German gas filled airships used to drop bombs?

Answer 1

Zeppelin is a lighter-than-air airship. These could travel very high and long distances, so they made it possible to bomb London. The Zeppelins were identified by LZ-XX, where XX would be the airship identification number. They did not have names such as airplanes did.

German Zeppelins were operated by both the Army and Navy as two entirely separate divisions, at the beginning of the war the Army had nine craft (including three DELAG craft requisitioned from civilian ownership) and the Navy had four. All the craft were identified with the pre-war prefix LZ and a number, to avoid confusion between craft with the same number it is customary to use the prefix LZ for Naval craft and just L for Army craft (the Schütte-Lanz and Parseval types are sometimes identified with the respective prefixes SL and PL).

Prior to the war the Army had lost three zeppelins to accidents and the Navy two, although both Naval losses occurred in 1913 and accounted for the majority of experienced personnel. There were major differences in doctrine. The Army emphasised bombing from a low level and close support to ground forces, while the Navy had trained for reconnaissance.

The Zeppelins were most useful in the area of shipping reconnaissance where their range and their ability to hover made them valuable.

Answer 2

The Observation Balloon were capable of carrying one or two observers. The German name was Drachen. It was shaped like a long sausage with a smaller sausage that wraps around the rear and under it to act as a rudder. The balloon was tethered to the ground and had a basket that hung under it for the observers.

The observation balloons were manned by a crew that inflated it and was guarded by machine guns and anti-aircraft guns. It took several minutes to retract the balloon. So many observers wore parachutes so they could jump out of the balloon if it was attacked by enemy fighters.

Answer 3

Zeppelin

A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. Zeppelin's ideas were first outlined in 1874 and formulated in detail in 1893. Wikipedia

Answer 4

Zeppelin