and the
first successful rigid airship flight was an accomplished fact. He nosed
his craft up through the air, the two 16 horsepower motors sending it
along slowly at 13.5 miles per hour (6 meters per second).
Notwithstanding this low speed the craft responded to the controls and
Zeppelin a few minutes later demonstrated that he could alight safely as
well as take off.

The First Company Dissolved Through Lack of Funds

Zeppelin made three flights with his first airship, on the third making
17.8 miles per hour (8 meters per second) but the funds had become
exhausted and overtures to the Government and industrial concerns
failing, he dissolved the stock company and began anew his struggle for
capital. Somehow or other people were not interested in aerial
navigation. They were less willing to invest their resources in
experimental machines. For five years Zeppelin labored tirelessly to
make persons believe in his project. He personally traveled the length
and breadth of the land endeavoring to show that this was an enterprise
so stupendous in its possibilities and importance to the world that it
should be substantially endorsed.

Assisted by the King of Wurttemberg

It was not until 1905 that King William of Wurttemberg having supplied
the funds and an aluminum manufacturer having lent him sufficient
material for another frame that Zeppelin, now 67 years old, was able to
start work on his second rigid airship. He completed it that fall after
working incessantly day and night, making important changes over the
first design, strengthening and at the same time lightening the
framework and adding considerably to the efficiency of the steering
apparatus. Motors also had been developing during that period and he was
able to find two 85 horsepower motors for his power plants.

[PLATE 7: Zeppelin "L-2". Interior View showing Internal
Corridor Construction. Gas Bags Not Inflated. 1912-1913.]

And then, as the ship was being taken out of the hangar the first time,
the forward steering gear broken, and the craft was literally driven by
the wind the entire length of Lake Constance, not stopping till it was
brought up against the Swiss shore, whence with much difficulty it was
returned to the workshops and repaired.

The next time he flew, Zeppelin took the ship to a height of 1640 feet
(500 meters) over the lake before motor trouble developed and he was
forced to land at Allgau. Though he had no assistance aside