** World War I: air war Zeppelins








World War I Air War: Zeppelins


Figure 1.--These are some of the victims of the German Great Air Raid on London (May 31, 1915). The German Zeppelin captain used the River Thames to guide him to London. There was no early warning at the time. A trap door opened under the gigantic Zephehlin, releasing 90 incendiary bombs and 30 grenades. London was brought to life in the dead of night. Suddenly explosions and firecs rocked the city. At first no one knew what had happened. The Zeppelin could not be seen or heard. It was the first of many raids. For Londoners it was science fiction stight out of H.G. Wells 'The War in the Air'. In the morning there were 7 dead and 35 wounded, including these hospitalized children. The rids had no real impact on the Bitish war effort. It did cinform in the minds of the British people that the Germans were barbarians. It also motivated the Britisg after the War to turn their scientific genius to building an early warning system--the Chain Home Network. Source: Bitish War Departmentt.

The Germans attempted to use Zephlins as bombers, but they eventually proved easy targets for fighters and artillery. Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (1838-1917) was born in Konstanz, Baden (1838). His name became virtually synonamous in Europe with rigid, lighter than air craft or dirigibles. (The non-rigid craft are known as blimps. He was an officer in the Prussian Army who fought in the Austro Prussian War (1866) and the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). He also was a military observer with the Union Army during the American Civil War (1863). It was during the Civil war that he first worked with baloons. He developed working derigibles in the early 20th century and convinced the German military that they had potential military applications. Zeppelin's LZ-3 was commissioned by the Germany Army as the Zeppelin Luftschiff 1 (1909). The Germans deployed 115 Zeppelins during World war I. They were used for reconnaissance and bombing. Some even raided Britain. They proved to be vulnerabile to attack and unsafe in rough weather. The Germans essentially discontinued the use of Zeppelins for active combat during the Verdun campaign (1916). By that time the Allies were deploying high performance aircraft that were easily shooting the Zepplins down. The Germans introduced models that could reach higher altitudes, but this reduced their ability to hit targets. The mounting losses of Zepplins and the superior performance of fixed-wing aircraft caused the Germans to withdraw the Zepplins from active service (1917). Count von Zepplin also died (1917).

Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (1838-1917)

Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (1838-1917) was born in Konstanz, Baden (1838). His name became virtually synonamous in Europe with rigid, lighter than air craft or dirigibles. (The non-rigid craft are known as blimps. He was an officer in the Prussian Army who fought in the Austro Prussian War (1866) and the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). He also was a military observer with the Union Army during the American Civil War (1863). It was during the Civil war that he first worked with baloons. He developed working derigibles in the early 20th century. The first Zeppelin prototype flew in 1900. Count Zeppelin actively promoted his Zeppelina and convinced the German military that they had potential military applications.

Terminology

The Germans called the Zeppelins "silberne Zigarren" (silver cigars).

Military Usage

Zeppelin's LZ-3 was commissioned by the Germany Army as the Zeppelin Luftschiff 1 (1909). The Germans deployed quite a considerable force during World War I--115 Zeppelins. They were used for both reconnaissance and eventually bombing. Some were even used to raid Britain. The military assured the Kaiser that they would hit military targets. They knew that this was impossible at high alditudes. At first the Bri09tish did not have artillery or aircraft capable of hitting the Zepplin in rough weather. But it would be nearly 2 years before the British could begin to being don the Zephelins. They proved easy targets for the improved fighters that appeared during the War as well as artillery fire. The Germans essentially discontinued the use of Zeppelins for active combat during the Verdun campaign (1916). By that time the Allies were deploying high performance aircraft that were easily shooting the Zepplins down. The Germans introduced models that could reach higher altitudes, but this reduced their ability to hit targets. The mounting losses of Zepplins and the superior performance of fixed-wing aircraft caused the Germans to withdraw the Zepplins from active service (1917). Count von Zepplin also died (1917).

German Zeppelin force

Zeppelin's LZ-3 was commissioned by the Germany Army as the Zeppelin Luftschiff 1 (1909). The Germans deployed quite a considerable force during World War I--115 Zeppelins. The Navy also has Zeppelins. The Germans believed that the Zepplins could influence the outcome of the War. It was certain an innovative, futuristic weapon. Churchill dismissed them as 'enormous bladders of combustible and explosive gas'.

Navy frustrations

The German Navy was frustrated by the effectiveness of the Royal Navy maritime blockade which had a significnt impact on Germany, especially as the War dragged on. The Navy in particular wanted to strike back, but the strength of the Home Fleet made that very dangerous. It was Rear Admiral Paul Behncke, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, promoted the use of the Navy's Zeppelins to bomb London. Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, was oppsed to limited scale attacks, but thought the idea of setting Lodn ablaze might win the War.

