720-06 ZEPPELIN R-CLASS GROSKAMPF - TYP

Zeppelin R (another designation: Zeppelin type R) is a term for a class of German military airships from the First World War. The flight of the first prototype took place in May 1916. Production started shortly after, and 17 zeppelins of this type were created. The length of the aircraft of this type was 196.5 meters with a diameter of 23.9 meters. The drive was provided by six Maybach HSLu engines with 240 HP each. The crew consisted of 21 people! The on-board armament consisted of 10 MG08 or Parabellum MG14 machine guns. The R-class airships were developed and manufactured at the Zeppelin Luftschiffbau factories by order of the German Navy and the German Army. The main tasks for airships of this type were bombing and sea reconnaissance missions. R-class airships were built on the basis of many technical solutions used in P-type airships. However, they were significantly larger than them, had a greater number of engines with greater power, and also had stronger on-board armament. Their aerodynamic properties have also been improved. Airships of this type were used, inter alia, in bombing missions over Great Britain in 1916.