They had justified the inventor’s faith and inspiration. He had never abandoned his ideas of world transportation and was completing a survey of requirements and conditions to be met when, during a flight, he contracted inflammation of the lungs. Though mortally ill and old in years—he was seventy-eight—Count Zeppelin held conferences in his sick chamber, passing on to his assistants the big idea of airship transportation. They have since continued the work where Count Zeppelin left it. Following the funeral at Stuttgart airships dropped garlands and wreaths of flowers on his grave, in honor of the man who had done so much and had perfected an organization capable of performing the tasks remaining.
The Record Flight of L-59
There is ample proof of what a modern Zeppelin can accomplish when commercially operated and not forced to operate at the highest possible altitude and maintain maximum speed. In November, 1917, the Zeppelin L-59 ([Plate 11]) was sent to German East Africa with medicines and ammunition for the beleaguered colonial troops. The Zeppelin was especially prepared for the flight, all superfluous equipment, such as bomb dropping apparatus and armament being removed, all available space reserved for the cargo. The L-59 was longer by 98.5 feet (30 meters) than the others. This made room for two additional gas bags. Inside her 744½ foot hull (227 meters) were 2,381,000 cubic feet (68,000 cubic meters) of hydrogen. She could carry 50 tons easily. With only five motors she averaged 62.6 miles per hour (28 meters per second).
Flown from Germany to Jambol in Southern Bulgaria, the L-59 was there loaded with 9 tons of machine gun ammunition and 4 tons of medical supplies and with 21 tons of gasoline for the motors.
Zeppelin-Dornier All Metal Flying Boat Type DoRs III, 1918.
Zeppelin-Dornier All Metal Flying Boat Type DoRs IV. 1918.