Zeppelin LZ 23

{{Infobox aircraft begin

|name=LZ 23

|image= Zeppelin LZ 23 after crashing in the Forest of Badonviller.jpg

|caption=Zeppelin LZ 23 after crashing in the Forest of Badonviller

}}{{Infobox aircraft type

|type=improved L-Class reconnaissance airship

|national origin= Germany

|manufacturer=Luftschiffbau Zeppelin at Staaken

|designer=

|first flight= 21 February 1914{{sfn|Brooks|1992|pp=72-77, 202-203}}

|introduced=

|retired=

|primary user=Imperial German Army

|more users=

|produced=

|number built=1

|variants with their own articles=

}}

The Zeppelin LZ 23 was the 2nd improved L-class Zeppelin, and the eleventh airship of the Imperial German Army, first flown on 21 February 1914 and shot-down by anti-aircraft fire on 23 August 1914. {{sfn|Powis|2017|p=}}

Operational history

The first trip from LZ 23 took place on May 11, 1914. As an airship of the army, LZ 23 had the identification, Z VIII.{{sfn|Nitske|1977|p=87}}

Z VIII was launched in Metz at the end of July 1914 as it spent many months in its hangar without gas and not being used. Due to the critical global political situation at that time, the commander of Z VIII, Captain Andrée, finally was able to obtain the gas to fill the ship for operational readiness. At the beginning of the war in early August 1914, the Zeppelin was able to fly reconnaissance and disruptive flights against the marching French troops.

On August 21, 1914, Z VIII received the same order as Z VII, reconnaissance and bombing of French troops that had entered the empire in Alsace. On the way to the reconnaissance area, the Zeppelin was bombarded and damaged in a friendly fire incident. Over the enemy lines, Z VIII dropped its bomb load of {{Convert|160|kg|lbs}}. The French managed to damage the airship's controls, causing it to float around uncontrollably, and the holes in the shell caused by the shelling led to the loss of the gas providing lift. The gas loss finally forced an emergency landing in the French part of Lorraine in the Forest of Badonviller.{{sfn|Bismarck Daily Tribune, December 12,|1914|p=1}} The ship's commander destroyed the secret papers and the crew disembarked. An attempt was made to burn the zeppelin, but the small amount of gas remaining in the cells could not be ignited. A squadron of French cavalry attacked the ship's crew, who managed to get through to the German lines and report their reconnaissance results. The wreck of LZ 23 was looted by French troops but this material fell back into German hands due to the advance of the German army.{{sfn|Brooks|1992|pp=72-77, 202-203}}

Specifications (improved L-class)

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Peter W. Brooks's book Zeppelin : rigid airships 1893-1940 {{sfn|Brooks|1992|pp=72-77, 202-203}}

|prime units?=met

|crew=18

|length m=156

|length ft=

|length in=

|length note=

|dia m=14.9

|dia note=maximum

Frame spacing: {{cvt|8|m|0}}
Fineness ratio: 10.47
Number of gas cells: 18

|width m=

|width ft=

|width in=

|width note=

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|height ft=

|height in=

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|volume m3=22140

|volume ft3=

|volume note=

|empty weight kg=16850

|empty weight lb=

|empty weight note=65% of typical gross lift

|gross weight kg=

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|fuel capacity=

|lift kg=25700

|lift note=typical gross lift

Typical disposable load: {{cvt|8850|kg|0}}

|more general=

|eng1 number=3

|eng1 name=Maybach CX

|eng1 type=6-cylinder water-cooled in-line piston engines

|eng1 hp=180

|eng1 note=

|prop blade number=4

|prop name=fixed-pitch propellers

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|max speed kmh=72

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|never exceed speed kmh=

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|range km=1900

|range miles=

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|guns=

|bombs=typically

:* 5x {{cvt|50|kg|0}} high explosive bombs

:* 20x {{cvt|3|kg|0}} incendiary bombs

|rockets=

|missiles=

}}

==References==

Zeppelin LZ 23

Operational history

Specifications (improved L-class)

Further reading