LZ 112 was the first of three Zeppelins of the x-class built for the Imperial German Navy. The third and last of the x-class, Dixmude made its first flight on 9 July 1920 and was surrendered to the French authorities four days later.[1]
Final bombing raid
Peter StrasserAirco DH.4 like this shot down LZ 112
On 28 November 1916 a new commander of the Zeppelin force was appointed by imperial decree Peter Strasser "Leader of Airships" (Führer der Luftschiffe; F.d.L.). He was instrumental in the development of long-range bombing and the development of the rigid airship as an efficient, high altitude, all-weather aircraft. He was a major proponent of the doctrine of bombing attacks on civilian as well as military targets, to serve both as propaganda and as a means of diverting resources from the front line.
We who strike the enemy where his heart beats have been slandered as 'baby killers' ... Nowadays, there is no such animal as a noncombatant. Modern warfare is total warfare.
As such late in the war Strasser planned a five Zeppelin raid on the United Kingdom. The raid would be dynamic with the exact target changing depending on the weather. His orders were to attack south or middle England hoping to even reach London. On the afternoon of 5 August 1918, LZ 112 took off from Friedrichshafen with four other airships. They headed for the east coast of England, timing their flight to arrive off the coast just after dark. The commander of LZ 112 was FregattenkapitänPeter Strasser, the Führer der Luftschiffe ("Leader of Airships", the commander of all Naval airships). However, the airship squadron was spotted out at sea by the Leman Tail lightship, which signalled their course and position to the Admiralty. [3]
British RAF Major Egbert Cadbury was attending a charity concert at which his wife was performing when an RAF orderly found him. Cadbury drove back to the airfield, where he was informed that three Zeppelins had been reported about 50 miles (80km) to the north-east, and knowing there was only one aircraft available, an Airco DH.4, he grabbed his flying kit and ran for it, beating a rival pilot to the cockpit by a split-second. With Captain Robert Leckie in the rear gunner's seat, Cadbury climbed up to over 16,000 feet (4,900m) by jettisoning his reserve fuel and some small bombs, where he saw three Zeppelins ahead and above him. He later recounted:[4]
At 22.20 we had climbed to 16,400 feet and I attacked the Zeppelin ahead slightly to the port so as to clear any obstruction that might be suspended from the airship. It was a most fascinating sight – awe inspiring – to see this enormous Zeppelin blotting the whole sky above one. The tracers ignited the escaping gas, the flames spreading rapidly and turning the airship into a fireball in less than a minute. The LZ 112 dived headlong into the clouds. It was one of the most terrifying sights I have ever seen to see this huge machine hurtling down with all those crew on board.[4]
Cadbury and Leckie, and another pilot Lieutenant Ralph Edmund Keys, then attacked and damaged another Zeppelin, which promptly turned tail and headed for home.[4] All three received the Distinguished Flying Cross.[5]
These airmen, Cadbury & Leckie, had already shot down two Zeppelins: prior to LZ 112, Cadbury had downed L 21 and Leckie, L 22. [6]
Specifications
Data from Zeppelin: rigid airships, 1893-1940,[7][1]
1Early Army designations, used pre-war. 2Wartime Army LZ designations were not always matched to Zeppelin's LZ hull number.
Related Research Articles
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Ferdinand von Zeppelin who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874 and developed in detail in 1893. They were patented in Germany in 1895 and in the United States in 1899. After the outstanding success of the Zeppelin design, the word zeppelin came to be commonly used to refer to all forms of rigid airships. Zeppelins were first flown commercially in 1910 by Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-AG (DELAG), the world's first airline in revenue service. By mid-1914, DELAG had carried over 10,000 fare-paying passengers on over 1,500 flights. During World War I, the German military made extensive use of Zeppelins as bombers and as scouts. Numerous bombing raids on Britain resulted in over 500 deaths.
Peter Strasser was chief commander of German Imperial Navy Zeppelins during World War I, the main force operating bombing campaigns from 1915 to 1917. He was killed when flying the German Empire's last airship raid over the United Kingdom.
Major Sir Egbert "Bertie" Cadbury was a British businessman, a member of the Cadbury family, who as a First World War pilot shot down two Zeppelins over the North Sea: L.21 on 28 November 1916, and L.70 on 6 August 1918: the latter while flying a De Havilland DH.4 with Robert Leckie as observer/gunner.
The LZ 61 was a World War I German Navy airship, allocated the tactical numbering 'L 21'. It carried out a total of ten raids on England, and 17 reconnaissance missions.
The Imperial German Navy Zeppelin LZ 48 was a P-class World War I zeppelin.
The Imperial German Navy Zeppelin LZ 53 was a P-class World War I zeppelin.
Zeppelin LZ 38 was Zeppelin P Class airship of the German Imperial Army. It was the first to bomb London, United Kingdom.
The LZ 85, tactical number L 45, also known as Zeppelin of Laragne by the French public, was a World War I R-Class zeppelin of the German Navy that carried out a total of 27 flights, including 3 raids on England and 12 reconnaissance missions.
LZ 17 Sachsen was the fourth Type H improved Schwaben-class Zeppelin that first flew on 3 May 1913 and operated as a passenger airship with DELAG until WWI, when it was commandeered for service with the Imperial German Army. After being transferred to the Imperial German Navy, LZ17 was dismantled in 1916.
The Imperial German Navy Zeppelin LZ 31 was an M-class World War I Zeppelin.
The Zeppelin LZ 23 was the 2nd improved L-class Zeppelin, and the eleventh airship of the Imperial German Army, first flown on 21 February 1914 and shot-down by anti-aircraft fire on 23 August 1914.
The Imperial German Navy Zeppelin LZ 64, given the tactical number L 22, was a Q-class / L20-class World War I zeppelin of the Imperial German Navy.
The Imperial German Army Zeppelin LZ 76 (L-m33) was a R-class World War I zeppelin.
The Imperial German Army Zeppelin LZ 78 (L-34) was a R-class World War I zeppelin.
Zeppelin LZ 89 was an R-class zeppelin of the Imperial German Navy. After a short career during the World War I it ran out of fuel during a mission and was deliberately crashed.
Zeppelin LZ 95 was a U-class zeppelin of the Imperial German Military.
LZ 74 was an R Class super-zeppelin belonging to the Imperial German Navy.
The Imperial German Army Zeppelin LZ 80 (L-35) was a R-class World War I zeppelin.
The Imperial German Navy Zeppelin LZ 86 (L-39) was a R-class World War I zeppelin.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
