The New Construction Plant
It was during the same year that Zeppelin abandoned the floating shed at Manzell, where all his ships had been built. New work shops were located on shore near Friedrichshafen ([Plate 4]). Half of the original contribution went into the new construction plant which was incorporated as Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin, G.m.b.H. (the Zeppelin Airship Building Co., Ltd.). Here the construction of the new Zeppelins was begun with augmented forces of engineers and workmen.
Zeppelin “L-70” Naval Airship Entering Largest Shed at Friedrichshafen. Winter of 1918.
Naturally the first airship was ordered by the Deutsche Luftschiffahrt A. G. (“DELAG”)—the German Airship Transportation Company—which had a paid in capital of 3,000,000 marks ($714,000.00) subscribed by a number of public spirited men solely to start a Zeppelin passenger and mail service. It was planned to employ larger ships than those with which Zeppelin had convinced the public, to secure greater lifting and carrying capacity. These ships developed rapidly.