by John Stafford
When Count Zeppelin flew his first Zeppelin over Friedrichshaven on July 2, 1900, it was powered by Mayback diesels. The LZ-2 test flew at Lake Constance and it was here that other experimental airships were housed. The British Airforce developed equally redoubtable airships that contended with the German King of the Air. While reviewing the arrival of the Graf Zeppelin in 1905/1906 on a recovered film one is also given a view of the British equivalent. The R-101 a rigid airship had at least four outrigged Jaguar push-pull diesel engines and was at least able to cruise above 90 miles an hour. The RC series of British airships were semi-rigid and very successful.
Diesels were used in both to give them operational speeds of in excess of 60 mph and cruising altitudes, which even today are, still classified Top Secret. A recent altitude record of 8,000 meters (8 kilometers) (26,247 feet msl) was made by a Russian hot air dirigible. Recent building of a diesel aero engine has been announced with great fervor. Other critics have pointed out the fuel problems that diesel encounter when operating in extreme cold and infer that altitudes above 18,000 MSL may cause serious engine malfunction. It is of interest to note that until late in World War I there were no aircraft possessing a gasoline engine powerful enough to catch any Zeppelin or RC.
The average number of diesel engines possessed by the German Zeppelin were four (4) 210 horsepower Mayback diesels. These were able to push and pull the giant airship forwards, backwards, starboard and port. The range of Air Defense Artillery of the time was at least 22,000 – 30,000. Zeppelins were safe from the threat of English AAA most of the time. The average Zeppelin was 531 feet long and 61 feet in diameter, possessed both a reconnaissance fighter aircraft and an emergency “mini” airship of approximately 100 – 120 feet in length. They bristled with machineguns and were a serious threat to any interceptor aircraft that attempted to attack.


The American Navy took the plans and materials of the Zeppelin designed airship as part of Germany’s war debt for the First World War and proceeded to build its impressive and fated fleet. The Americans, unlike, it is rumored, the fascist Nazi government, used helium as the lift gas instead of hydrogen; however, this did not protect them for the disasters to come. All but one Zeppelin (the USNAS Los Angeles) survived until it was decommissioned. The USNAS Akron was destroyed when it flew through a “wet vapor” storm it is alleged. During the same the time an Italian Zeppelin caught fire and was destroyed in a storm even though it used helium, as did the American Navy ships.
The fates of the USNAS Akron and the USNAS Macon according to the “unclassified” accident reports occurred when both were involved in very nasty storms. The Akron went down in 1933 with all but four crewmembers lost. The Macon went down in 1937 losing only two crewmembers out of eighty-four. Stability was lost when each lost the use of their horizontal stabilizers in almost identical and simultaneous circumstances. The Hindenburg in 1937 burned in New Jersey when it is alleged that the hydrogen that gave it lift accidentally caught fire. Significant facts not brought to light with the Hindenburg destruction was that it used helium not hydrogen. Strong evidence retrieved from the crash indicated sabotage. 

About the Author


John Stafford is the webmaster for http://www.diesel-generator-central.com
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