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.
Early Development and Flights
Commencing in 1908 Zeppelin devoted his energies to perfecting aircraft. There were many epoch making achievements, not only the record flights and increasing efficiency and performance tests but continuous discoveries and inventions no less important and significant because they were for the time being accomplished within the walls of laboratory and factory. They constitute one of the most remarkable chapters in this age of mechanics and engineering, and are worthy of further explanation later on.
Route of the Zeppelin L-59
One of the first flights, under the new organization, was that of the new Zeppelin Z-1, April 1st, 1909, from Lake Constance to Munich. Before it could land at Munich a heavy southwest wind pushed it back from the field over which it hovered. The Commander decided to “weather the storm” in the air; and for the first time in the history of aerial navigation the airship remained aloft, her nose against the wind, her motors turning over just enough to keep her in the same spot. Eleven hours later the Z-1 was still up but shortly afterward signalled that she was being forced to land because her fuel supply was becoming exhausted. Soldiers detailed for the purpose assisted in mooring her fast in a field near Loiching, where guarded by hundreds she lay all night in the storm, unharmed, though repeatedly assailed by squalls which often swept against her with 40 miles per hour (18 meters per second) velocity. The next day she went up and hopped over to Munich and received a wildly enthusiastic greeting from the thousands who had followed her adventure with personal pride and interest. The Z-1 spent four hours flying over Munich and then turned on her heels and back to her harbor at Friedrichshafen. If there was anything necessary to silence the few critics who still entertained doubts as to the ultimate practicability of rigid airships, that flight of the Z-1 accomplished the purpose.
Count Zeppelin meanwhile was rebuilding his “Echterdingen” airship and on May 29th, 1909, he took it out of Manzell toward the north of Germany. He kept on until he reached Bitterfeld before turning back toward Lake Constance. After 38 hours in the air during which he had traversed 683.5 miles (1100 kilometers) he landed at Göppingen for gasoline. In landing the ship struck a tree but the damage was quickly repaired and the rigid was able to return under its own power to the air harbor on Lake Constance.
Hailed as National Hero
After a thorough overhauling Count Zeppelin flew the same airship to Berlin, at the express invitation of the Kaiser, who gave a dinner in his honor at the Royal Palace following an enthusiastic popular reception from the entire populace in the capital. On his return to Lake Constance he met severe storms and a broken propeller compelled a landing. It was found that a piece of the blade had penetrated one of the gas bags; and three days were required to repair the damage. Finally, after 27 hours in the air, the ship once more rested in its home shed. It is said that this flight forever established Zeppelin in the confidence of the people and the Government. His ships acquired the reputation of the builder in being able to surmount tremendous difficulties. The Zeppelin headquarters at Friedrichshafen became the German Mecca. But the Germans were not alone in their pilgrimage for thousands of persons interested in aeronautics journeyed to Lake Constance on the shores of which great plants had grown up on the land which Zeppelin had purchased for his wonder city of the air.