Zeppelins LZ-126, ZR-3 Los Angeles
and LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin

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At the time of the building of the LZ-126 and LZ-127, the Zeppelin Airship Company produced portfolios of photographs documenting their construction and early flights.

LZ-126, ZR-3 Los Angeles

LZ-126: 20 Oringinal photographs of the America Airship. Portfolio cover of LZ-126: 20 Original photographs of the America Airship. The portfolio contains original Zeppelin Company photographs mounted on cardboard.

Important airships built by the Zeppelin company Important airships built by the Zeppelin company.

Graf Zeppelin Graf Zeppelin

Dr. Durr, Director of the airship building company Dr. Durr, Director of the airship building shipyard.

Kommerzienrat Colsman, General Director of the airship building company. Kommerzienrat Colsman, General Director of the airship building company.

Forward hull of the airship under construction. Forward hull of the airship under construction on July 20, 1923.

Airship framework with example gas cell. Airship framework with example gas cell. The gas cells were made from goldebeaters skin, the lining of cow stomachs, which was very thin and gas tight. It took thousands of cow stomachs to make one cell.

Fuel tanks along the gangway. Fuel tanks along the gangway.

LZ-126 interior view Interior view.

View of the tail before application of the linen covering. View of the tail before application of the linen covering, October 20, 1923.

Installation of an engine gondola. Installation of an engine gondola.

400-horsepower Maybach engine in a gondola 400-horsepower Maybach engine in a gondola.

Building the nose cone of the LZ-126. Building the nose cone of the LZ-126.

The completed LZ-126 airship. The completed LZ-126 airship.

Passenger compartment View through the passenger compartment

Dr. Eckener, Commandant of the LZ-126. Dr. Eckener, Commandant of the LZ-126.

The crew of the LZ-126 The crew of the LZ-126

LZ-126 is backed out of the hangar. LZ-126 is backed out of the hangar.

LZ-126 landing. LZ-126 landing.

The ground crew manhandles the LZ-126 into the hangar.

LZ-126 landing at Lakehurst, New Jersay on October 15, 1924. LZ-126 landing at Lakehurst, New Jersay on October 15, 1924. It was delivered to the U.S. Navy and rechristened ZR-3 Los Angeles. The hydrogen was drained and replaced with helium. It served for over a decade. It was the only U.S. Navy rigid airship that was not destroyed in a crash.

LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin

Portfolio cover of LZ-127: 15 Bilder vom Bau des Luftschiffes nach Originalaufnahmen Herausgegeben vom Luftschiffbau Zeppelin Portfolio cover of LZ-127: 15 Bilder vom Bau des Luftschiffes nach Originalaufnahmen Herausgegeben vom Luftschiffbau Zeppelin. The portfolio contains lithographs of Zeppelin Company photographs. Some of these photographs were also made available on stereopticon cards.

Doctor of Engineering H C Durr, Director of the shipyard. Doctor of Engineering H C Durr, Director of the shipyard.

Graf Zeppelin Graf Zeppelin

Dr Eckener Dr Eckener

Airship LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin specifications. Airship LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin specifications.

Airship framework under construction. Airship framework under construction.

Airship framework without nose cap and tail cone. Airship framework without nose cap and tail cone.

Applying the outer covering to the hull. Applying the outer covering to the hull.

Interior of the airship seen from the nose. Interior of the airship seen from the nose. An axial gangway runs through the center of the ship.

Rear gondola with 530-horsepower Maybach engine. Rear gondola with 530-horsepower Maybach engine.

Graf Zeppelin shortly before completion. Graf Zeppelin shortly before completion.

View of the control cabin. View of the control cabin.

Lounge and dining room. Lounge and dining room.

Passenger cabin set up for daytime use. Passenger cabin set up for daytime use.

Passenger cabin set up for sleeping. Passenger cabin set up for sleeping.

Kitchen. Kitchen.

LZ-127 in flight. LZ-127 in flight. It served for a decade. It flew around the world in 1929. It was retired after the crash of the Hindenberg and was eventually scrapped.

These postal covers were aboard the Graf Zeppelin on its Round the World Flight in 1929. They were mailed by US residents from Lakehurst to Lakehurst. According to the Germans, the Graf Zeppelin began its Round the World Flight after it returned from Lakehurst to Fredrichshaven. Although the Graf Zeppelin had circumnavigated the Earth when it returned to Lakehurst, some collectors consider these covers to have been aboard for only part of the Round the World Flight.

Round the World cover mailed by Andrew Zerger. Round the World cover mailed to Andrew Zerger From Philadelphia to Philadelphia by way of Fredrichshaven, Tokyo, and Los Angeles. It carries $3.55 postage.

Round the World cover Madelline Lyden. Round the World cover mailed to Madelline Lyden from Booklyn, New York to Booklyn, New York. It carries $3.55 postage.


Links

Wikipedia entry about the LZ-126, ZR-3 Los Angeles.

Wikipedia entry about the LZ-127 Graf Zeppelin.



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