The “Schwaben” Filled all Requirements
The first ship to fill the requirements essential to safe and steady commercial operations was the “Schwaben” built in the summer of 1911. She was 459.2 feet (140 meters) long, 45.9 feet (14 meters) in diameter, and of 615,580 cubic feet (18,000 cubic meters) hydrogen gas capacity. Her three Maybach 145 horsepower motors gave the “Schwaben” a speed of 43 miles an hour (19.3 meters per second). She had a useful lift of 8,818.4 pounds (4,000 kilograms). During the latter part of 1911 more than a hundred flights were made with the “Schwaben” between Lake Constance, Niederheim, Gotha, and Berlin. These flights warranted larger ships.
PLATE 46
The “DELAG” Passenger Zeppelin “Nordstern.”
Interior view with gas bags removed.
In March 1912, the “DELAG” put into operation the new Zeppelin “Victoria Louise” ([Plates 31]-[32]) and in the summer, her sister ship the “Hansa”. These Zeppelins were 485.4 feet (148 meters) long and 45.9 feet (14 meters) in diameter. They each held 670,890 cubic feet (19,000 cubic meters) of hydrogen and their useful lift was 11,023 pounds (5,000 kilograms). Motors had been so improved that the “Victoria Louise” and “Hansa” were able to make 44.7 and 46.9 miles per hour respectively.