 |
'Zeppelin Wrecked and burned being inspected by French troops.' Keystone
#18632
This card has the privilege of being the single most common LTA stereocard |
 |
'Zeppelin shot down near Colchester; even with its back broken, towers
above nearby farmhouse.'
Realistic Travels
This was the 'R' Class LZ 76 (L33), brought down at New Hall Farm, Little Wigborough,
Essex, on 24
September 1916 (Link to flat
photo of similar scene on Airship Directory site, and another larger photo ). LZ
76, commanded by Captain Alois Böcker made a forced landing after being
damaged by an aircraft shell fired by Lieutenant
A.G. Brandon. It was torched by the
crew, all of whom survived and was used as a
blueprint for later British rigid airships notably R34. |
 |
'Zeppelin shot down near Colchester; even with its back broken, towers
above nearby farmhouse.'
Realistic Travels 1916
Closer and less common view of L33. Bears the same legend as view
above. |
 |
'Gondola - from which bombs were dropped on London - of Zeppelin brought
down off the Essex Coast' Realistic Travels 1916
(variant of text - 'Gondola from which the bombs were dropped').
Is this also L33?. Quote 'L33 was shot down by an RFC pilot Lt
Alfred de B Brandon and anti aircraft fire and came down in a field near
West Mersea in Essex. The crew were taken prisoner'...
I am no longer sure that this is L33. The gondola lies on grass, not
stubble. |
 |
'Enormous propeller of the great Zeppelin,
now only a mass of twisted girders'
Realistic Travels. |
 |
'Portions of one of the (****) Zeppelins brought down by our gallant
airmen.' Realistic Travels.
Uncommon. |
 |
'Acres of Aluminium - remains of the great Zeppelin shot down by our
intrepid airmen.' Realistic Travels.
Uncommon. This is almost certainly L32 Commander Captain Werner Peterson
shot down by First Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey. Snail's Hall farm,
Billericay. Sept 1916. |
 |
'Observation car from Zeppelin brought down by our airmen at Cuffley.'
Realistic Travels. Uncommon.
The airship downed at Cuffley was the Schutte-Lanz SL11, commanded by
Hauptmann Wilhelm Schramm. There was little left of the wreckage of the
wooden SL11, but parts of other wrecks (notably L32) were also brought to
Cuffley These
observation cars were lowered from the Zeppelin so that it could remain above cloud, with
just the car dangling below. By all accounts it was a seriously scarey place to be. |
 |
'Wrecked Zeppelin in a French Field.' Underwood and Underwood
#14305. |
 |
'Impression made in the ground by Commander falling from burning Zeppelin
at Billericay.' Realistic Travels.
See description of next card also. This is the imprint of Lt
Heinrich Mathy, falling from Naval Zeppelin L31. Shot down
on 1 Oct 1916 by 2nd Lt. Wulstan Joseph Tempest at
Oakmere Park (now Tempest Avenue) Potters Bar. However another version of this card bears the legend 'Indentation made
in the ground by one of the crew falling from the Zeppelin' |
 |
'Charred bodies of Zeppelin crew shot down in flames at Billericay by
Capt. Robinson V.C.' Realistic Travels. Too realistic.
The legend on this card is inconsistent. The 'Zeppelin' brought down by Lt. W.
Leefe-Robinson, flying a BE2c, was the wooden-framed Shutte-Lanz SL11, which fell to earth
at Cuffley, Hertfordshire, on 3 Sept. 1916. Cuffley is North of London, about 25miles from
Billericay. The Zeppelin downed at Billericay was L32 on 24 Sept 1916. An account of that
event by C.E.Wright of Billericay Museum includes a description of the bodies which
suggests that this is L32, shot down by Lt. Fred Sowrey at Billericay. |
 |
'Foule Matinale autour du Zeppelin tombe a Compeigne'.
L39 was brought down on March 17 1917 in the Boulevard Gambetta,
Compeigne (Northern France) |
| Below- Wrecks caused by
Zeppelins |
 |
'House in Southend, England. Wrecked by bombs from raiding
Zeppelins'.
Keystone V19279.
|
Stereoscopic Images of Lighter Than Air
Flight
/orbiter/blimpy2.gif)
Home
