The Zeppelin Organization and Facilities Today
The Zeppelin organization today is prepared to build, deliver and
operate rigid airships for any purpose. It has under contract virtually
all the competent airship personnel in Germany. Practically all the
engineering staffs and workmen employed in developing Zeppelins have
been retained, one way or another, that they may be prepared to
guarantee satisfactory performance of any Zeppelin turned out.
Actual construction work was discontinued early in 1920. The Allied
Powers so interpreted the Treaty of Versailles that the German aircraft
industry was not able to produce ships or planes having the least
possible military value. Further restrictions were defined in the London
Ultimatum. They have been enforced by the Allied Control Commission.
Research and Development Work Continues
Notwithstanding this severe handicap, the Zeppelin organizations have
been kept intact. There has been sufficient work on motor cars, motor
boats, motors, gears, aluminum foundry work, etc. to keep the workmen
occupied. Where some of the plants have been closed, the entire
personnel has been transferred into the other active organizations. In
each branch of the Zeppelin organization design and research work on
airships and aerial navigation have continued and progressed.
Zeppelin Able to Produce All Types
Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin has been particularly active in developing as far
as possible the many ideas and inventions originating before and during
the war. Many of their new airship designs have been completed, others
partly finished. It is now possible to produce quickly any type of
commercial airship from of 700,000 to 7,000,000 cubic feet (20,000 to
2,000,000 cubic meters) capacity.
[PLATE 54: 100,000 Cubic Meter Fast Commercial Zeppelin.
Trans-Atlantic mail and express service.
CONTROL and NAVIGATION CAR PASSENGER and OFFICERS' QUARTERS
For ZEPPELIN AIRSHIP Entw. 270]
Some of the principal types for which specifications have been completed
and the performance of which are guaranteed and further, backed by more
than twenty-five years of experience, include:
Plate 51 1--A 20,000 to 30,000 cubic meter fast passenger
Zeppelin, based on the =Bodensee= performance.
Plate 52 2--A 50,000 cubic meter passenger Zeppelin for
medium distances and training purposes.
Plate 53 3--A 60,000 cubic meter fast passenger Zeppelin for
medium distances.
Plate 53-54 4--A 100,000 cubic meter trans-atlantic mail-carrying
Zeppelin.
Plate 55 5--A 135,000 cubic meter long distance passenger
Zeppelin.
Airships for national defense are available, such as scouting, long
distance patrol ships and others for mine spotting and short radius
patrol.
Guaranteed Performance Based on Actual Experience
From actual experience during the war Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin is able to
build and guarantee the performance of airplane carrying airships which
permit large or small planes being launched or taken aboard while in
flight.
Bombing and raiding airships have been developed; but on the other hand
the military development is considered of secondary importance to the
vast amount of knowledge and experience acquired for commercial airship
operations.
[PLATE 55: 135,000 Cubic Meter Fast Passenger Zeppelin.
For long distance passenger and mail service.]
Complete Airship Navigation Data Now Available
The Zeppelin Operating Company ("DELAG") have collaborated in assembling
all possible data relative to the operation and navigation of the great
rigids, with a view toward having it available for immediate use and the
instruction of other personnel when and wherever circumstances permit or
require.
Aerial transport requirements of the future have been the subject of
exhaustive study and research. Many new inventions have resulted from
this knowledge of what is necessary to realize even part of the almost
limitless possibilities in airship communication. Innumerable ideas have
been created and passed upon by experts who have decided finally as to
their practicability and financial worth.
The "DELAG," which it will be noted, is the navigating company of the
Zeppelin organization, has retained all of its 1919 personnel and has
added to it such forces as the outlook for the future seems to warrant.
The "DELAG" has about all of the qualified airship personnel in Central
Europe.
Zeppelin Organization Equipped for New Conditions
The parent company, Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin, has so arranged its
organization that it can handle any development arising from the new
situation both politically and economically.
Heretofore the management was under Director-General Alfred Colsman
alone. Today it is divided into three divisions, operating, constructing
and financial. Mr. Colsman handles the financial divisions and various
subsidiary companies. Dr. Ludwig Duerr the construction, and Dr. Hugo
Eckener the operating division which includes also the technical phases
and all outside relations, domestic and foreign. Dr. Eckener, meanwhile,
retains his position as managing Director of the "DELAG" and as one of
the Directors of the Zeppelin endowment.
[PLATE 56: 135,000 Cubic Meter Fast Passenger Zeppelin Drawing
Room.
135,000 Cubic Meter Fast Passenger Zeppelin--Stateroom.]
Considered from all angles, due to the present development and knowledge
of the science of lighter-than-air, it is possible today to provide
satisfactory airship service for any route contemplated or which may be
planned for the future.
