airships, semi-rigid airships, and non-rigid airships. The Zeppelin belongs to the family of rigid airships, which were introduced in the beginning of 20th century by a German scientist named, “Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin.” This airship was based on the design of an old airship, which was introduced in 1894. The Zeppelin was the most successful airship of its era and due to its success, they were used for all rigid airships.

The basic competitive edge of a Zeppelin over other airships was that it was designed using the metal alloy Skelton, which enables it to lift heavy material easily without any hassle. Before the actual production of zeppelin, a prototype of this airship was developed with the length of 128 m (420ft) and with the horsepower of 10.6 KW. In the month of July 1900, the first flight of a Zeppelin was taken in order to check its efficiency. With the passage of time, improvements were made in this model to enhance its efficiency level. After the improvements, the Zeppelin was used for military purposes and it played a vital role in the WWI and WWII.

Before the start of WWI, 21 Zeppelins were manufactured that were named from LZ5 to LZ25. Six Zeppelins were used for the commercial transport. You will be amazed to know that Zeppelins can travel approximately 200,000 km and that 40,000 passengers can be transported within them.

Role of the Zeppelin in WWI

Zeppelins are the type of rigid airships that can easily carry heavy material with it. Therefore, they were used for the bombing purposes in WWI. In the start of the war, Ernst A. Lehmann and Baron Gemmingen, introduced an observation car which was equipped with a compass, a wicker chair, a chart table, an electric lamp, a telephone, and a lightning conductor. This car was designed to be used with the Zeppelin airship.

The first attack by the Zeppelin was proposed on Jan 13, 1915 in which four zeppelins were chosen for this mission, but due to the weather they were obliged to abandon this mission. Later on, two zeppelins (the L3 & L4) were launched and dropped 50 kgs worth of highly explosive bombs, which resulted in a loss of £7,740, along with the death of four people. Count von Zeppelin died in 1917, after which Dr. Hugo Eckener contributed in the improvements of Zeppelin. Zeppelin served as a best bombing airship in WWI.

After the end of WWI, the Zeppelin was further improved. The most renowned company, “Good Year,” started the business of manufacturing these airships. The Good Year Company spends a good amount of money and time researching for improvements on the Zeppelin so that it could be used with the best efficiency for military purposes. Zeppelins are, with no doubt, the best airship of its era, not only for military purposes but also for transportation purposes.