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Airship Number Sachsen (LZ17)

The airships of the Zeppelin Company were cigar-shaped, with the maximum diameter being reached at one-eighth of the overall length. The diameter stays constant to about the last one-eighth of the ship’s length, where it reduces to the tail.  The ship is a “rigid airship” in that it has an aluminum, or duralumin, skeleton and a keel along the bottom, from which all of the ship’s weight was carried – crew, gondolas, ordnance, ballast, fuel, radio, etc.

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Airship NumberSachsen (LZ17)
ManufacturerZeppelin Company
Military BranchArmy
Assigned Base(s)Leipzig, Potsdam, Baden-Oos, Königsberg, Hamburg, Dresden
Beginning Service DateMay 3, 1913
Last Service Date1916
Postal MarkingPM “KOMMANDO Sachsen; “Luftschilltrupp Nr. 11
Dispatch TypePersonal; Large ENvelope
Value$$

Notes

This was a converted civilian passenger-carrying ship of the Zeppelin company. Transferred to the military inventory, passenger comforts such as seats and interior decor were removed.

This cover has a Königsberg date stamp: 6.8.15.

This ship, used primarily for training, was first commanded by E.A.Lehman. The sender, Weidling, is probably an officer, a lieutenant, at this time. He later commanded two other combat airships, also noteworthy.

On the back, in very small script, is the word "get root," meaning "censored," and apparently the name of the sensor is below it. Also, very uncommon during wartime and very unusual that it survived both World War I & II.

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