- Lech (Zeppelin)
Lech was the first Polish
zeppelin . It was purchased from France's army surplus in 1920 and its original, French name was "Commandant Coutelle". The zeppelin's type was "Zodiac VZ-11", "Vedette" class and theFrench Navy had used it for patrolling and escorting purposes in the area of theMediterranean . Like other zeppelins of that age, it was filled with flammable hydrogen. It was propelled by twoRenault engines (some sources claim these wereAnzani engines), each with 80 horsepower. Altogether, the French built 63 "Zodiac VZ-11" zeppelins, they were sold to various countries, such asArgentina , USA, Russia andHolland ."Lech", as this was the new, Polish name of the zeppelin, was brought in parts to the port of
Gdańsk some time in early 1921. Then, in March of that year, it was transported toToruń , where it was assembled byZbigniew Burzynski . Between 1921 and 1924, it belonged to the Officer's Aeronautical School in Toruń, then it was passed over to the 1st Balloon Battalion, also in Toruń. Its first commandant was Colonel Slawomir Bilek, then he was replaced by Captain Kazimierz Kraczkiewicz. "Lech" made numerous flights toLegionowo andPoznań 's airport in the district Winiary - places, where special zeppelin halls existed. During those flights, 18 pilots as well as several members of the crew completed practice courses.On March 2, 1928, after its last flight, "Lech" was scrapped and the bag's fabric was used for making five field air-sheds.
pecifications
General characteristics
*Capacity: 7-8 persons
*Length: 50 m
*Diameter: 12 m
*Volume: 3150 m3
*Range: 800 km
*Service ceiling: 3000 m
*Time span of engines - up to 10 hours
*Cargo - up to 320 kilograms of bombs.Performance
*Maximum speed: 80 km/h
ources
* [http://airbot.net/index.php?ac=teksty&op=show&kid=a32bd4e9c42d2f61d4fac005e0ce33f2&tid=27&sid=0]
* [http://www.odkrywca-online.pl/forum_pics/picsforum11/zodmorgala1.jpg]
* [http://www.iirp.prv.pl/lotnictwo/balony/lech/dowodztwo_lotnictwa_balony_lech.html]External links
* [http://airbot.net/tapeta2.php?id=57 A drawing of Lech]
* [http://www.polatca.pata.pl/papierki/hist_lotn/h_dirig.htm]
* [http://www.polatca.pata.pl/papierki/hist_lotn/w_hislot.htm]
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