| LZ 95 (L 48) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| History | |
 German Empire | |
| Name | LZ 95 |
| Operator | Imperial German Navy |
| Builder | Luftschiffbau Zeppelin |
| Maiden voyage | 22 May 1917 |
| Identification | LZ 95 (L 48) |
| Fate | Shot down, 17 June 1917 |
Zeppelin LZ 95 (L 48) was a U-class zeppelin of the Imperial German Military.
One successful reconnaissance mission. L 48 and its U-class sister Airships were designed to fly as high as 20,000 feet (6,100 m). [1]
L 48 joined attempted attack on London with 4 other Zeppelins, L 42, L 44, L 45 and L 47. [1] Commanded by George Eichler, on his thirteenth raid, it became lost and was intercepted and destroyed by Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12, serial No. 6110, [2] flown by Canadian pilot Second Lieutenant Loudon Pierce Watkins. [1] He was attached to No. 37 Squadron of British Royal Flying Corps (RFC) fighters. Watkins enlisted with his three brothers. He had been based in the UK, as home defence, since 11 December 1916. [3] Watkins shot down L 48 over water near Great Yarmouth on 17 June 1917 but it crashed near Theberton, Suffolk, a village near the town of Leiston. Three survivors; crew buried at St Peter's Church, Theberton, later to be exhumed and reburied at Cannock Chase.
Of the seven Zeppelins lost over England that were shot down in 1917 during the First World War, L 48 was the only one shot down by the RFC's Home defense. [4]
Data from Zeppelin : rigid airships, 1893-1940 [5]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Airships made about 51 bombing raids on Britain during the war. These killed 557 and injured another 1,358 people. More than 5,000 bombs were dropped (largely on towns and cities) across Britain, causing £1.5 million (equivalent to £128,500,000in 2023) in damage. 84 airships took part, of which 30 were shot down or lost in accidents. [6]
| Zeppelins shot down over the UK | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Notes
References
A German air campaign of the First World War was carried out against Britain. After several attacks by seaplanes, the main campaign began in January 1915 with airships. Until the Armistice the Marine-Fliegerabteilung and Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches mounted over fifty bombing raids. The raids were generally referred to in Britain as Zeppelin raids but Schütte-Lanz airships were also used.
The Zeppelin R Class was a type of rigid airship developed by Zeppelin Luftschiffbau in 1916 for use by the Imperial German Navy and the German Army for bombing and naval patrol work. Introduced in July 1916 at a time when British air defences were becoming increasingly capable, several were lost in the first months of operation, leading the Germans to reconsider their technical requirements and eventually to develop airships capable of bombing from a greater height. Most surviving examples were modified to meet these requirements, by reducing weight at the expense of performance. A total of 17 were built.
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 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.
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 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 reinterred at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery in the 1960s. After this disastrous crash, the Imperial German Navy began reducing the number of zeppelin raids.
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.
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 24 was a M-class World War I zeppelin.
