Zeppelin LZ 76

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LZ 76 (L 33)
Imperial German Army Zeppelin LZ 76 brought down near a cottage in Essex
Role R-class reconnaissance-bomber rigid airship
National origin German Empire
Manufacturer Luftschiffbau Zeppelin
Designer Ludwig Dürr
First flight 30 August 1916
Primary user Imperial German Navy
Number built 1

The Imperial German Army Zeppelin LZ 76 (L-m33) was a R-class World War I zeppelin.

Operational history

On 23 September 1916 a bombing raid was planned for London. That night, a Zeppelin group (

R34
.

Specifications (LZ 76 / Type R zeppelin)

B&W of Zeppelin skeleton
Mrs. Lewis and family photographed with the wreckage of the Zeppelin for a background
B&W of Zeppelin skeleton
One of the huge propellers
B&W of Zeppelin skeleton
Zeppelin skeleton near Little Wigborough, Essex, near New Hall Farm

Data from Zeppelin: rigid airships, 1893–1940[3]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 17-19
  • Capacity: 32,400 kg (71,430 lb) typical disposable load
  • Length: 198 m (649 ft 7 in)
  • Diameter: 23.9 m (78 ft 5 in) maximum
  • Fineness ratio: 8.24
  • Volume: 55,200 m3 (1,950,000 cu ft) in 19 gas cells
  • Empty weight: 31,400 kg (69,225 lb)
  • Gross weight: 32,908 kg (72,550 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 6,250 kg (13,779 lb)
  • Useful lift: 63,800 kg (140,700 lb)
  • Powerplant: 5 ×
    Maybach HS Lu
    6-cylinder water-cooled in-line piston engines, 180 kW (240 hp) each
  • Propellers: 4-bladed Lorenzen fixed-pitch propellers

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 103 km/h (64 mph, 56 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 81 km/h (50 mph, 44 kn)
  • Range: 7,400 km (4,600 mi, 4,000 nmi) at 81 km/h (50 mph; 44 kn)
  • Service ceiling: 3,900 m (12,800 ft) static
  • Rate of climb: 10 m/s (2,000 ft/min) maximum permitted (r-class)

Armament

  • Guns: machine-guns in hull-top positions and gondolas
  • Bombs: up to 60 bombs to a total of 5,000 kg (11,023 lb)

Dirigibles shot down over the UK

Airships made about 51 bombing raids on Britain during the war. These killed 557 and injured another 1,358 people. More than 5,000 bombs were dropped (largely on towns and cities) across Britain, causing £1.5 million (equivalent to £108,200,000 in 2021) in damage. 84 airships took part, of which 30 were shot down or lost in accidents.[4]

See also

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ Classen 2017, pp. 220–222.
  2. ^ Guttman 2018, p. 70.
  3. ^ Brooks 1992, pp. 95–99.
  4. ^ Liddell Hart 1934, p. 76.

Bibliography

  • Brooks, Peter W. (1992). Zeppelin: Rigid Airships, 1893–1940. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. .
  • Classen, Adam (2017). Fearless: The Extraordinary Untold Story of New Zealand's Great War Airmen. Massey University Press. .
  • Guttman, Jon (2018). Zeppelin vs British Home Defence 1915–18. .
  • .