rendered her incapable of further use.


R 33 CLASS

September 24th, 1916, is one of the most important days in the
history of rigid airship design in this country; on this date the
German Zeppelin airship L 33 was damaged by gunfire over London,
and being hit in the after gasbags attempted to return to
Germany. Owing to lack of buoyancy she was forced to land at
Little Wigborough, in Essex, where the crew, having set fire to
the ship, gave themselves up. Although practically the entire
fabric of the ship was destroyed, the hull structure most
fortunately remained to all intents and purposes intact, and was
of inestimable value to the design staff of the Admiralty, who
measured up the whole ship and made working drawings of every
part available.

During this year other German rigid airships had been brought
down, namely L 15, which was destroyed at the mouth of the Thames
in April, but which was of an old type, and from which little
useful information was obtained; and also the Army airship L.Z.
85, which was destroyed at Salonica in the month of May. A
Schutte-Lanz airship was also brought down at Cuffley, on
September 2nd, and afforded certain valuable details.

All these ships were, however, becoming out of date; but L 33 was
of the latest design, familiarly called the super-Zeppelin, and
had only been completed about six weeks before she encountered
disaster.