Zeppelin LZ 37

LZ37  was built in Potsdam for the Kaiserliche Marine and made its first flight 5 March 1915. This Zeppelin belonged to the smaller M-class. Its aluminium frame contained 18 gasbags with in between ballast tanks with water and fuel tanks. The outside was covered with fabric. In 1915 Zeppelins were first used by Germany for strategic bombing of the United Kingdom and France. It was the first Zeppelin to be brought down during the war by an enemy plane on the night of 6–7 June 1915

General characteristics:

Crew: 9

Length: 163.37 m (536 ft in)

Diameter: 18.7 m (61 ft 4 in)

Volume: 33,780 m3 (1,126,000 ft3)

Empty weight: 17588 kg (38,775 lb)

Useful lift: 8520 kg ( lb)

Powerplant: 4 × Maybach MC-X, 155 kW (210 hp) each

Performance:

Maximum speed: 96 km/h (60 mph)

Ceiling 2000m

Action radius 2200 km

Armament: Four machine-guns

Gun pit on top of LZ37s nose .

LZ 37 was part of a raid with Zeppelin LZ 38 and LZ 39 on London on 7 June 1915. Above the North sea they got orders to abort the mission due to heavy fog over the Channel and London. LZ37 and LZ39 dropped their bombs on the railroad works in Calais. LZ37 returned to its base in Evere. Between Brugge and Gent it became clear the LZ37 was loosing to many gas. All ballast water had been used and slowly the Zeppelin descended to 1500m. LZ37 diverted to the nearby base in Gontrode and followed the Brugsevaart to Gent. In the mean time 4 British Morane Parasol aircraft had taken of from there advanced base at Ten Bogaerde, near Veurne (now it is Koksijde afb) to raid the Zeppelin sheds at Evere. When there is no Zeppelin inside the sheds the effect of the bombardment is very limited but the pilots Wilson and Mills had the luck LZ38 was in its hangar and there small bombs set the Zeppelin on fire and the Zep and its shed where destroyed.

Pilot Rose his dashboard lighting failed and he returned to his base but Reginald Warneford continued his mission.

Near Bierstalbrug (51gr05min3secN 03gr38min15secO) at Lovendegem Warneford spotted Zeppelin LZ37 on its way to Gontrode. Soon he was fired upon from within the gondolas.

Warneford started to climb above the Zeppelin. Near the Gentse Palinghuizen (51gr04min05sec N Praktisch handboek vliegtuigen deel 1 page 264

Warplanes WOI page 59,61,97

Jane’s fighting aircraft page 146

03gr41min50sec O) he came above the Zep and dropped six 20 pounds (9.1 kg) Hales bombs on the zeppelin.

The Zeppelin caught fire and crashed into the convent school of Sint-Amandsberg, next to Ghent, Belgium (51gr3min43.2sec N 3gr44min54.7sec E), killing two nuns. The commander of LZ 37, Oberleutnant van der Haegen, and seven members of the crew were killed. One crew member, Steuermann Alfred Muhler, miraculously survived with only superficial burns and bruises when he was precipitated from the forward gondola, landing in a bed. 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.

20-pound Hales bomb

Crash site of Zeppelin LZ37, 7 juni 1915

Crew of LZ37 on the night of 07 June 1915