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The Development of the Airship,
with the Story of the Zepplins Air Raids in the World War
by
CAPTAIN ERNST A. LEHMANN
and
Howard MingosILLUSTRATED
I. H. SEARS & COMPANY, Inc.
Publishers New YorkCOPYRIGHT, 1927, By
J. H. SEARS & CO., INCORPORATEDCOPYRIGHT, 1927, By
THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANYMANUFACTURED COMPLETE BY THE
KINGSPORT PRESS
KINGSPORT, TENNESSEEUnited States of America
TO ALL
WHO TAKE TO THE AIR
IN SHIPS
INTRODUCTION
I had barely started work with Captain Lehmann on this, his own vivid story of the Zeppelin operations during the World War, when we discovered that we had to deal with thrilling adventure, science -- the development of a new science -- and an important chapter in the history of the great conflict, a combination of three elements each in itself quite competent to interest any reader.
Our task was thus simplified. We need not let imagination play past the bounds of truth while seeking details calculated to excite. The thrills were at hand. We had no Cause to defend, for the Cause which sent the Zeppelins on their thousands of war flights ceased to exist on November 11th, 1918. As for the story, it would write itself as swiftly as we might put the facts on paper. There remained simply the chronological arrangement, with that accuracy which both history and science demand.
Not content with his own notes and his memory, Captain Lehmann sought further accuracy among official records of the Allied Governments as well as those in Germany. The facts were then checked with personal accounts of other Zeppelin commanders and war leaders and with statements contained in various books published in England, France and Germany.
The narrative is personal, largely the experiences of a naval architect who joined Count Zeppelin's staff early in 1913, captained Zeppelins prior to and during the war, and who, as this is written, is Assistant Manager of the Zeppelin organization which is now completing its 117th airship. The operation of this leviathan of the skies will be observed with intense interest by the increasing numbers of persons who are confident that the future of the rigid airship is particularly promising out on the airways of a world at peace.
NEW York, Sept. 11TH, 1927
HOWARD MINGOS
I. GERMAN AIRSHIPS PREPARE FOR WAR
II. AIR RAIDS DURING THE SIEGE OF ANTWERP
III. REASONS FOR THE LONDON RAIDS
IV. WITH HINDENBURG ON THE EASTERN FRONT
V. GROWTH OF THE NAVAL AIRSHIP SERVICE
VI. THE NORTH SEA PATROL
-- THE ZEPPELINS AT JUTLANDVII. WINTER RAIDS OVER ENGLAND
-- EFFICIENCY OF THE NEW SHIPSVIII. ATTACKS ON LONDON
THE ALLIES FIGHT FIRE WITH FIREIX. DEVELOPENT OF THE FIGHTING ZEPPELIN
ENCOUNTERS WITH STORMS LIGHTNINGX. AIRSHIPS VERSUS AIRPLANES
FIGHTING
A RUSSIAN WINTERXI RAIDS IN THE BALKANS
THE NAVY TAKES OVER ALL AIRSHIP OPERATIONSXII THE FIRST ENDURANCE FLIGHT
THE ZEPPELIN AS A SUPPLY SHIP
ILL WINDSXIII. IMPROVEMENTS FORCED BY DISASTERS
THE ARMY ZEPPELIN RECORD
PLANS FOR EXPANSIONXIV TRAGEDIES OF THE AIR
THE AIRPLANE MENACE
SUPER-ZEPPELINSXV THE NAVAL AIRSHIP RECORD
PLANS FOR A TRANSATLANTIC SERVICEXVI. POSTWAR DEVELOPMENTS
ACCIDENTS
THE LOS ANGELES
THE FUTURE
