Zeppelin LZ76 L 33

First flight 30 August 1916, commanded by Alois Bocker, during raid in September 1916 carrying 3200 kg bombs, made emergency landing at Brentwood, Essex. The Zep was burned by it’s crew. From the remains of the skeleton British engineers were able to draw plans for the R 34

23 September 1916, Zeppelin raid with 12 Zep’s, L 33 commanded by Bocker first reached London. Blinded the searchlight by dropping magnesium flares. Between midnight and 00.40 hrs L 33 released two 300 kg bombs and eight 100 kg bombs, 32 x 50 kg and 20 incendiaries over eastern London. These started serious fires in an oil depot and a timber yard, and demolished many dwellings, including a popular public house, the “Black Swan”. (www064). But the L 33 was caught in an artillery barrage and one shell exploded inside Cell 14. Other cells where seriously leaking gas and L 33 couldn’t keep height. It turned away from London. But then it was attacked from the air by Alfred de Bathe (Bath) Brandon (www064) flying a BE-2c. But 2^nd Lt Brandon couldn’t set the zep afire with his incendiary munition. But L 33 was to badly damaged. At 01.20 hrs Bocker brought his crippled ship down in a field at Little Wigborough in Essex and set her on fire. The crew, marching to the coast to look for a boat, were “taken in charge” by a special constable.

Control Panel L 33

Literature :

Warplanes WOI page 64,67f

De oorlog in de lucht en in de ruimte deel I page 79