Zeppelins on the Italian Front

[keithfazzani]

I know nothing about Zeppelins so please excuse my ignorance in this matter. A friend has shown me two matching brass dishes both showing a Zeppelin in flight and with large mountains beneath. They certainly look like some form of "trench art", possibly produced by locals for sale to troops. The fact that they include mountains in the scene would lead me to believe they don't originate in France or Belgium, so Italy came to mind. Were Zeppelins used on the Italian front or elsewhere where there were mountains. As I say excuse my ignorance but all suggestions welcome.

[centurion]

Four Italian airships were shot down by KuK pilots. These were semi rigid and non rigid (blimps) and at least two were hit by KuK seaplane fighters. AFAIK no rigid airships operated in Italian skies. However rigid airships did operate in the Balkans which is not without mountains

[keithfazzani]

Thank you

[centurion]

There are many accounts of the German airship raids on Britain and France but much less coverage on the Italian airship raids on KuK targets that continued from 1915 right through until mid 1918. Here’s a taster.

Italy had already used airships in combat before WW1 in the Italo Turkish war where they had been used as bombers, recce and artillery spotters. In 1915 they already had a substantial number of airships. Unlike the German rigid Zeppelins and Schutte Lanz airships and the British non rigid blimps the Italian ships were for the large part semi rigid. This meant that they had a rigid keel to which the envelope (which could contain up to eight gas bags) was attached ( and which kept them in shape) as well as the crew car(s), engines and bomb racks. Such airships could be large, the later ones had four engines, a crew of six and a maximum bomb load of about 2,000 Kgs. Maximum speed was about 45mph. The largest ships were the Forlaniri designed and built ones which ranged from 295 ft in length ( F3, F4, F5 and F6) to the 360 feet of the F7. These and the slightly smaller M type (285 ft) were the main Italian bomber airships. About 20 were used in this role. The smaller types (Usuelli, P type and DE type) were used for a variety of tasks including anti shipping and submarine patrols. After the war the larger airships were converted for passenger work carrying 30 or more passengers, in a double deck gondola, seated in comfortable armchairs beside panoramic windows.

Targets for the raids appear to have been mainly concentrated on easily identified military installations such as the military dockyards at Pola and Trieste and military camps (such as at Doberdo) and at least one airbase. Strategic targets such as railway stations and yard were also attacked. Bombing raids were carried out at night.

How much the raids affected the KuK is difficult to ascertain, as each side either played up or down the damage, but they certainly reacted launching bombing raids against Italian air ship sheds at Venice and elsewhere using a range of aircraft including flying boats and seaplanes. A least two airships were destroyed this way. Fighter patrols were established an four airships shot down, two of them being big bombers. Anti aircraft defences were also reinforced. A number of Italian airships went on missions never to be seen again.

[Robert Dunlop]

Keith, a different tack. Is there any possibility that the brass dishes are not related to the war? Could they date from the inter-war period?

Robert

[Aspern]

I know nothing about Zeppelins so please excuse my ignorance in this matter. A friend has shown me two matching brass dishes both showing a Zeppelin in flight and with large mountains beneath. They certainly look like some form of "trench art", possibly produced by locals for sale to troops. The fact that they include mountains in the scene would lead me to believe they don't originate in France or Belgium, so Italy came to mind. Were Zeppelins used on the Italian front or elsewhere where there were mountains. As I say excuse my ignorance but all suggestions welcome.

Is it possible to put up a photo of the dishes? They may show a Zeppelin at Friedrichshafen where the Zeppelin works were situated. This is on Lake Constance just a few miles from Switzerland - and many of the early postcards of Zeppelins at Friedrichshafen have mountains in the background. The man who did the work may have copied from a postcard...

[centurion]

Are you sure they are Zeppelins? The big Italian semi rigids would look quite Zeppelin like to the untrained eye and would be as big as the earlier Zepps.

[scharek]

Two zeppelins were in Italy during the WWI. LZ97 five times 22- 23 January 1917. from Szentandrás Hungary to Valona, Tarent, Brindisi, and L59 (Africa) then raid to Naples 11-12 March 1918.

[keithfazzani]

I shall try and get a photo, they are not however mine and the owner is on holiday. I will try when they return. Thanks for all your comments.

[Robert Dunlop]

Good information, Ferenc. Thank you. I note that you have a particular interest in the Zeppelins.

Robert