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weight and performance calculations for the Zeppelin LZ120 Bodensee
Airship "Bodensee", October 1919 in Germany
Zeppelin LZ120 Bodensee
role : passenger carrying airship
importance : ***
first flight : 20 August 1919 operational : 24 August 1919
country : Germany
Design : Paul Jaray
commander : Hugo Eckener
main operating base :
type : rigid airship
production : 2 airships of this class
general information :
Bodensee was first flown on 20 August 1919 piloted by Bernhard Lau . The first
passenger-carrying flight was made on 24 August, with Hugo Eckener in command. It
made over 100 flights, carrying 2,322 passengers over a total distance of 50,000 km.
These flights included a 17-hour voyage between Berlin and Stockholm .
Used by DELAG until 1921, then ordered to be transferred to Italy as part of
war reparations . It was renamed as “Esperia” in Italy.
Arrived in Rome from Staaken on 25 December 1921. Broken up for scrap in July 1928.
users : DELAG
crew : 12 passengers : 27
armament : none
engine : 4 Maybach IVa liquid-cooled 6 -cylinder inline engine 245 [hp](182.7 KW)
dimensions :
Diameter : 18.71 [m], length : 120.8 [m], gas cells : ?
volume: 20000.0 [m^3]
weights :
max.take-off weight : 23239 [kg]
empty weight operational : 13646 [kg] useful load : 2700.0 [kg]
estimated tank capacity : 2585 [liter] (1895 [kg])
performance :
maximum speed : 132 [km/hr] op 2000 [m]
climbing speed : 600 [m/min]
service ceiling : 2200 [m]
range: 1700 [km]
endurance : 16.3 [hour] at cruise speed
airscrew :
four fixed pitch 2 -bladed pusher airscrews with max. efficiency :0.68 [ ]
diameter airscrew 3.20 [m]
angle of attack prop : 11.77 [ ]
fine pitch
reduction : 1.00 [ ]
airscrew revs : 1400 [r.p.m.]
pitch at Max speed 1.57 [m]
blade-tip speed at Vmax and max revs. : 235 [m/s]
calculation : *1* (dimensions)
calculated volume : 20642 [m^3]
fineness ratio (length/diameter) : 6.46 [ ]
calculation : *2* (fuel consumption)
oil consumption : 15.3 [kg/hr]
fuel consumption (cruise speed) : 170.6 [kg/hr] (232.7 [litre/hr]) at 77 [%] power
fuel consumption (long range cruise speed) : 116.2 [kg/hr]
distance flown for 1 kg fuel : 0.90 [km/kg]
calculation : *3* (weight)
weight engine(s) dry : 1600.0 [kg] = 2.19 [kg/KW]
weight transmission & gear (engines in fuselage) : 292.3 [kg]
weight 353 litre oil tank : 44.4 [kg]
oil tank filled with 5.5 litre oil : 4.9 [kg]
oil in engine 41 litre oil : 36.5 [kg]
fuel in engine 5 litre fuel : 3.7 [kg]
weight 99 litre gravity patrol tank(s) : 9.7 [kg]
weight radiator : 109.6 [kg]
weight exhaust pipes & fuel lines 104.3 [kg]
weight self-starter : 17.9 [kg]
weight cowling 29.2 [kg]
weight airscrew(s) (wood) incl. boss & bolts : 129.1 [kg]
total weight propulsion system : 2337 [kg](10.1 [%])
***************************************************************
fuselage skeleton (aluminium gauge : 3.17 [cm]): 5243 [kg]
bracing : 345.0 [kg]
weight envelop covering (doped linen fabric 7101 [m2]) : 2272 [kg]
weight gas cell covering (doped linen fabric 4167 [m2]) : 1333 [kg]
weight gondolas : 663.5 [kg]
weight controls + indicators: 41.7 [kg]
weight seats crew : 60.0 [kg]
weight other details, lighting set, etc. : 17.1 [kg]
weight transceiver : 27 [kg]
wireless aerial : 30 [kg]
weight passenger seats : 135.0 [kg]
weight cabin furnishing : 225.0 [kg]
weight interior + equipment + fuel lines: 318 [kg]
weight 6 fire extinguishers : 3 [kg]
weight engine mounts & firewalls : 37 [kg]
total weight fuselage : 10924 [kg](47.0 [%])
***************************************************************
weight armament : 0 [kg]
********************************************************************
weight miscell.items to high > increase weight/flight hours line 1220
weight navigation chards,flight doc.,miscell.items : 384.5 [kg]
empty weight : 13646 [kg](58.7 [%])
weight crew : 972 [kg]
gross weight : 14618 [kg](62.9 [%])
weight cooling fluids : 150.5 [kg]
weight signal pistol with cartridges : 3.6 [kg]
*******************************************************************
calculated operational weight empty : 14772 [kg] (63.6 [%])
weight oil for 17.9 hours flying : 300.2 [kg]
weight fuel for 16.3 hours flying : 1895 [kg]
********************************************************************
Operational weight long range reconnaissance mission : 16967 [kg](73.0 [%])
at max. cruise height of : 2900 [m]
useful load : 2700 [kg]
operational weight long range passenger flight : 19667 [kg]
at max. cruise height of : 1550 [m]
weight hydrogen at s/l : 1420 [kg]
lifting capacity : 9434 [kg] typical disposable load
calculated useful lift at s/l : 23080 [kg]
published useful lift : 23239 [kg] (100.0 [%])
calculation : * 4 * (loading)
power loading (long range bomb mission) : 26.91 [kg/kW]
power loading (operational weight empty) : 20.21 [kg/kW]
power/volume : 37 [W/M^3]
total power : 730.8 [kW] at 1400 [r.p.m]
limit load : 1.5 [g] ultimate load : 2.2 [g] load factor : 1.7 [g]
design flight time : 6.52 [hours]
design cycles : 882 sorties, design hours : 5750 [hours]
drag coefficient at max. speed : 0.0024 [ ]
lifting force at s/l : 240263 [N]
lifting force at 2200 [m] : 193471 [N]
practical ceiling (operational weight) : 2200 [m] with flying weight :18309 [kg]
theoretical ceiling (skeleton crew, part hydrogen released at height) : 4650 [m] with flying weight :14175 [kg]
climb to 3000m (operational weight without bombload) : 5.00 [min]
calculation *10* (action radius & endurance)
published range : 1700 [km] (16.3 [hour] flying at 104 [km/h] cruise speed)
useful load over 1000 [km]: 2700 [kg]
production : 281.56 [tonkm/hour]
oil and fuel consumption per tonkm : 0.66 [kg]
Literature :
Zeppelin LZ 120 Bodensee - Wikipedia
confidence rating : 7
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