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The Zeppelin Company Today

ZEPPELIN was the name given to the duralumin-internal-framed, dirigibles invented by the persistent Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. The LZ1 made its initial flight from a floating hanger on Lake Constance, near Friedrichshafen in Southern Germany, on 2 July 1900.

The Zeppelins were used in both war and peace. In the era before the widespread use of the airplane, they were used for aerial excursions in Germany and made regularly scheduled passenger flights across the Atlantic to Brazil and the United States. In demonstration flights, the Graf Zeppelin traveled to the Arctic and to Palestine, and also circumnavigated the globe. The U.S. Navy acquired a Zeppelin as part of its own dirigible program.

Zeppelins logged in over a million miles of passenger travel without loss of life. The tragic destruction of the "Hindenburg" (LZ129) on 6 May 1937, and the onset of WW2 marked their demise. The last of the Zeppelins, the "Graf Zeppelin II" (LZ130), was subsequently restricted to military use and, along with the globe-trotting "Graf Zeppelin" (LZ127), was dismantled in 1940.

In 1994, the Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik GMBH in Friedrichshafen announced plans to test new technology in the construction and manuvering of passenger / cargo-carrying dirigibles. Preliminary tests were completed and, at this writing, construction is almost completed on the fullscale Zeppelin LZ N07, scheduled for flight test in early 1997.

From: Eric Brothers
Subject: Zeppelin NT to grow in size:

A reliable report out of Germany last week says that the Zeppelin NT is growing by 6.5 meters to an approximate length of 75m. Through this, the approx. volume is increasing from 7,200 cu. m. to 8,200 cu. m. The larger dimensions are achieved through an additional cylindrical element near the airship's maximum girth.

The official report explains the addition is being made in response to end-users' needs for greater payload capacity and for sufficient fuel reserves for longer flights.

There will be no need for additional type approval, which is being accomplished under the current prototype status.

The enlarged airship is still scheduled to make its debut at AERO 97 next spring. When weather conditions permit, the airship is to be flown from its construction site to a mast at the Friedrichshafen airport (in nearby Lowenthal) from where test flights will begin.

The airship's envelope, made by ILC-Dover, is already at Friedrichshafen. An additional connecting piece is being fabricated to cover the ship's lengthened mid section. This will be installed on site in the manner previously devised for connecting the fore and aft sections of envelope over the rigid framework.

From: Jacob Munkhammar
Subject: Zeppelin NT

From the German quarterly magazine "FORM - Zeitschrift für Gestaltung", issue 154/155, 2/3 1996. Written by Armin Scharf.:

"From next year on, there will be a new roar in the sky. For from 1997 onwards a Zeppelin will once again float through the air, bringing back to life a principle regarded dead for around 60 years. But only the name, the principle of the frame for rigidity and the overall shape of the "Zeppelin NT" are reminiscent of its huge ancestors which once flew half way around the globe. The technology, materials and construction of the "NT" in contrast are highly modern - and promise to make the airship an interesting, environmentally friendly and spectacular aircraft of the future. A first glance at the as yet "unwrapped" ship is available from 2nd July - then, namely, the new Zeppelin museum will be opened at the Friedrichshafen port after many years conversion work. The special highlight of the museum: an accurate reconstruction of a segment of the LZ 129 "Hindenburg" which crashed in 1937. More about the Zeppelin in the next form."

Additions & corrections are welcomed!

Eckener, Hugo

Italiaander, Rolf

Goldsmith, Margaret

Guttery, Thomas Ewart

Meyer, Henry Cord

Nielsen, Thor

Payne, Lee

Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (b. 8 July 1838, Constance, Baden - d. 8 March 1917, Charlottenburg, near Berlin) was persistent and indefatigueable in his pursuit of his goal to construct a dirigible for Germany.

Hugo Eckener (b. 10 August 1869, Flensburg, Prussia - d. 14 August 1954, Friedrichshafen) joined Count Zeppelin in developing the rigid airship, helped train pilots, and popularized airship travel. He was amiable, courageous, thoughtful, and a first-class pilot.

BODENSEE / VELOTOURS

CITY OF ZEPPELINS: FRIEDRICHSHAFEN - AN ARTICLEARRY

A I R S H I P - l i s t

An unmoderated list for the discussion of topics pertaining to lighter-than-air (helium/hydrogen) gas-filled airships: dirigibles, blimps, balloons. Both contemporary and historical aspects are welcome. Subjects covered include Zeppelins, U.S. Navy airships, British dirigibles, and the like.

Should you wish to subscribe yourself to this list, send a message to:

with the subject line being blank and the content of your message being:

Should you wish to unsubscribe yourself to this list, follow the above instructions but substitute the word "unsubscribe" for "subscribe" in the message.

This is the first time I've undertaken a list. The beginning may be a bit shaky so hang in there while we get this list off the ground. Announced: 4 January 1996.

ALTA VISTA

INFOSEEK

LYCOS

OPEN TEXT INDEX

AIR SHIP AND ZEPPELINS

AIRSHIP AND BLIMP RESOURCES

AIRSHIP ASSOCIATION

AKRON (ZRS-4)

DELFT OUTLOOK 94.3

HINDENBURG DISASTER (AUDIO)

HUGO ECKENER: A HISTORY

LIGHTER-THAN-AIR SOCIETY

LUFTSCHIFFE: SILBERBERNE ZIGARREN

S C H Ü T T E - L A N Z

UP SHIP!

