LZ 23

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The Zeppelin LZ 23 was Count Zeppelin's 23rd airship and the eleventh airship of the German Army .

history

The first trip from LZ 23 took place on May 11, 1914. As an airship of the army, LZ 23 had the identification Z VIII.

Z VIII was published in Metz at the end of July 1914 . This means that the airship was suspended in its hall without gas filling and was not needed. Due to the critical global political situation at that time, the commandant of Z VIII, Captain Andrée, reached the gas filling of the ship for his operational readiness. At the start of the war, in early August 1914 , the Zeppelin was able to carry out reconnaissance and disruptive flights against the French troops.

On August 21, 1914, Z VIII received the same order as Z VII , reconnaissance and bombing of the French troops in Alsace that had invaded the Reich . The zeppelin was shot at and damaged by its own troops on the way to the reconnaissance area. Z VIII dropped its bomb load of 160 kg over the enemy lines. The French managed to shoot away the control device of the airship, whereupon it drifted around rudderlessly, and the holes in the hull caused by the bombardment led to the loss of lifting gas. The loss of gas finally forced an emergency landing in the French part of Lorraine near Badenweiler . The ship's commander destroyed the secret documents and the crew disembarked. An attempt was made to burn the zeppelin, but the small amount of gas left in the cells could not be ignited. A squadron of French cavalry attacked the ship's crew, but they managed to get through to the German lines and report their reconnaissance results. The wreckage of LZ 23 was looted by French troops and fell back into German hands due to the advance of the German army.

Technical specifications

  • Carrying gas volume: 22,100 m³ hydrogen
  • Length: 156.0 m
  • Diameter: 14.90 m
  • Payload: 8.8 t
  • Drive: three Maybach engines, each 180 PS (132 kW)
  • Speed: 20.0 m / s (72 km / h)

See also

literature

  • Peter Meyer: Airships - The History of the German Zeppelins. Wehr & Wissen, Koblenz / Bonn 1980.