Two and a Half Days Trans-Atlantic Service Possible
Carefully prepared calculations on some 600 flights made up and carried
out from daily weather maps of the north Atlantic on methodically
selected periods, have convinced the Zeppelin officials that a two and a
half day Zeppelin service could be maintained between Europe and
America.
Zeppelin engineers worked incessantly making the North Atlantic flights
across the weather maps. When they had completed their 600 theoretical
trips they knew as much about what actually could be done, as if they
had flown such a service for two or three years. With the exception of a
few details, easily worked out in a brief experimental period, the
Zeppelin organization could put such a service in operation at once, if
permitted.
New York-Chicago Route Difficult but Practicable
There has been considerable speculation relative to the New York-Chicago
route. Several announcements have been made that either an airplane or
airship service was about to be started. The Zeppelin engineers came to
the United States not long ago and made a preliminary survey of that
route. They based their report on a thorough examination of daily
weather maps and reports for the last thirty years and stated that a New
York-Chicago route could be operated successfully. It was pointed out
that the New York-Chicago line would assume more responsibility for the
fair name of commercial airship transport than anywhere on earth, more
so, even than the trans-atlantic route which, technically, is far less
difficult.
[PLATE 57: The "DELAG" Passenger Zeppelin "Bodensee".
The new palace at Potsdam as seen enroute.
The "DELAG" Passenger Zeppelin "Bodensee."
View of Reichstag Building and Unter den Linden, Berlin.]
When asked to cooperate in a New York-Chicago airship line, the Zeppelin
organization has consistently pointed out the many problems to be met.
Their preliminary survey shows that they can maintain a twelve hour
schedule, with almost 100% regularity in summer, from 80 to 90% in
winter, or an average yearly performance of from 93 to 96%.
Many Engineering Problems Solved
In addition, the Zeppelin organization supports its conclusion with a
fund of engineering data. Considerable research work has resulted in
solving many problems including passenger accommodations and the
structure of larger airships, improvement of the gasoline engine, the
steam turbine and the Diesel engine. They have provided for the safety
of gas containers, eliminating fire and lightning risk, even producing a
nitrogen mantle.
Gearings, reversible propellers and modern methods of ballast recovery
have been perfected or improved.
Various devices for launching ships, rotary sheds accommodating two
giant Zeppelins yet revolving under light power from electric motors,
and many other docking facilities are primarily of Zeppelin origin.
Zeppelin has also improved methods for fabricating all-metal commercial
planes.
Zeppelin Now Aims to Increase Efficiency
[PLATE 58: The "DELAG" Passenger Zeppelin "Bodensee."
View of Brandenburger Gate--Berlin in Winter.
The "DELAG" Passenger Zeppelin "Bodensee."
View of Berlin in Winter.]
Many of the problems in commercial airship operations or design will be
solved shortly after actual operations are started. The aim of Zeppelin
engineers has been to increase the efficiency of the airship as it has
been proven that the financial returns from airship transport are, or
should be, proportionately increased by the use of larger ships. The
Zeppelin efforts, therefore, is to secure greater efficiency which
will allow better financial returns with smaller units and less expense.
Commercial Operations Data Compiled
While this has been one of the principal objectives of the engineering
branch, the operating staffs have developed new methods of handling the
big ships commercially; improved organizations, and methods and
apparatus for making coast and geodetic surveys by airship, forest fire
patrol, and scientific explorations.
Their investigations of weather and technical conditions have extended
throughout the world; one of the principal surveys of proposed routes
being between Spain and Buenos Aires, in which it was learned that a
normal schedule can be maintained regularly with ninety-six hours
allotted for non-stop flights between the two terminals.
The Public will Accept Airship Transportation Here as Abroad
Of course, the public must be converted to the use of the airship, just
as the people of Germany were converted--by actual operations. There
probably exists no other field of human endeavor so essential to our
civilization as that of transportation. The traveling public has
accepted other mediums of conveyance after they had demonstrated
inherent qualities of safety and reliability. So it is with aircraft.
Heavier-than-air machines have gradually popularized flying. Persons are
riding by the air route in constantly increasing numbers, here and
abroad. Their faith in commercial aviation is due solely to the BRAVE
pioneering efforts of a few men of vision these last twenty years.
Popularity and general use depends on the efficiency of the
organizations which now carry on the work so well begun.
[PLATE 59: Zeppelin Fountain at Friedrichshafen.
Dedicated by the townspeople to the memory of Count Zeppelin.]
Zeppelin Ready to Participate in Development Throughout the World
It is the privilege of Zeppelin to participate in this development along
the lines laid out by the founder, to the end that the rigid airship may
do its part in bringing men and nations more closely together and
facilitate mutual understanding and good will throughout the world.
ENGRAVED AND PRINTED BY WELLS AND COMPANY CHICAGO