# Zeppelin LZ 48

The Imperial German Navy Zeppelin LZ 48 (L 15) was a P-class World War I zeppelin.

## Operational history

The Airship took part in eight reconnaissance missions with three attacks on England dropping 5,780 kg (12,740 lb) of bombs.

## Destruction

The Zeppelin was damaged by ground fire from Dartford AA battery during a raid on London on 1 April 1916. The airship came down at Kentish Knock Deep in the Thames estuary. One crew member was killed; the other 17 were taken prisoner of war after being picked up by ships. The gunners at Purfleet attempted to claim a prize of £500 offered by the Mayor of London for shooting down the Zeppelin, but the War Office declared them ineligible. Instead the gunners received a gold medal.

## Specifications

Data from , Giants in the Sky: A History of the Rigid Airship
General characteristics
* Crew: 18-19 (Executive Officer, Commander, Navigator, Sailmaker (responsible for gasbags), Chief Engineer, 2 altitude coxswains, 2 steering coxswains, 8 engineers)
* Capacity: 16,200 kg (35,715 lb) typical disposable load
* Length: 163.5 m (536 ft 5 in)
* Diameter: 18.7 m (61 ft 4 in) maximum
* Fineness ratio: 8.68
* Volume: 31,900 m$^3$ (1,130,000 cu ft)
* Empty weight: 20,800 kg (45,856 lb)
* Fuel capacity: 4,800 kg (10,582 lb) maximum
* Useful lift: 37,000 kg (82,000 lb)
* Powerplant: 4 × Maybach C-X 6-cylinder water-cooled inline piston engine, 160 kW (210 hp) each
* Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propellers
Performance
* Maximum speed: 96.1 km/h (59.7 mph, 51.9 kn)
* Cruise speed: 90 km/h (56 mph, 49 kn)
* Range: 4,300 km (2,700 mi, 2,300 nmi)
* Service ceiling: 2,800 m (9,200 ft) static
Armament
* Guns: 7 or 8 machine guns: naval airships generally using the water-cooled MG 08, army ships the air-cooled Parabellum MG 14
* Bombs: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) bombs (a greater load could be carried with reduced fuel load)

## Dirigibles shot down over the UK

Airships made about 51 bombing raids on Britain during World War I. These killed 557 and injured another 1,358 people. More than 5,000 bombs were dropped (largely on towns and cities) across Britain, causing £1.5 million (equivalent to £128,500,000 in 2023) in damage. 84 airships took part, of which 30 were shot down or lost in accidents.
Airships shot down over the UK during WWI :
| Shot down | Tactical No | Production No | Shot down by | Aircraft | Squadron | Serial Number | Crash location |
| 1 April 1916 | L 15 | LZ 48 | | | Dartford AA battery | | Kentish Knock, Thames estuary |
| 3 September 1916 | SL 11 | | Lt Leefe Robinson | B.E.2c | No. 39 Home Defence Squadron | 2693 | Cuffley, Hertfordshire |
| 24 September 1916 | L 32 | LZ 74 | 2nd Lt Frederick Sowrey | B.E.2c | No. 39 Home Defence Squadron | 4112 | Great Burstead, Essex |
| 24 September 1916 | L 33 | LZ 76 | Alfred Brandon | B.E.2e fighter | No. 39 Home Defence Squadron | 4112 | Little Wigborough, Essex |
| 2 October 1916 | L 31 | LZ 72 | 2nd Lt Wulfstan J. Tempest | B.E.2c | No. 39 Home Defence Squadron | 4557 | Potter's Bar, Hertfordshire |
| 27 November 1916 | L 34 | LZ 78 | 2nd Lt Ian Pyot | B.E.2c | No. 36 Home Defence Squadron | 2738 | Hartlepool, County Durham |
| 28 November 1916 | L 21 | LZ 61 | Flt Lt Egbert 'Bertie' Cadbury | B.E.2c | RNAS Great Yarmouth | 8265 | Sea |
| 17 June 1917 | L 48 | LZ 95 | 2nd Lt Loudon Pierce Watkins | B.E.12 | No. 37 Home Defence Squadron | 6110 | Theberton, East Suffolk |