ZEPPELIN-GESCHICHTE: KÜHLSCHRANK UND SCHLAFZIMMER

ZEPPELIN LIBRARY ARCHIVE

ZEPPELIN NT MODEL AT AVIATION FAIR AERO

ZEPPELIN: RISE AND FALL OF A COMPANY

Z E P P E L I N G R A P H I C S

ANDREW HESS: ILLUSTRATION & ANIMATION

FLY HIGH WITH ZEPPELIN

INSIDE THE GRAF ZEPPELIN

LUFTSCHIFF: ZEPPELIN COMBAT

27 Jul 1995 / [email protected] / Don Campbell:

The first of three presentations from Zeppelin Luftschfftecknik focused on their experience gaining compliance to FAA and German air administration rules and regs fro airships. This presentation offered the closest thing to an overall design review of the projected LZ NT (New Technology) airship series. One of the design goals of the Zepp ship is to eliminate the need for a ballast system, this placed new considerations to the existing certification process, encouraging Zeppelin and the German authorities to develop a new set of criteria for certification of their ship.

The first of the new Zeppelins to be built, the LZ N07 will be a full scale prototype of the company's innovative semi-ridig approach to modern airship design. The N07 envelope is built around a triangular structural frame, inscribed within the circumference of the hull fabric. 3 horizontal spars or longerons run the entire length of the envelope connecting the vertices of the 11 vertical triangular trusses, which are also supported by other internal cross-bracing. All of the dirigible's control surfaces and propulsion units as well as the gondola are supported by the ships rigid frame.

Helium is contained within the envelop in three separate cells. Overall displacement is listed at 7,200 cubic meters for a gross lift of 6,950 kg. Zeppelin projects a a payload capacity of 1,850 kg, and the gondola will carry 14; 2 crew and up to 12 passengers.

Two forward propellors vectorable to 120 degrees and with reversible pitch control. In the after, a single engine drives two props, a large vectorable fan facing to the rear or straight down, and a smaller prop horizontally mounted at ninety degrees to the centerline.

THE HINDENBURG (The History Channel/A&E, 1996)

ZURUCK ZUM ZEPPELIN & DAS LUFTSCHIFF-SPEKTAKEL (Format NZZ, 1996)

I've often wondered if the flights of the Zeppelins inspired classical music. Thus far I haven't found any. If you known of any genre of music inspired by these or any other airships, please let me know. Thank you.

----- GERMANY -----

Deutsches Museum
Museuminsel 1
D-80306 Munchen 22
GERMANY

Weilburg Museum
Schlossplatz 1
D-6290 Weilburg
Hessen

North of Frankfurt-A-M. LZ5 (Z11) had crashed there in 1910. The majority of the museum is concerned with the local mining industry and the airship exhibit was confined to onewall of one room. There are six structural parts on show covering about 4' x 3' of wall. At the top an approx 4' long bit of a triangular longeron then an obviously heavily stressed longeron piece where a tubular section joined it then three nondescript structural pieces and a control-cable pulley. There were 15 large photos of the wreck, a number of which I had seen in various Zeppelin histories. There were a number of good large photos taken after the crash and during the dismantling of the ship (with axes!). There were also some pieces of the structure on show but I couldn't identify their position in the airship -- Peter White

Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen Technik and Kunst
Seestrasse 22
D-88045
Friedrichshafen
GERMANY

Tel: (49) (0)7541-38010
Fax: (49) (0)7541-380180

The museum will be inagurated at its new premises on 2 July 96. Display space 4000 square meters. The main attraction will be a 40 meter long partial reconstruction of LZ 129 Hindenburg (to scale) on the basis of the original construction plans.

Zeppelin-Museum Heinz Urban
Schlosspltaz 8
D-88709 Meersburg
GERMANY

Freundeskries zur Foerderung des Zeppelin-Museums e.V.
Postfach 1448
D-88004 Friedrichshafen
GERMANY

Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH
LZ-Gelande, PO Box 2540
D-88045 Friedrichshafen 1
GERMANY

Marine-Luftschiffer-Kameradschaft
Kurt Puzicha
Ernst-Kabel-Steig 5a
D-22087 Hamburg
GERMANY

Zeppelin-Gruppe Tondern
Kerkheimer Str. 29a
D-65779 Kelkheim
GERMANY

Zeppelin-Kameradschaft Zeppelinheim e.V.
Elisabeth Koetter
Zeppelin-Museum Zeppelinheim
Kapitan-Lehmann-Strasse 2
D-63263 Neu-Isenburg/Zeppelinheim
GERMANY

This section under construction.

Zeppelinstitung zur Foerderung der Luftfahrt
(Zeppelin Endowment for the Propogation of Air Navigation, established 1908)

Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin, G.M.B.H.
(Zeppelin Airship Building Co., Ltd.)

airship construction

DELAG: Deutsche Luftschiffahrt A. G.
(German Airship Transportation Company)

Z E P P E L I N G R A P H I C S

Rooted in its origins and nourished by its diversity, the Zeppelin Company has a long and proud history. It has boldly weathered the storms of history to emerge as one of of Germany's industrial giants. It's current investment in the LZ N07 places it firmly at the cutting edge of airship technology.

This site was created, written, and is maintained by John Dziadecki ©1995-1996. Images and quotes not the author's remain in the copyright of the originator. Please send comments, suggestions and possible links to: [email protected]

The information contained in this page is intended for educational purposes only.