NIEMIECKI STEROWIEC L 59

The Zeppelin L.59 is a German airship from the First World War. The propulsion was provided by five engines with a total power of 1,200 HP, although, interestingly, they powered only four propellers. The airship was 226.5 meters long, 23.9 meters in diameter, and its own weight was up to 27.6 tons. The maximum speed did not exceed 105 km / h, while the maximum ceiling was 8,200 meters. The presented airship belonged to the so-called type W. This type was developed on the basis of type V airships, but it was extended by approx. 15 meters. It was also constructed in such a way that its parts could be used for completely different purposes. Moreover, it was assumed that the W-type airships (i.e. L.57 and L.59) would carry out the mission in one direction only. The plan was to supply them to the troops of Colonel Lettow-Vorbeck fighting in German East Africa! In the course of preparations for this seemingly insane mission, the L.57 airship was lost, but the task was almost completed by the L.59 in November 1917. Interestingly, during the flight towards German East Africa and back, the airship traveled over 6,700 kilometers. It is often assumed that this was the first truly intercontinental flight of an aircraft in the 20th century.