Zeppelin “L-43” Naval Airship, 1917. Showing Maybach Motor Works and Part of Friedrichshafen.
Zeppelin “LZ-77” Army Airship, 1915.
It was thought then that Zeppelin had built his last airship. He had employed all his own personal resources in that venture, and though the rigid had performed remarkably, even his closest friends could see nothing but failure in further attempts to establish the new science. But they were wrong. Zeppelin had been more successful than he realized. His persistent efforts had continuously improved the rigid type. Each flight was better and more efficient than the ones preceding it. All this had been noted by the people. When it was learned that Count Zeppelin had no funds with which to continue, a popular subscription campaign was started in various sections, with the result that within a few weeks 6,000,000 marks (approximately $1,500,000) had been contributed and turned over to Zeppelin for him to use as he saw fit in carrying on his experiments. Here indeed was recognition. For the money had come from persons of high and low degree, from huts and palaces. The Zeppelin fund was truly representative of the people. It made the shops and hangar on Lake Constance a popular institution. For the first time in his life the inventor found his airship enterprise on a firm financial basis. With this foundation he was able to increase his shop and laboratory facilities and make important changes in his organization. Instead of being forced to produce something for demonstration flights alone, he was able to concentrate on practical development. His personnel was ably qualified for the new work. Many of his assistants had been with him since the beginning. His progress had been theirs in the new science of lighter-than-air engineering. Many of these men are still with the Zeppelin organization which retains the original name created by the popular support of the German people.
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. |