Zeppelins

[Vic_Mouton]

Hi gang.
Can anybody tell me how many allied pilots were credited for shooting down a Zeppelin? How well were these sausages defended? Could they give a good account of themself when attacked by a fighter?

I've defended many in my time, and usually if it was not with any plane escort two or three could blow it out of the skies. I think there are about 20 odd people with the credit of a Zeppelin.

Depends what you mean by "defended". If you mean did they have firing-back capability, I am not aware that they did,at least to a meaningful extent. It was possible for the big gasbags to be attacked without the passengers even knowing it(I am recalling here a story re.the Zepp of Peter Strasser who commanded the Zeppelin fleet,which was shot down.I forget the source.)So, apparently the main Zeppelin defense was to fly real high, in the dark, and hope no lucky shots encounter your large amt. of flammable gas.

[PeterL]

There are illustrations around of a Maxim gun in a dorsal mount, but I dobt it was effective as most attacks were from below. The Zeppelins main defence was in altitude and rate of climb, both far superior to those of any contemporay heavier than air craft. As for suggestions of fighter escorts..somebody isn't taking his Dr Pepper neat.

Peter L

"Helium Schmelium"
Graf von Zeppelin

[Ira_Silverman]

Actually, the Zeppelins were fairly well armed defensively, with 4-5 Parabellums on flexible mounts. The had a relatively small cone of attck wherein an attacking fighter wasn't exposed to defensive fire. That and altitude made them a very difficult target.

20 odd pilots? How odd were they?

What's the difference between Rush Limbaugh and the Hindenburg?

One's a Flaming Nazi Gasbag; the other's a Zeppelin.

VBR,

Ira

[PeterL]

I decided to get off my backside take Putnams from the shelf..It lists 17 Zeppelins lost in 54 missions,8 to fighters and the remainder to a combination of AA and weather. Twenty odd would have been a select group indeed, bot eight!

Peter L

[rammjaeger]

The best protection for a Zep were fast climb and altitude but there are realy examples existing of aircraft shoot down by the gunners of Zeppelins. Can not tell you more now because it comes from my memory.

[mike_baram]

Ira,
Not fair...Rush is funny. If you really want an overly opinionated gasbag, try KGO radio's Bernie Ward....now there's a shmuck who talks through his rectum.
Mike

[Ira_Silverman]

Mike:

Sure 'nuff. But hey, good Zeppelin jokes are hard to come by! :-}

VBR,

Ira