The Beginning of the Zeppelin Organization
With the 6,000,000 marks presented to him Count Zeppelin founded the “Zeppelinstiftung zur Foerderung der Luftfahrt” (Zeppelin Endowment for the Propagation of Air Navigation). This organization is the exclusive shareholder of Luftschiffbau Zeppelin (the constructing company), and through this controls the many subsidiary companies, each one producing essential parts of the Zeppelin so that the entire organization is practically independent of outside sources. The various organizations have been added to and developed at intervals since the Zeppelin Endowment was created in 1908. They are not only concerned with producing airships and all their parts but with developing airplanes, seaplanes and power plants, with the special machinery so important to the success of the new aircraft which Zeppelin continuously produced and which proved superior to other products, due in no small part to the splendid organization developed by means of the popular fund, the profits from which under the terms by which Count Zeppelin accepted it, must continuously be thrown back into the treasury “to be used exclusively for the propagation and development of air navigation.”
Zeppelin “L-59” Naval Airship.
Which made the still unbroken World’s Record Non-Stop Flight of 4225 miles from Jambol in Bulgaria to just west of Khartum in Africa and back to Jambol, carrying 14 tons of freight in 95 hours, November, 1917.
| Zeppelin “L-59” Engine. Telegraphs and Navigators Desk. | Zeppelin “L-59” Elevator Rudders Control Stand and Altitude Navigation Instruments. |
When Count Zeppelin died in 1917 his assistants were placed under obligations to carry on the work and administer the Zeppelin Endowment according to the original terms which do not limit its activities to national boundaries, but encourage the development of aerial navigation throughout the world.