DELAG

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DELAG
Founded16 November 1909
Commenced operations19 June 1910
Ceased operations1935
Operating basesDüsseldorf, Germany: Baden-Baden, Germany
Fleet sizeSee Airships below
DestinationsBerlin
See Transatlantic service below
Key peopleAlfred Colsman (founding general director)
The LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin

DELAG, acronym for Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-

world's first airline to use an aircraft in revenue service.[1] It operated a fleet of zeppelin rigid airships manufactured by the Luftschiffbau Zeppelin Corporation. Its headquarters were located in Frankfurt
, Germany.

DELAG was founded on 16 November 1909 as a commercial passenger-carrying offshoot of

First World War, DELAG's Zeppelins had transported a total of 34,028 passengers on 1,588 commercial flights; over these trips, the fleet had accumulated 172,535 kilometres across 3,176 hours of flight.[2]

The company's zeppelins were requisitioned by the German Army for military use during the First World War. Shortly after the conflict, DELAG quickly set about relaunching commercial zeppelin operations, however, it was delivered a major setback when two of its airships were surrendered during 1921 as a part of Germany's war reparations. During 1925, restrictions imposed on zeppelin construction under the Treaty of Versailles were relaxed by the Allies, enabling the development of an advanced zeppelin suitable for intercontinental air passenger service. This airship, the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin, was flown for the first time on 18 September 1928. Its introduction enabled DELAG to launch regular, nonstop, transatlantic flights several years before airplanes would be capable of sufficient range to cross the ocean in either direction without stopping. The airship also performed numerous record-breaking flights, including a successful circumnavigation of the globe.[3]

DELAG's fortunes were badly damaged by the rise of the Nazis to power in Germany during 1933. During 1935, a rival company, the German Zeppelin Transport Company (DZR) was established with state sponsorship, and political interference led to Zeppelin Luftschiffbau being unable to continue operating DELAG.

Beginnings

DELAG share certificate, 1910

DELAG was founded at the suggestion of Alfred Colsman, the business manager of Zeppelin Luftschiffbau. The company was having difficulty in obtaining orders from the German Army, so Colsman suggested exploiting the German public's enthusiastic interest by establishing a commercial passenger-carrying company.

Frankfurt am Main and Düsseldorf, while a number of other cities constructed their own airship sheds at their own expense.[citation needed
]

The first zeppelin to be constructed for the company was

Teutoburger forest. Despite the zeppelin's loss, the incident only resulted in a single injury.[6]

The destruction of the Deutschland left DELAG with only a single operational airship, LZ 6, which had been constructed during the previous year with the hope of its being bought by the army; it was subsequently enlarged and modified for passenger-carrying purpose. Operating from Baden-Baden, successful flights were made almost daily between late August and mid-September but, on 14 September, it was destroyed in a fire while in its hangar. It was insured, and DELAG could complete its next ship, LZ 8 Deutschland II.[7]

LZ 7 Deutschland

For the new season, flights lasting between 90 minutes and two hours were offered for a price of 200 Dm. Deutschland II was completed on 30 March 1911, and arrived at Düsseldorf on 11 April. However, its service life would be very brief as, little more than a month of service, it was caught by a gust while being walked out of its hangar on 16 May: it was driven onto a 15 m (50 ft) high windbreak and broke its back. The passengers had to be rescued using fire ladders. Hugo Eckener, the captain, attributed the accident to his "weak-kneed" decision to let the eagerness of the passengers to fly overcome his reluctance to take the ship out in the existing conditions.[8]

The company's fortunes changed with its next airship, the LZ 10 Schwaben. Completed on 26 June and delivered to DELAG on 15 July, it carried 1,553 paying passengers during its career. Initially based at Baden Baden, in addition to the pleasure cruises a number of long-distance flights were made, carrying passengers to Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and eventually to Berlin.[9] LZ 11 Viktoria Luise,[10] named after the Kaiser's daughter, entered service on 4 March 1912. On 28 June 1912 Schwaben was destroyed in a hangar fire attributed to static electricity produced by its rubberised cotton gasbags, but was soon replaced by LZ 13 Hansa, which was completed on 30 July. These airships were also used by the Imperial German Navy for crew training, with the Navy crews operating passenger flights.[11] In 1913, LZ 17 Sachsen was added to the fleet.[citation needed]

By July 1914, one month prior to the start of the First World War, DELAG's Zeppelins had transported a total of 34,028 passengers on 1,588 commercial flights; over these trips, the fleet had accumulated 172,535 kilometres across 3,176 hours of flight.[12][13]

The First World War and immediate aftermath

Shortly after the start of the

German Army
.

