B class

The B‑class airship was the second major series produced by the German firm Luftschiffbau Zeppelin in the early 1910s. Developed after the pioneering L‑Z I and L‑Z II, the B‑class entered service in 1912 and was intended for both civilian transport and military reconnaissance. Its envelope measured roughly 140 metres in length and 18 metres in diameter, giving a volume of about 30 000 cubic metres of hydrogen. Powered by two 105‑horsepower Maybach engines mounted in gondolas, the B‑class could cruise at 80 km/h and carry a payload of up to 1 200 kg, including ten passengers in a heated cabin. Structural innovations such as the rigid, aluminum‑skinned frame and the use of transverse bracing improved stability and reduced sway in turbulent air. Although only a handful were built before World War I redirected Zeppelin’s focus to larger R‑class and military Zeppelins, the B‑class demonstrated that rigid airships could operate reliably on scheduled routes, paving the way for commercial air travel. Its successful flights over Berlin, Munich and the North Sea proved the practicality of long‑duration, high‑altitude flight and cemented Zeppelin’s reputation as a pioneer of early aviation.