Aircraft investigation >>>>>>> HOME PAGE
weight and performance calculations for the Zeppelin LZ102 L57
Zeppelin LZ102 L57
role : maritime patrol, ASW, reconnaissance & bombing raids
importance : ****
first flight : 26 September 1917 at Friedrichshafen operational :
country : Germany
commander : Ludwig Bockholt
type : rigid airship Zeppelin Class : W
production : 2 airships of this class
general information :
Not used in combat. Intended for use in Africa. It was loaded for supplies for Africa. Bockholt ordered the airship to be taken out off its hangar to do test with full engine power. However wind was increasing, and at one moment the Zeppelin could not be held by the ground crew. The emergency landing failed and the luftschiff caught fire and burned with all its supplies. Damaged beyond repair by heavy wind on 8 October 1917 at Juterbog. Had extra gasvolume, for to make log distance flights possible. It was designed to reach a height of 7620 [m] !
users : Kriegsmarine
crew : 22
armament : 6 movable 7.92 [mm] (0.312 in) Parabellum MG 14 machine-guns
engine : 5 Maybach HS Lu liquid-cooled 6 -cylinder inline engine 240 [hp](179.0 KW)
dimensions :
Diameter : 23.9 [m], length : 226.5 [m], gas cells :16
volume: 68470.0 [m^3]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 79500 [kg]
empty weight operational : 27400 [kg] useful load (supplies) : 15000.0 [kg]
tank capacity : 29604 [liter] (21700 [kg])
performance :
maximum speed : 103 [km/hr] op 2000 [m]
cruise speed : 81 [km/u] op 2000 [m]
climbing speed : 600 [m/min]
service ceiling : 6600 [m]
range: 16000 [km]
endurance : 197.5 [hour]
airscrew :
five fixed pitch 2 -bladed pusher airscrews with max. efficiency :0.64 [ ]
estimated diameter airscrew 2.50 [m]
angle of attack prop : 11.76 [ ]
fine pitch
reduction : 1.00 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1400 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 1.23 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 183 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
calculated volume : 63153 [m^3]
fineness ratio (length/diameter) : 9.48 [ ]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 10.7 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption (cruise speed) : 180.5 [kg/hr] (246.2 [litre/hr]) at 66 [%] power
fuel consumption (long range cruise speed) : 109.9 [kg/hr]
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 0.74 [km/kg]
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 1950.0 [kg] = 2.18 [kg/KW]
weight transmission & gear (engines in fuselage) : 357.9 [kg]
weight 2858 litre oil tank : 360.1 [kg]
oil tank filled with 6.7 litre oil : 6.0 [kg]
oil in engine 50 litre oil : 44.7 [kg]
fuel in engine 6 litre fuel : 4.5 [kg]
weight 105 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 10.3 [kg]
weight radiator : 134.2 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 433.4 [kg]
weight self-starter : 21.9 [kg]
weight cowling 35.8 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 76.1 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 3075 [kg](3.9 [%])
***************************************************************
fuselage skeleton (aluminium gauge : 2.72 [cm]): 7212 [kg]
bracing : 646.9 [kg]
weight envelop covering (doped linen fabric 17007 [m2]) : 5442 [kg]
weight gas cell covering (doped linen fabric 14265 [m2]) : 4565 [kg]
weight gondolas : 844.3 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 69.9 [kg]
weight seats : 66.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 21.1 [kg]
weight transceiver : 27 [kg]
wireless aerial : 30 [kg]
weight bomb storage : 1050.0 [kg]
weight Görz bomb sight with 90 cm Zeiss-telescope: 2.5 [kg]
weight five 5900 [litre] fuel tanks empty : 1888.0 [kg]
weight oxygen/compressed air flasks for high altitude : 943.6 [kg]
weight interior + equipment + fuel lines: 939 [kg]
weight 6 fire extinguishers : 3 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 45 [kg]
weight parachutes : 55 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 23865 [kg](30.0 [%])
***************************************************************
weight machine-gun(s) : 57.0 [kg]
weight pivot mounting mg :36.0 [kg]
weight armament : 93 [kg]
********************************************************************
weight navigation chards,flight doc.,miscell.items : 366.9 [kg]
empty weight : 27400 [kg](34.5 [%])
weight crew : 1782 [kg]
gross weight : 29182 [kg](36.7 [%])
weight cooling fluids : 184.3 [kg]
weight 6 drums empty : 13.6 [kg]
weight ammunition (3000 rounds) : 98.2 [kg]
weight signal pistol with cartridges : 3.6 [kg]
weight automatic pistols with spare magazines : 26.4 [kg]
*******************************************************************
calculated operational weight empty : 29495 [kg] (37.1 [%])
weight oil for 217.3 hours flying : 2545.3 [kg]
weight (electrical heated) clothing for high altitude : 132.0 [kg]
weight fuel for 197.5 hours flying : 21700 [kg]
********************************************************************
Operational weight long range reconnaissance mission : 53872 [kg](67.8 [%])
at max. cruise height of : 3600 [m]
bomb load : 15000 [kg]
operational weight long range bombing mission : 68872 [kg]
at max. cruise height of : 1350 [m]
weight hydrogen at s/l : 4861 [kg]
lifting capacity : 51614 [kg] typical disposable load
calculated useful lift at s/l : 79014 [kg]
published useful lift : 79500 [kg] (100.0 [%])
calculation : * 4 * (loading)
power loading (long range bomb mission) : 76.97 [kg/kW]
power loading (operational weight empty) : 32.96 [kg/kW]
power/volume : 13 [W/M^3]
total power : 894.8 [kW] at 1400 [r.p.m]
limit load : 1.5 [g] ultimate load : 2.2 [g] load factor : 0.4 [g]
design flight time : 79.01 [hours]
design cycles : 15 sorties, design hours : 1200 [hours]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0025 [ ]
lifting force at s/l : 822540 [N]
lifting force at 6600 [m] : 414201 [N]
practical ceiling (operational weight) : 6600 [m] with flying weight :37375 [kg]
theoretical ceiling (skeleton crew, part hydrogen released at height) : 9350 [m] with flying weight :28336 [kg]
climb to 3000m (operational weight without bombload) : 5.00 [min]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
published range : 16000 [km] (197.5 [hour] flying at 81 [km/h] cruise speed)
useful load over 1000 [km]: 15000 [kg]
production : 1215.00 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.16 [kg]
Literature :
Das grosse luftschiffbuch page 104
Confidence rating : 85%
DISCLAIMER Above calculations are based on published data, they must be
regarded as indication not as facts.
Calculated performance and weight may not correspond with actual weights
and performances and are assumptions for which no responsibility can be taken.
Calculations are as accurate as possible, they can be fine-tuned when more data
is available, you are welcome to give suggestions and additional information
so we can improve our program. For copyright on drawings/photographs/
content please mail to below mail address
(c) B van der Zalm 13 May 2023 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4