Initial usage

They were used for both reconnaissance and bombing. It was the Germans that took the first steps toward strategic bombing in World war I. The Germans used some Zeppelins to raid Britain. The early planes used in the War had limited capabilities. Air craft engines were small and had low power. This mean that the range, ceiling, speed, and lift capability were limited. There were no bombers at the beginning of the War. Zeppelins on the other hand did have a substantial lifr capability and range and could be used as bombers. The German within a few months launched air raids on Britain. A German airplane attacked the Channel port of Dover (December 21, 1914). The attacks on Britain, however, were mostly conducted by the Zepplin force. Zepplins soon appeared off the British coast (February 1915). Zeppelin dropped bombs on Yarmouth (April 1915). The German use of Zepplins gradually increased. Zeppelins began attacking London. And the Allies found it very difficult to hit the Zeppelins at first because they could operate above the ceiling of early aircraft. The Zeppelins with their enormous range could reach Britain. They could not be heard from the ground and could bomb from heights that early planes could not reach and often could not even be spotted from the ground. They dropped bombs on Brutish cities that did not even know that they were under attack. And then slipped back to their air bases. They were terrifying to British civilians--the ultimate terror weapon of the day. Von Tirpitz wrote in a letter, "The English arenow in terror of the Zeppelin, perhaps not without reason. I contend here, ... I go for th standpoint of 'war to theknife,' but I am not in fvor of 'frightfulness" .... Also single bombs from flying machines are wrng, they are odous when hit ad kill old women, and ne gets used to them. If one could set fire in Londonin thirty places, then what is a small way is odious wuld retire before something fine and powerful." [Tirpitz, pp. 271-72.]

Limitations

This Germans, however, did not just want a weapon that could terrify British civilians by scattering a few bombs over the countryside. They at first wanted a weapon that could target specific military targets of high value. This the World War I Zepplins could not do. Zepplins were more difficult to steer than fixed-wing aircraft. The Zeppelins were difficult to use in rough weather which made them virtually impossible to stear. In addition, to bomb with any accuracy, Zepplins had to come down from safe high altitudes and in doing so became vulnerable to airplanes or ground artillery fire, presenting a large, slow target.

Super-Zeppelins

The Germans improved their Zeppelin designs. Super-Zeppelins were brought into service (1916). Three of the new Super-Zeppelins were deployed to raod Britain (September 23, 1916). The British managed to shoot down the L 32 and the L 33. The Brirish had also been improving their defenses against the Zeppelins. The British improved their defences to more rapidly locate the raiding Zeppelins so the could be engaged by both anti-aircraft guns and fighters. Great strides were made with fighter designs during the war. More powerful engines allowed fighters both greater speed and higher alditudes. Fighers armed with new explosive and incendiary ammunition proved to be Zeppelin killers. The British by the end of 1916 had defeated the Zeppelin threat.

Vulnerability

The Zepplins proved to be vulnerabile to attack and unsafe in rough weather. It took the British about a year to perfect their Zepplin defense tactics. The British developd improved aircraft engines that their planes to come up to Zepplin alditudes and pursue the Zepplins at higher alditudes. They also developed improved amunition to pentrate the Zepplin shells and ignite the highly volitile hydrogen gas inside. (The only source of helium was the United States which refused to sell to the Germans.) Tracers helped the fighters direct their fire. Ground artillery also besn scoreing hits. This was the beginning of anto-aircraft artillery. Even a minor hit on the fragil engines could bring the great air ships down. This forced the Zepplins to higher altitudes. Thus after more than a year of terrifying if ineffectual Zepplin raids, they eventually proved easy targets for the improved fighters and armaments. The real impact would beon thev public psyche. While defense spending would plumit in the inte-War era, one area that would be funded was air defense, Britain would enter World War II wiyth the world's only high-tech integrated air defense system--the Chain Home Network.

Withdraw from servive

The Germans essentially discontinued the use of Zeppelins for active combat during the Verdun campaign (1916). By that time the Allies were deploying high performance aircraft that were easily shooting the Zepplins down. The Germans introduced models that could reach higher altitudes, but this reduced their ability to hit targets. The mounting losses of Zepplins and the superior performance of fixed-wing aircraft caused the Germans to withdraw the Zepplins from active service (1917). Count von Zepplin also died (1917).

British Tracking System

The British in response to the German Zephlin raids developed the world first anti-aircraft tracking abd early warning system. It was based largely on ground observers. Flying patrols were not feasible because panes at the time did not have radios. The gound onservers relported to a central tracking unit by telephone. And from there orders could go out to aircraft. This was essentially what would protect Britain in World War II. The results proved less than ideal during World War I because relying on ground observers meant tht by the time the Zephins and later bombers were sited, the Germans were already over Britain and nearing their targets. As a result when the RAF after the War learned that radio waves could be used to detect aircraft at some distance, they immeduately began to exoeriment with what would become RADAR and the Chain Home Network. The German Zephelin and bomber attacks proved so traumatizing to the British that even in the anti-military atmosphere of the anti-War era, money was found to build the Chain Home System without which Britain would have been defeated by the Germans.

Strategic Bombing

The first Zepplin raid against England targeted East Anglia and killed 20 people. This was the beginning of strategic bombing. The Germans would improve their bnombing efforts with the Gotha Bomber. The calculation they did not make was that the Allies had greater industrial power, and could also build bombers. This was especially the case as the Allied naval blockade was adversely affecting access to raw materials. Then the Germans brought America into the War. This most promenently meant American manpower--the American Expediditonary Force. But American began gearing its industry for war. This did notbhave va great imjpoact on the War, but only because the Gerrmans asked for an armistice (November 1918). If they had not, Germany would not only have been swamped by American manpoewer, but by American industrial production. But even withhout American industry, Britain was preparing a massive bombing offensive in 1919 and had a huge bomber force ready to go when the Germans requested the Armistice. The Germans would again intriduce strategic bombing into World War II, but this time the United States would have time to gear up its indudstry. Untimately strategic bombing would reduce German cities to vast piles of rubble.

Sources

Mason, Francis K. Battle Over Britain (New York: 1969). The German World War I bombing offensive is discussed n chaptr 1.

von Tripitz, Grand Admiral Alfred. My Memoirs, Vol. II (New York: 1919).






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Created: 3:37 AM 12/4/2006
Last updated: 5:28 PM 10/28/2021