Following the conflict's end, DELAG quickly set about relaunching its commercial zeppelin operations. Initially, the company intended to use both LZ 120 Bodensee and LZ 121 Nordstern to help reconnect the cities of Europe. LZ 120 begun flights between Friedrichshafen and

Berlin-Staaken with a stopover in Munich. However, DELAG was delivered a major setback when both airships were surrendered to the Allies during 1921 as a part of Germany's war reparations: LZ 120 was delivered to Italy and was re-christened Esperia, while LZ 121 became France's Méditerranée before it could ever enter service with DELAG.[citation needed
]

Even more damning was a stipulation in the

US$600,000 at the time,[17] or $11 million in 2018 dollars[18]), was raised via public subscription, while the government granted over ℛℳ 1 million ($4 million) for the project.[19][20]

Launch of Transatlantic services

Flown picture postcard from the "First North American Flight" of the D-LZ127 (1928)
Further information on DELAG's transatlantic services: LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin § First intercontinental passenger airship flight, and LZ 129 Hindenburg § First commercial passenger flight

On 18 September 1928, the completed

Lakehurst Field, New Jersey, on 15 October. During 1931, the Graf Zeppelin began offering regular scheduled passenger service between Germany and South America which continued until 1937. During its career, Graf Zeppelin crossed the South Atlantic 136 times.[22] The airship also performed numerous record-breaking flights, including a successful circumnavigation of the globe.[23]

Political restructuring

DELAG's fortunes were greatly influenced by the rise of the

Ernst Lehmann, who was less opposed to the Nazi regime, operated the DZR himself.[25]

The DZR's fleet included not only the ex-DELAG LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin, but several newer and larger zeppelins, including the

LZ 130 Graf Zeppelin II. Following the high-profile Hindenburg disaster on 6 May 1937, the fortunes of the zeppelin sharply declined. During 1938, Luftschiffbau Zeppelin was compelled to terminate Zeppelin manufacturing, while all operations of existing airships ceased within two years.[26] The frames of Graf Zeppelin and Graf Zeppelin II, along with scrap material from the Hindenburg, were subsequently scrapped that same year for their materials, which were used to fulfil wartime demands for fixed-wing military aircraft for the Luftwaffe.[27]

During 2001, a modern firm also named Deutsche Zeppelin Reederei was established as a subsidiary of

Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik GmbH (ZLT). It operates the Zeppelin NT airships from Friedrichshafen at Lake Constance, mainly for sightseeing flights around Germany
.

Airships

Prior to World War I:

Following World War I:

In March 1935 the LZ 127 was transferred to the newly founded Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei company, which also received as start capital the Hindenburg, which was at the time under construction.

References

Citations

  1. ^ "DELAG: The World's First Airline". airships.net. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  2. ^ "Zeppelin-Wegbereiter des Weltluftverkehrs", 1966.
  3. ^ Swinfield 2012, pp. 237-239.
  4. ^ a b Robinson 1975, p. 52.
  5. ^ Robinson 1975, p. 55.
  6. ^ Robinson 1975, p. 56.
  7. ^ Robinson 1975, p. 57.
  8. ^ Robinson 1975, p. 58.
  9. ^ Robinson 1975, p. 59.
  10. ^ Gunter Stemmler: 100 Jahre Luftschiffhafen Rebstock - Rhein-Main-Flughafen 1912-2012, in: Archiv für hessische Geschichte und Altertumskunde, 70, 2012, pp. 427-430.
  11. ^ Robinson 1975, p. 61.
  12. ^ "Zeppelin-Wegbereiter des Weltluftverkehrs", 1966.
  13. ^ Marsh, W Lockwood (3 January 1930). "Twenty-One Years of Airship Progress". Flight: 87–88.
  14. ^ Robinson 1975, p. 259.
  15. ^ Lindley, John M (1978). "Commercial Aviation and the Mastery of Transoceanic Flight". Naval Aviation News. Chief of Naval Operations: 36–37.
  16. ^ Vaeth (1958), pp. 44–45.
  17. ^ "Exchange Rates Between the United States Dollar and Forty-one Currencies". Measuring Worth.
  18. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  19. ^ Robinson (1975), p. 261.
  20. ^ "New German Airship – A visit to the works at Friedrichshafen". News. The Times. No. 44851. London. 26 March 1928. col E, p. 8.
  21. ^ "Largest Zeppelin". News. The Times. No. 45002. London. 19 September 1928. col F, p. 14.
  22. ^ "Graf Zeppelin History". airships.net. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  23. ^ Swinfield 2012, pp. 237-239.
  24. ^ Lehmann 1937, pp. 323–332.
  25. ^ Robinson 1975, p. 282.
  26. ^ Robinson 1975, p. 295.
  27. ^ Mooney 1972, p. 262.

Bibliography

External links
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