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Zeppelin LZ35 LZ35
The LZ35 had first registration ZXIII, this number was removed on order from the commander thinking it would bring bad luck
Class : M
First flight : 11 January 1915
Based at Gontrode, near Melle
The LZ35 was successful in the night of 20 to 21 March 1915, when together with the Z.X it was able to drop 1800 kg bombs on Paris along the route Courbevoie - Place de la République - Montmartre - Saint-Denis. A third airship was involved in this raid, namely the S.II . This zeppelin had to stop its flight prematurely and first unloaded 900 kg of bombs on Compiègne before returning to its home port of Trier. The LZ 35 was fired upon by the French anti-aircraft guns at Noyon during that mission, but despite 80 projection strokes, the ship landed in Gontrode after eleven and a half hours of flight without any problems.
Zeppelin LZ 35, commanded by Hauptmann Konrad Masius attacked Poperinge- Cassel near Hazebrouck 13 April 1915. The airship climbed to 2200m but when overflying the front at midnight it was hit by infantry and machine gun fire, causing damage to the gondola and machine gun platform. The envelope was also hit and started to leak gas causing the ship to sink. The bombs were jettisoned to save weight. The bombs fell in the city of Bailleul (50°44’08”N 2°44’07”E) killing there several people. The captain decided to return to base, but the ship was hit again by incendiary shells. The LZ35 dropped quickly, leaving a long tail of smoke behind. The front engine received a direct hit, the tail sank deeper and everything that was not essential was ejected. At around 1.25am above Roeselare , they threw overboard other ballast, even ammunition for the machine guns. The ship continued to sink and crashed in a pine grove at Maria-Aalter (Aalterbrug), halfway between Maldegem and Aalter.
German soldiers guarding the crashed LZ35
Captain Masius survived the crash but four crew members were killed. The ship was eventually torn apart by high winds.
Location : +- 5km 51°06’21”N 3°26’58”E
The wreckage of LZ35 in between the trees between Aalter and Aalterbrug. The Germans removed the wreckage quickly so not to let know to the outside world one of there Zep’s was lost.
Zeppelin base at Gontrode with Gotha G.IV bombers in front. The huge shed was taken in use from February 1915. It was 180m long, 25m wide and 20m high.
Location : +- 25m 50°58’58.54”N 3°47’13.77”E
Crew of LZ35, with commander Masius in the middle row, second from the left.
LZ35 just before taking off
Length : 150 [m] Volume : 22470 [m3] speed : 80 [km/h]
Literature :
13 April 1915 – Zeppelin LZ 35 destroyed | airwar19141918 (wordpress.com)
8 tot 14 april 1915: Zeppelin stort neer in Aalter | VRT NWS: nieuws
Zeppelin LZ35 - Luchtschip ontploft boven Gent
Le Zeppelin de Bailleul – ANCIENS AÉRODROMES (anciens-aerodromes.com)