Zeppelin LZ104

Infobox Aircraft
name=LZ104


caption=
type=Transport airship, later refittted for bombing
national origin=Germany
manufacturer=Luftschiffbau Zeppelin
designer=
first flight=30 October avyear|1917
introduced=
retired=
status=Crashed April 1918, reportedly shot down
primary user=Imperial German Navy
more users=
produced=
number built=
variants with their own articles=

Zeppelin LZ 104, designated L.59 by the German Navy and nicknamed "das Afrika-Schiff" ("the Africa Ship"), was a German zeppelin during World War I, notable for attempting a long-distance resupply of the beleaguered garrison of Germany's East Africa colony. ["First World War" - Willmott, H.P.; Dorling Kindersley, 2003, Page 192]

History

Africa flight

The L.59 was a naval airship ordered to prepare for the resupply of Colonel Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck’s troops in the Makonde Highlands of German East Africa, after L.57 (LZ 102), her sister ship and the primary airship for the mission, was destroyed during a trial flight. L.59 subsequently underwent the same 30 meter expansion in length (for a total of 228) and in gas capacity (to 68,500 cubic metres) that the ill fated L.57 had.Fact|date=August 2008

In early November 1917, piloted by its designer, Hugo Eckener,Fact|date=March 2008 the airship set out for Jamboli/Yamboli, Bulgaria the last available airbase on the way to German East Africa. There it picked up Kapitän-Leutnant (Lieutenant Commander) Ludwig Bockholt, who would be the commander for the mission," [http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol122jm.html Die Fliegertruppe of the Imperial German Army] " - Military History Journal, Vol 12 No 2, South African Military History Society. Accessed 2008-08-11.)] code named "China Snow".Fact|date=August 2008

Because it would be impossible to resupply the airship with hydrogen gas upon its arrival in Africa, it was assumed that no return trip would be made. Instead, it was planned that every part of the ship be cannibalized for use by von Lettow's bush army. The outer envelope would be used for tents, muslin linings would be bandages, duralumin framework would be a wireless tower, and so on. In addition to its own structure, L.59 carried tons ["Sources differ on what quantity the ship carried. Miller suggests 50 (p. 288), while Bennighof says 16 and other Sources note 12 tons."] of supplies. These primarily included machine guns plus spares and ammunition, medical supplies, and medical and linguistic experts.

L.59's two initial attempts at starting the journey were foiled by weather in the Mediterranean, but on November 21 her third was successful. However, due to electrical storms over Crete, her radio was put temporarily out of action. She crossed over the Libyan coast at 0515 on the 22nd. That afternoon, an engine malfunctioned, and very early the next morning she nearly crashed as cooling reduced the buoyancy of her gas. She was saved when ammunition was jettisoned.Fact|date=August 2008 The crew also suffered from headaches, hallucinations and general fatigue.

Despite these difficulties, L.59continued on over Sudan, only to be turned back on November 23, 200 km west of Khartoum when her radio again became operational and she received an "abort" message. the ship turned back and returned to Bulgaria after averting another potential loss of buoyancy disaster over Turkey. She returned to base the morning of November 25, having traveled over convert|4200|mi|km, a new record. It was later claimed by the chief of British intelligence in the area, Richard Meinertzhagen, that this message was a British fake. However, it appears that the German Colonial Office believed (incorrectly) that von Lettow had in fact been overrun and had advised the Navy to recall the ship, with a transcript of the radio message later reported to have been found in Germany's World War archives. [" [http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/199404/contrary.winds-zeppelins.over.the.middle.east.htm Contrary Winds - Zeppelins Over the Middle East] " - "Saudi Aramco World", July/August 1994, Pages 8-17]

Final fate

The airship was now refitted for bombing missions, of which only one was fully carried out. The target was Naples on 11-12 March 1918, and the mission was unsuccessful as the bombs missed their industrial targets and killed some 16 civilians. Further missions for Port Said and Suda Bay were scrapped due to contrary weather. Finally, on April 7, L.59 took off to bomb Malta. According to the reports of an observing submarine, UB 53, she was shot down over her target. However, her destruction was not claimed by the Allies, and her loss was officially attributed to accident, and unofficially suspected of friendly fire from the U-boat. None of the 21 crew survived the crash.

pecifications

aerospecs
ref=
met or eng?= met
crew=
capacity=
length m=226.50
length ft=743
length in=0
span m=
span ft=
span in=
swept m=
swept ft=
swept in=
rot number=
rot dia m=
rot dia ft=
rot dia in=
dia m= 23.90
dia ft= 78
dia in= 0
width m=
width ft=
width in=
height m=
height ft=
height in=
wing area sqm=
wing area sqft=
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
volume m3= 68,500
volume ft3= 2,420,000
aspect ratio=
empty weight kg=
empty weight lb=
gross weight kg=
gross weight lb=
lift kg= 23,500
lift lb= 51,900
eng1 number=5
eng1 type=Maybach piston engines
eng1 kw= 180
eng1 hp= 240
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
eng1 kn-ab=
eng1 lbf-ab=
eng2 number=
eng2 type=
eng2 kw=
eng2 hp=
eng2 kn=
eng2 lbf=
eng2 kn-ab=
eng2 lbf-ab=
max speed kmh=103
max speed mph=64
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
range km=
range miles=
endurance h=
endurance min=
ceiling m=
ceiling ft=
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=
climb rate ftmin=
sink rate ms=
sink rate ftmin=
armament1=
armament2=
armament3=
armament4=
armament5=
armament6= aircontent
see also=
related=
similar aircraft=
lists=

References and notes

*Miller, Charles. "Battle of the Bundu: The First World War in East Africa". New York: McMillian Publishing. 1974.