Success of LZ-Series Airships

The second airship by Count Zeppelin, LZ-2, was not built until five years later, with funds raised partly from a lottery approved as a favor by the King of Württemberg.

LZ-2 made its only flight on January 17, 1906. The Zeppelin had replaced 14 hp engines used on LZ-1 with 80 hp Daimler engines, which gave LZ-2 sufficient speed against light winds. However, due to engine failure, it was forced to perform an emergency landing during the ship’s very first flight, and was destroyed on the ground by a storm that evening.

Success of LZ-1 and LZ-2 airships

While the LZ-2 was an improvement over LZ-1, Count Zeppelin’s second airship still did not incorporate basic design elements that would later be recognized as essential to flight stability and control, such as vertical and horizontal stabilizers and control surfaces.

The LZ-2 presented a significant technical advance due largely to engineer Ludwig Dürr. The weak tubular girders of LZ-1 were replaced by triangular girders, which dramatically improved rigidity and strength. Triangular girders similar to those used on LZ-2 would be used on every subsequent zeppelin airship. Ludwig Dürr would remain as chief engineer, designing every ship built by the Zeppelin Company after LZ-2.

The stronger, stiffer frame provided by Ludwig Dürr's triangular girders can be seen to this day, but this airship still lacked fins for stability or control.

Success of LZ-3 and LZ-4 airships

The next two ships, LZ-3 and LZ-4, had even greater advances in technology compared to the LZ-1 and the LZ-2 with huge improvements in controllability, power, speed, range, and payload. Large horizontal fins and elevators finally provided greater pitch control and stability, and the ships were capable of producing greater aerodynamic lift. Longer and more reliable flights became possible. In 1907, the LZ-3 successfully made a flight of 8 hours.

The LZ-4 made a flight of 12 hours over Switzerland. The record-breaking Switzerland flight brought international attention and the public began to look at airships as a practical and modern innovation. On July 3, 1908, King Wilhelm II of Württemberg and his wife, Queen Charlotte, were passengers on the fifth flight of LZ-4.

Just as it seemed that Count Zeppelin and his team had mastered the basics of airship design and operation, LZ-4 was forced to make an emergency landing in a field at the town of Echterdingen during the 24-hour endurance flight. In response to the crash, rather than lose faith in Count Zeppelin’s work, it evolved to what became known as the “Miracle at Echterdingen.” The German public rallied behind Zeppelin’s efforts, contributing funds, and strongly supporting the continuation of his work. The fervent financial and political support of the German public and government following the crash at Echterdingen allowed the Count to establish the Luftschiffbau Zeppelin (Zeppelin Construction Company) in September 1908.

Shortly after, Colsman established the DELAG, the Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft (German Airship Transportation Corporation Ltd) as an affiliate to the Zeppelin Company to commercialize zeppelin travel by providing passenger service.