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weight and performance calculations for the Zeppelin LZ103 L56
L56 is taken into its hangar by the ground crew. The underside is painted black to make it less visible for searchlights in the night.
Zeppelin LZ103 L56
role : maritime patrol, ASW, reconnaissance & bombing raids
importance : ****
first flight : 24 September 1917 operational :
country : Germany
commander : Hauptmann August Stelling
main base : Wittmundhaven , location : 53°32’52”N 7°40’06”E
type : rigid airship Zeppelin Class : V (Height Climber)
production : 2 airships of this class
general information :
17 reconnaissance missions; participated in the last raid on England on 6 August 1918.
Destroyed by its crew on 23 June 1919, the same day as the scuttling of the German
fleet in Scapa Flow . Finally written of August 1919.
users :
crew : 19
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 : 196.3 [m], gas cells :14
volume: 55993.0 [m^3]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 63908 [kg]
empty weight operational : 26080 [kg] bombload : 2994.0 [kg]
tank capacity : 8527 [liter] (6250 [kg])
performance :
maximum speed : 119 [km/hr] op 2000 [m]
climbing speed : 600 [m/min]
service ceiling : 6492 [m]
range: 7400 [km]
endurance : 78.7 [hour] at cruise speed
airscrew :
five fixed pitch 2 -bladed pusher airscrews with max. efficiency :0.64 [ ]
estimated diameter airscrew 2.50 [m]
angle of attack prop : 13.52 [ ]
fine pitch
reduction : 1.00 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1400 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 1.42 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 183 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
calculated volume : 54733 [m^3]
fineness ratio (length/diameter) : 8.21 [ ]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 10.7 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption (cruise speed) : 181.6 [kg/hr] (247.8 [litre/hr]) at 67 [%] power
fuel consumption (long range cruise speed) : 79.4 [kg/hr]
Model of L56 in the Deutsches Marinemuseum
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 1.18 [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 1152 litre oil tank : 145.2 [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 218.5 [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 : 2860 [kg](4.5 [%])
***************************************************************
fuselage skeleton (aluminium gauge : 3.59 [cm]): 10955 [kg]
bracing : 560.7 [kg]
weight envelop covering (doped linen fabric 14739 [m2]) : 4716 [kg]
weight gas cell covering (doped linen fabric 11665 [m2]) : 3733 [kg]
weight gondolas : 816.4 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 62.0 [kg]
weight seats : 54.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 21.1 [kg]
weight transceiver : 27 [kg]
wireless aerial : 30 [kg]
weight bomb storage : 209.6 [kg]
weight Görz bomb sight with 90 cm Zeiss-telescope: 2.5 [kg]
weight five1684 [litre] fuel tanks empty : 539.0 [kg]
weight oxygen/compressed air flasks for high altitude : 307.6 [kg]
weight interior + equipment + fuel lines: 846 [kg]
weight 6 fire extinguishers : 3 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 45 [kg]
weight parachutes : 45 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 22988 [kg](36.0 [%])
***************************************************************
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 : 138.8 [kg]
empty weight : 26080 [kg](40.8 [%])
weight crew : 1458 [kg]
gross weight : 27538 [kg](43.1 [%])
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 : 21.6 [kg]
*******************************************************************
calculated operational weight empty : 27846 [kg] (43.6 [%])
weight oil for 86.6 hours flying : 1014.3 [kg]
weight (electrical heated) clothing for high altitude : 108.0 [kg]
weight fuel for 78.7 hours flying : 6250 [kg]
********************************************************************
Operational weight long range reconnaissance mission : 35218 [kg](55.1 [%])
at max. cruise height of : 5500 [m]
bomb load : 2994 [kg]
operational weight long range bombing mission : 38212 [kg]
at max. cruise height of : 4800 [m]
weight hydrogen at s/l : 3976 [kg]
lifting capacity : 38536 [kg] typical disposable load
calculated useful lift at s/l : 64616 [kg]
published useful lift : 63908 [kg] (100.0 [%])
calculation : * 4 * (loading)
power loading (long range bomb mission) : 42.70 [kg/kW]
power loading (operational weight empty) : 31.12 [kg/kW]
power/volume : 16 [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 : 0.8 [g]
design flight time : 31.49 [hours]
design cycles : 89 sorties, design hours : 2800 [hours]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0018 [ ]
lifting force at s/l : 672652 [N]
lifting force at 6492 [m] : 342869 [N]
practical ceiling (operational weight) : 6492 [m] with flying weight :30987 [kg]
theoretical ceiling (skeleton crew, part hydrogen released at height) : 8200 [m] with flying weight :26854 [kg]
climb to 3000m (operational weight without bombload) : 5.00 [min]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
published range : 7400 [km] (78.7 [hour] flying at 94 [km/h] cruise speed)
useful load over 1000 [km]: 2994 [kg]
production : 281.47 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.68 [kg]
Literature :
Das grosse luftschiffbuch page 104
https://luftschiff-46.de/Album/htm/zeigen_A-25.htm
DMM | Erste Staffel #ImFokus vollständig online (marinemuseum.de)
confidence rating : 60%
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/
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(c) B van der Zalm 13 May 2023 contact : info.aircraftinvestigation@gmail.com python 3.7.4