On April 22, 1910, a fleet of German dirigibles, comprising the “Zeppelin II,” the “Gross II,” and the “Parseval I,” sailed from Cologne to Hamburg, where they were reviewed by Emperor William. A strong wind having arisen, the “Gross II,” which is of the semi-rigid type, was deflated, and shipped back to Cologne by rail. The non-rigid “Parseval” made the return flight in safety. The rigid “Zeppelin II” started on the return voyage, but was compelled to descend at Limburg, where it was moored. The wind increasing, it was forced away, and finally was driven to the ground at Weilburg and demolished.
In May, 1910, the “Parseval V,” the smallest dirigible so far constructed, being but 90 feet in length, was put upon its trial trip. It made a circular voyage of 80 miles in 4 hours.
For several months a great Zeppelin passenger dirigible had been building by a stock company financed by German capital, under the direction of the dauntless Count von Zeppelin. It was 490 feet long, with a capacity of 666,900 cubic feet. A passenger cabin was built with ¼-inch mahogany veneer upon a framework of aluminum, the inside being decorated with panels of rosewood inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The seats were wicker chairs, and the window openings had no glass. It was christened the “Deutschland.”
After many days waiting for propitious weather the first “air-liner” set sail on June 22, 1910, from Friedrichshafen for Düsseldorf, carrying 20 passengers who had paid $50 each for their passage. In addition there were 13 other persons on board.
The start was made at three o’clock in the morning, and the course laid was up the valley of the Rhine, as far as Cologne. Düsseldorf was reached at three o’clock in the afternoon, the airline distance of 300 miles having been covered in 9 hours of actual sailing. From Mannheim to Düsseldorf, favored by the wind, the great ship reached the speed of 50 miles per hour, for this part of the trip, outstripping the fastest express trains which consume 6 hours in the winding track up the valley.
The next morning the “Deutschland” left Düsseldorf on an excursion trip, carrying several ladies among its passengers. The voyage was in every way a great success, and public enthusiasm was widespread.
On June 29, a test trip was decided upon. No passengers were taken, but 19 newspaper correspondents were invited guests. The Count had been warned of weather disturbances in the neighborhood, but he either disregarded them or felt confidence in his craft. It was intended that the voyage should last four hours, but the airship soon encountered a storm, and after 6 hours of futile striving against it, the fuel gave out. Caught in an upward draft, the “Deutschland” rose to an altitude of over 5,000 feet, losing considerable gas, and then, entering a rainstorm, was heavily laden with moisture. Suddenly, without definite reason, it began to fall vertically, and in a few moments had crashed into the tops of the trees of the Teutoberg forest. No one on board received more than slight injury, and all alighted safely by means of ladders. The “Deutschland” was a wreck, and was taken apart and shipped back to Friedrichshafen.
On July 13, another giant passenger airship, designed by Oscar Erbslöh, who won the international balloon race in 1907 by a voyage from St. Louis to Asbury Park, met with fatal disaster. It was sailing near Cologne at an altitude of about 2,500 feet when it burst, and Erbslöh and his four companions were killed in the fall.
On July 28, the “Gross III” left Berlin with the object of beating the long distance record for dirigibles. Soon after passing Gotha the airship returned to that place, and abandoned the attempt. In 13 hours a distance of 260 miles had been traversed.
Undismayed by the catastrophes which had destroyed his airships almost as fast as he built them, Count von Zeppelin had his number VI ready to sail on September 3. With a crew of seven and twelve passengers he sailed from Baden to Heidelberg—53 miles in 65 minutes. It was put into commission as an excursion craft, and made several successful voyages. On September 14, as it was being placed in its shed at the close of a journey, it took fire unaccountably, and was destroyed together with the shed, a part of the framework only remaining.