WWI Zeppelins & Airships

Airship Number M.IV. (M.IVc)

Gross-Basenach airship types were designed and manufactured by Oberingenieur (Senior Engineer) Basenach and former Hauptmann (Captain) Sperling. It took on the name of the technical lead, Major Gross, however, and was known as the Gross-Basenach. When procured by the German Government, it was model M-III, a non-rigid craft, termed the “Militär III”.

Like the Parseval, this design maintained its shape through the gases stored in the large balloon above the gondola. At launch, enough hydrogen was pumped into this single large balloon to achieve both the required lift, and the required shape. In the bow and the tail were two separate internal balloons, inflated only by air, as needed to maintain an aerodynamic shape.

Later, for combat use, Gross-Basenach developed a semi-rigid ship with a rigid keel below the hydrogen cell. This semi-rigid ship was delivered to the German Army for operational missions. Like the Zeppelin and the Shûtte-Lanz the payload of the ship, crew, fuel, water, etc., was carried by this keel.

Airship Number	M.IV. (M.IVc)
Manufacturer	Gross-Basenach
Military Branch	Army
Assigned Base(s)
Beginning Service Date	September 7, 1914
Last Service Date
Postal Marking	S - M.IV.
Dispatch Type	ID Card
Value	$$$$$

Notes

This is the only known example of a seal on the Gross-Basenach Ship. Jurgen Schneevogt listed it, with a black and white image in his 2000 “Deutsche Militarluftschffart 1884 - 1918”, pg. 133. It measures 134cm x 8.7cm.

This is an ID card for hanger entrance and bears the correct commander’s name Hptm. Fritz von Jena, and his signature matches other known documents he has signed. There appears to be excess glue around the perimeter of the seal. Until other copies turn up, further investigation is limited.