Collapse and Disaster,

Progress, Volume V, Issue 12, 1 October 1910, Page 18

Collapse and Disaster,

(Berlin Correspondent.)

"We introduce these figures as throwing light on the position of the dirigible type. At present it is absolutely unreliable. The chain of disaster which seems to wind itself around the Zeppelins has caused a German paper to compile a list of the lengths of their existences. In reproducing these statistics it is only fair to state that the mishaps that befell Z. VI. and VII. were absolutely avoidable and inexcusable. The ascent under meteorological conditions such as prevailed at the time was a piece of folly paid for in each instance with the loss of a dirigible.

Z. I. was a trial airship of 128 metres in length, 14% metres in diameter, a capacity of 11,300 cubic metres, two motors of 16 h.p. each. It made three ascents during the summer of 1900, and was dismantled at the end of the year. Existence, six months. Z. 11., of equal dimensions to No. 1, had two motors of 85 h.p. each. The first

ascent was made in November, 1905, when, owing to the steering apparatus going wrong, it was only saved from being wrecked by a marvel. The second flight took place on January 16th, 1906, when it was caught in a storm and driven to Algau. After a safe landing the airship was destroyed by the gale. Existence, not quite three months. Z. 111. ascended for the first time in October, 1906, and was not brought out again till the autumn of 1907, when a few experimental flights were made. It was then entirely put aside, but after the destruction of Z IV. at Echterdingen in 1908 it was overhauled, re-built, and again taken into use. In November, 1908, the German Government purchased it, renaming it Zeppelin 1., and in the manoeuvres of 1909 it gave a very good account of itself. It was then sent to Metz in July, 1909, where it is still stationed. Term of existence, three and three-quarter years, of which only thirteen weeks have been spent aloft. Z. IV was 136 metres in length, 13 in diameter, with a capacity of 15,100 cubic metres; two motors of 110 h.p. each. After the first flight in June, 1908, a series of other ascents were made, including the journey to Switzerland. During the twenty-four hours' trial enforced by the War Office, the airship was wrecked by the gale at Echterdingen, in Wurttemberg. Existence, six weeks. Z. V. was of the same dimensions and motor power. Ascended for the first time in May, 1909, and at "Whitsuntide journeyed to Bitterfeld. On the return stretch it very nearly stranded near Gottingen, but reached home safely and was bought by the Empire as Zeppelin 11. It came to grief during the aerial manoeuvres in April, 1910, at "Weilburg. Existence, eleven months. Z. VI. was put up in a great hurry in order to undertake the promised journey to Berlin. It went aloft on August 25th, 1909, for the first time, and two days later set out for Berlin. On the return journey it had to fight contrary winds near Buelzig for three days. Several other flights followed, until a collision with a tree put a stop to its work for the time. It was rebuilt early this year, and brought out in June for a trial spin before going to Vienna. As the tests did not. warrant this, the airship has been put back for

further improvements. It is now 144 metres long, with a capacity of 16,000 cubic metres, and has three motors of 370 h.p. in all. It is now ten months old. Z. VII., aged ten days all told, was the first passenger airship turned out at Friedrichshafen. Its length was 146 metres, diameter 14, 19,000 cubic metres capacity, and three motors of 120 h.p. each. The first trial took place on June 19th, 1910, and on the 22nd of the month Count Zeppelin took it to Dusseldorf, when it developed a mean speed of 65 kilometres per hour. After two passenger nights it was taken up on June 28th amid most contrary atmospheric conditions, and came to grief in the Teutoberger Wald. The remains are now at Friedrichshafen, where it is being rebuilt.