LZ 37
Artist's impression of the destruction of German Zeppelin LZ 37 by Sub-Lieutenant Reginald Warneford on 7 June 1915.
Role Reconnaissance and bombing
National origin  German Empire
Number built 77
Type M-Class Zeppelin
Manufacturer Luftschiffbau Zeppelin at Friedrichshafen
Construction number LZ 37
First flight 4 March 1915
Owners and operators  Imperial German Navy
In service 4 March 1915 – 7 June 1915
Flights 14
Fate Shot down, 7 June 1915

The airship LZ 37 was a World War I Zeppelin of the German Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy). It was the first Zeppelin to be brought down during the war by an enemy plane, on the night of 6 to 7 June 1915.[1]

History

In 1915 Zeppelins were first used by Germany for strategic bombing of the United Kingdom and France.

LZ 37 was part of a raid with Zeppelins LZ 38 and LZ 39. While returning, she was intercepted in the air by Reginald Warneford in his Morane Parasol during its first raid on Calais, on 7 June 1915.[2][3] Warneford dropped six 20-pound (9 kg) Hales bombs on the zeppelin, which caught fire and crashed into the convent school of Sint-Amandsberg, next to Ghent, Belgium (51°3′43.2″N 3°44′54.7″E / 51.062000°N 3.748528°E / 51.062000; 3.748528), killing two nuns. The commander of LZ 37, Oberleutnant Otto van der Haegen [de], and seven members of the crew were killed. One crew member, Steuermann Alfred Mühler, survived with only superficial burns and bruises when he was precipitated from the forward gondola, landing in a bed.[4] It was the first victory of a heavier-than-air aircraft over a lighter-than-air dirigible. Warneford was awarded the Victoria Cross for his achievement.

LZ 37 was based in Gontrode [fr; nl], Belgium (airport location: 50°58′54.6″N 3°47′17.1″E / 50.981833°N 3.788083°E / 50.981833; 3.788083).

Specifications

Data from "The Zeppelin Airships - Part Two: Zeppelins of the Great War 1914–1918". Puget sound airship society. Retrieved 28 January 2011.

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

Citations

  1. ^ Stephenson 2004, p. 16.
  2. ^ Piet, Dhanens (12 April 2013). "Zeppelin LZ 37 te Sint-Amandsberg". Luchtvaartgeschiedenis.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 2019-12-29.
  3. ^ Dhanens, Piet (2008). Een eeuw luchtvaart boven Gent (in Dutch). Vol. 1. Erembodegem (Aalst): Flying Pencil. ISBN 978-90-78878-04-9. OCLC 1074669308.
  4. ^ History of the First World War, vol. 3, pp. 986.

References

External links

Zeppelin aircraft
Categories