Zeppelin “L-70” Naval Airship, 1918.
The fastest of the “big ones” with a speed of 82 miles per hour.
Zeppelin “L-71”. The Last Naval Airship in Actual Service.
Leaving Friedrichshafen, 1918.
In the fall of 1908 the members of the Reichstag and the Bundesrath came to Friedrichshafen, a hundred or more trusting themselves to the Zeppelin ship, the sole feature of the national celebration. Thousands of watercraft dotted the clear waters of the lake as the Zeppelin went up again and again filled to capacity with the leaders of German political, financial, and industrial life ([Plate 4]). Zeppelin was hailed as a national hero, and more, for it was generally recognized that his great vehicles possessing such speed and durability were world travelers and as such would do much toward bringing all parts of the world together and thereby eliminating national borders—as far as trade, travel, and commerce were concerned, at least.
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.
