| LZ 31 (L 6) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| LZ 31 bombing Royal Navy ships after the Cuxhaven Raid, 1914 | |
| Role | M-class reconnaissance-bomber rigid airship |
| National origin | German Empire |
| Manufacturer | Luftschiffbau Zeppelin |
| Designer | Ludwig Dürr |
| First flight | 3 November 1914 |
| Retired | Caught fire and destroyed, 16 September 1916 |
| Primary user | Imperial German Navy |
| Number built | 1 |
The Imperial German Navy Zeppelin LZ 31 (L 6) was an M-class World War I Zeppelin.
Throughout the career of the Imperial German Navy Airship LZ 31 took part in 36 reconnaissance missions around the North Sea. This included marking minefields and one raid on the United Kingdom, dropping 700 kg (1,500 lb) of bombs.
The Raid on Cuxhaven was a British ship-based air-raid on the Imperial German Navy complex at Cuxhaven mounted on Christmas Day, 1914. After the raid Zeppelin LZ 31 set off to find the attacking naval force the aircraft came from. After retrieving the aircraft, the Navy force attempted to return to base but HMS Empress was left behind. High enough that the Royal Navy ship's guns could not harm it, LZ 31 dropped bombs on HMS Empress but none of the airship's bombs hit their mark. [1]
On 16 September 1916 the airship was in its hangar at Fuhlsbüttel undergoing inflation when it caught fire and was destroyed with Zeppelin LZ 36. [2]
Data from Zeppelin : rigid airships, 1893-1940, [3] The Zeppelin Airships - Part Two: Zeppelins of the Great War 1914–1918 [4]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
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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.
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The Imperial German Army Zeppelin LZ 43 was a P-class World War I zeppelin. While taking part in a bombing raid of the United Kingdom the Airship was hit by AA fire and it crashed outside of Ostend, Belgium on 10 August 1915. While being towed into the harbour, it burst into fire.
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.
LZ 72 was an R Class super-zeppelin belonging to the Imperial German Navy. It was commanded by Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Mathy, an experienced commander, and took part in several raids over London during World War I. It also participated in a reconnaissance role during the Sunderland raid of 19 August 1916. Its last flight was launched late at night on 1 October 1916. Several miles north of London, it was caught in searchlights and anti-aircraft fire. During this engagement, 2nd Lt. Wulstan J. Tempest was on patrol and spotted the zeppelin. He proceeded to engage the airship with incendiary rounds, causing the ship to burst into flames and crash in a field near Potter's Bar. The entire crew died, and were originally buried there but were transported to Cannock Chase in the 1960s. After this disastrous crash, the Imperial German Navy began reducing the number of zeppelin raids.
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.
Zeppelin LZ 55 was a P-class Zeppelin of the Imperial German Army in World War I. It was shot down by the old British pre-dreadnough battleship HMS Agamemnon in 1916 during Salonika campaign
M2-class zeppelin LZ 32, given tactical number L 7, was a rigid airship operated by the Kaiserliche Marine, which flew 164 times, including 77 reconnaissance missions over the North Sea, with several unsuccessful attempts to attack English coastal towns. Brought down on 4 May 1916 by anti-aircraft fire from HMS Phaeton and HMS Galatea, she was destroyed by Royal Navy submarine HMS E31 off Horns Reef.
The Imperial German Navy Zeppelin LZ 112, given the tactical number L 70, was an x-class / L70-class World War I zeppelin of the Imperial German Navy.
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.
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.
The Imperial German Navy Zeppelin LZ 24 was a M-class World War I zeppelin.
The Imperial German Navy Zeppelin LZ 29 was an M-class World War I Zeppelin.
