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Zeppelin LZ114 L72 “Dixmude”

Zeppelin LZ114 L72 Dixmude flying over Toulon

Class : X

First flight : 9 February 1920

Zeppelin LZ114 L72 Dixmude hovered into its hangar, with portrait of commander Jean du Plessis de Grenedan

Commander : lieutenant  Jean du Plessis de Grenédan  

Zeppelin LZ114 L72 Dixmude flying over its shed at Cuers-Pierrefue naval base Homebase : Cuers-Pierrefue, near Toulon, location : 43°14’49”N 6°07’34”E

Aerial picture of Cuers-Pierrefue naval air base in September 1944 with the airship sheds in the background.

Cuers-Pierrefue base aeronavale in September 1944

Zeppelin LZ114 L72 Dixmude in the air over Cuers

Zeppelin LZ114 L72 Dixmude side view drawing showing inside structure

General information :

Delivery cancelled when war ended; transferred to France as  war reparations  on 9 July 1920 and named  Dixmude . After the battle off Dixmuide in WWI. Made record duration flight of 118 hours over 7100 [km] in September 1923. Exploded off the coast of Sicily near Sciacca (location +- 10 km 37°19’23”N 12°55’02”E ) during a thunderstorm on 21 December 1923 following a lightning strike, killing all aboard, 42 crew and 10 passengers.

Zeppelin LZ114 L72 Dixmude flying over Corsica

Literature :

List of Zeppelins - Wikipedia

Dixmude (airship) - Wikipedia

119694_avalanche Press