a length of 459.2 feet (140 meters) and a
diameter of 49.2 feet (15 meters) which increased the lift because she
carried 670,890 cubic feet (19,000 cubic meters) of hydrogen which gave
her a useful lift of more than 13,227.6 pounds (6,000 kilograms). Her
speed was better than 48 miles an hour and she carried twenty-four
passengers.

[PLATE 47: The "DELAG" Passenger Zeppelin "Bodensee."

Interior view gas bags not inflated.]

New and larger sheds were built for the "DELAG" as the fleet increased
in size. When they first commenced flying there were only two airship
sheds in addition to the one at Friedrichshafen. These were at
Baden-Baden and at Dusseldorf. They owned the shed at Baden-Baden and
leased from the municipality the one at Dusseldorf. Toward the end of
1911 others were available, one at Johannisthal near Berlin and one at
Gotha. In 1912 two more were ready, one at Frankfort on the Main, owned
by the "DELAG," and one at Potsdam, owned by Luftschiffbau-Zeppelin. In
1913 the municipalities of Hamburg, Leipzig and Dresden erected sheds.
(Plates 34-35-36.) In the beginning the sheds were single but the ones
built after the "DELAG" had started regular schedules, accommodated two
ships side by side. Some of the sheds were huge, often 196.8 feet (60
meters) wide.

Development of Adequate Hangars

They were provided with electric lights, water supply and docking rails,
which extended from either end. Special piping conveyed the hydrogen
from plant to shed. All sheds had railway connections, and were equipped
with waiting rooms for passengers and crews, as well as workshops and
accessory buildings. The airship harbors built by the "DELAG" and
Zeppelin had particularly extensive workshops, for besides the regular
maintenance work, they produced many new parts and instruments for
navigating Zeppelins.

[PLATE 48: The "DELAG" Passenger Zeppelin "Bodensee."

Power gondola (side) containing one 260 horsepower Maybach
motor. Note ladder communicating with interior of ship.

The "DELAG" Passenger Zeppelin "Bodensee."

Power gondola (rear) containing two 260 horsepower Maybach
motors. Note ladder communicating with interior of ship.]

At every shed there was a meteorological station fitted with barometers,
barographs, thermographs, and a theodolite for measurement of the wind
velocity in the upper atmosphere. Weather observations were made each
morning and telegraphed to all other