Zeppelin L59 - the "Africa" 'Ship
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Product Description
This is the German naval airship L59, Zeppelin Build Number LZ104, the famous "Africa" airship.
She was a Navy L53 Class airship especially extended by two 15 metre gas bays and commissioned to fly urgently needed supplies to General von Lettow-Vorbech's troops fighting in East Africa. L59 was the immedeiate successor to L57 which very unfortunately, was completely wrecked and burned in a storm at Jüterbog during trials on October 8 1917. Within 48 hours the Admiralty sponsors resolved to continue with the enterprise and ordered that Zeppelin LZ104, then building in the Staaken South Shed, be lengthened in the same way as L57 and designated her L59. She left the shed for her first flight on October 25 1917
Just days later in November 1917 L59 made a 4225 mile non-stop flight from Jambol in Bulgaria to just west of Khartum in Africa and back to Jambol, carrying 14 tons of freight in 95 hours - distance and duration world records that stood for several years.
L59 and L57 were almost identical except that L57 had the distinctive "chamfered end" rudders of the Friedrichshafen factory. Whilst L59, from the Staaken shed, had rectangular rudders, parallel sided over their entire length.
The L53 Class were termed "Type V" by Zeppelin and the extended L57 and L59 became "Type W". Both had unpainted fabric coverings in the expectation that, had one of them reached east Africa, it would not have returned. Instead all of the parts and materials would have been cannibalised for use locally. Doped and painted fabric would not have been half so useful as untreated, for which there would have been countless potential uses.
Please Note that you have a choice of scale for this model : please check your choice in the top right of this page.
She was a Navy L53 Class airship especially extended by two 15 metre gas bays and commissioned to fly urgently needed supplies to General von Lettow-Vorbech's troops fighting in East Africa. L59 was the immedeiate successor to L57 which very unfortunately, was completely wrecked and burned in a storm at Jüterbog during trials on October 8 1917. Within 48 hours the Admiralty sponsors resolved to continue with the enterprise and ordered that Zeppelin LZ104, then building in the Staaken South Shed, be lengthened in the same way as L57 and designated her L59. She left the shed for her first flight on October 25 1917
Just days later in November 1917 L59 made a 4225 mile non-stop flight from Jambol in Bulgaria to just west of Khartum in Africa and back to Jambol, carrying 14 tons of freight in 95 hours - distance and duration world records that stood for several years.
L59 and L57 were almost identical except that L57 had the distinctive "chamfered end" rudders of the Friedrichshafen factory. Whilst L59, from the Staaken shed, had rectangular rudders, parallel sided over their entire length.
The L53 Class were termed "Type V" by Zeppelin and the extended L57 and L59 became "Type W". Both had unpainted fabric coverings in the expectation that, had one of them reached east Africa, it would not have returned. Instead all of the parts and materials would have been cannibalised for use locally. Doped and painted fabric would not have been half so useful as untreated, for which there would have been countless potential uses.
Please Note that you have a choice of scale for this model : please check your choice in the top right of this page.
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L59 1 700 nf
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Mature audiences only.
