Parseval PL25

PL25
Role	Patrol airship
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft
First flight	25 February 1915
Status	Dismantled
Primary user	Imperial German Navy

PL25 (Parseval-Luftschiff 25) was a non-rigid military airship made in 1914/15 by the Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft in Bitterfeld and was the last single-gondola Parseval. At the same time it was one of the largest non-rigid airships before the second world war. Its maiden flight was on 25 February 1915. It had a slim teardrop-shaped hull.

Operational history

PL25 served in the Navy, starting with 10 test flights. After 41 reconnaissance missions over the North sea, the ship undertook 34 flights as a training ship based from Tønder.

As defence against enemy aircraft a machine gun stand was fitted to the hull's top.

The ship was stationed from 1915-03-25^[1] to 3. November 1915 at Tønder and from 4. November 1915^[2] to 29. März 1916 in Fuhlsbüttel. Hauptmann Stelling and Hauptmann Manger were its commanders.

PL25 was put out of service on 1916-03-30^[3] and dismantled in the Siemens-Hangar at Berlin-Biesdorf (in Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Berlin). PL 25 made 95 flights.

Specifications

General characteristics

• Length: 112.3 m (368 ft 5 in)
• Diameter: 16.40 m (53 ft 10 in)
• Volume: 14,000 m³ (494,000 ft³)
• Powerplant: 2 × Maybach C-X, 154 kW (206 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 76 km/h (48 mph)

Armament

• 1 × trainable machine gun atop envelope

See also

• August von Parseval
• Parseval airships (list of all Parseval airships)

Notes

References

• de:Parseval PL25, German Wikipedia entry