Category:Zeppelins

1927 commentary

In 1927 the Zeppelin Company (Luftschiffbau- Zeppelin) had resumed work at the factory at Friedrichshafen by the production of standard parts for the construction of a new airship, and a vessel of some 3,710,000 cu. ft. capacity, designated L.Z.127, was constructed.

The airship, which is best known by the name of "Graf Zeppelin," was completed in 1928, and launched on September 18. Many notable flights were accomplished and, later, a regular transatlantic service was operated. On October 11, 1923, the airship left Friedrichshafen for Lakehurst, N.J., U.S.A., with a crew of 40 and 20 passengers, under the command of Dr. Eckener. In spite of unfavourable weather the journey of approximately 5,000 miles was completed in 4 days and 155 hours. During the summer of 1929 the "Graf Zeppelin" made a remarkable flight round the world. This flight started from Lakehurst on August 8, when, passing via the Azores, the Scilly Islands and Paris, the airship reached Friedrichshafen in the then record time of 55.5 hours. From thence the vessel flew direct to Tokyo, a distance of nearly 7,000 miles in 101.75 hours. After a short stay at Tokyo, the journey to Los Angeles across the Pacific, a distance of 5,400 miles was covered in about 79 hours, and the final stage to Lakehurst across the North American continent, some 3,000 miles, was undertaken in under 52 hours. The total distance traversed on this remarkable journey was estimated at about 21,500 miles, and the whole time occupied was just three weeks, of which only about twelve and a half days were actually spent in the air, the resulting average flying speed being about 78 m.p.h. The performances of the "Graf Zeppelin" served as an indication of the reliability and safety in operation which could be obtained by a rigid airship, and they provided evidence of the advanced stage which had been reached in the development of that type of aircraft. The use of airships in commercial air transport will be considered in the next chapter.

— , M.J.B. Davy, , Interpretative History of Flight, , 1937