Parseval PL25

PL25 is Parseval Airship 25 The military airship was made ​​1914/15 at the aircraft company in Bitterfeld and was the last Eingondel airship Parseval. At the same time it was one of the largest, if not the largest blimp before the Second World War at all. The first flight took place on 25 February 1915. The sheath was made ​​drop-shaped and very slim.

The lifting body had a length of 112.3 m and at its thickest point a diameter of 16.4 m. The lifting gas volume was 14,000 cubic meters. The ship was equipped with two Maybach CX engines (210 hp) yielded a capacity of 154 kW each to one propeller. They allowed a speed of about 76 km / h ( 21 m / s).

Use

PL25 was in the service of the Navy and took a total of 10 test runs. After 41 missions as a reconnaissance over the North Sea, the ship with 34 other rides from Tønder was used as a training ship. - For protection against enemy aircraft including a machine gun stand was on the back of the hydrogen-filled float.

29-30. May 1915 it was involved in the advance of the High Seas Fleet to 50 nautical miles north of Schiermonnikoog ( North Sea) and on 9 bis August 11, 1915 at the advance of the Baltic armed forces to the Baltic islands. Already in the autumn of 1915 Torpedo Skid tests were performed with the P IV in Berlin- Biesdorf by the Siemens -Schuckert undertaken. Later also followed in Biesdorf experiments with the PL 25 and from July 1, 1916 was there as a training ship in the army in use.

From March 25 1915 to November 3, 1915, was stationed in Tønder and November 4, 1915 to March 29, 1916 in Fühlsbuttel. Commander of PL25 were Captain Stelling and Captain Manger.

PL25 was filed on March 30, 1916 out of service and transferred for scrapping in the Siemens Hall to Biesdorf in Berlin.

Overall, the ship took 95 trips.

• Airship