Flown 7/12/1931 LZ 127 German Graf Zeppelin Cover C3 (05/27/2011)...

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Flown 7/12/1931 LZ 127 German Graf Zeppelin Cover C36

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Flown 7/12/1931 LZ 127 German Graf Zeppelin Cover C36

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Sold Date: 05/27/2011
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Stamps

Flown July 7th 1931 via LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin. Very nice heavy weight envelope. Photos show the back where at one time the cover back was taped there is no bleed through so it does not distract from the cover. It is a beauty.

The LZ 127 was originally planned to exploit the latest technology in airships, building on the advances of the earlier LZ126. Dr. Hugo Eckener had to campaign for its construction and only after two years of lobbying did that proceed at the Zeppelin works, Luftschiffbau Zeppelin , at Friedrichshafen in Germany. Scott catalogue number C36

Copied and pasted: /wiki/LZ_127_Graf_Zeppelin

Design and development

The Graf Zeppelin flew for the first time on September 18, 1928, [1] and, with a total length of 236.6 metres (776 ft) and volume of 105,000 cubic metres (3,700,000 cu ft), was the largest airship up to that time. It was powered by five Maybach 550 horsepower (410 kW) engines [1] that could burn either Blau gas or gasoline .[2] The ship achieved a maximum speed of 128 kilometres per hour (80 mph, 70 knots) operating at total maximum thrust of 2,650 horsepower (1,980 kW), which reduced to the normal cruising speed of 117 km/h (73 mph, 63 knots) when running with normal thrust of 2,150 horsepower (1,600 kW), ignoring wind speeds. [2] Some flights were made using only Blau gas, and for this purpose 12 gas cells were used with a total volume up to 30,000 cubic metres. That amount allowed around 100 hours at cruising speed. At maximum capacity, the fuel tank allowed 67 hours' cruising. Using both gasoline and Blau gas could give 118 hours' cruising.

Generally the Graf Zeppelin had a usable payload capacity of 15,000 kilograms for a 10,000 kilometre cruise. [2] Initially it was to be used for experimental and demonstration purposes to prepare the way for regular airship traveling, but also carried passengers and mail to cover the costs.

Two small ram air turbines attached to the main gondola on swinging arms generated supplemental electricity: one for the radio room, the other for passenger lighting, the galley appliances, and as a reserve. Accumulators stored the electrical energy produced so that radio operation was independent of airspeed. [3] The main electricity generating plant was located inside the hull and comprised two fuel-burning generators. [4] The gondola also had a gasoline-fueled emergency generator.

Gondola layout

Behind the front command cabin through a door lay the map room, with two large open access hatches to allow the command crew to communicate with the navigators. From the map room an ascending ladder allowed access to a keel corridor inside the hull. The map room had two large windows, one on each side. A rear door led from the map room to a central corridor with the three-man radio room to the left and the electric kitchen to the right, and a short passage to the main entrance-exit door on the right (when facing front). The corridor ended at a door that opened into the main dining and sitting room, with four large windows. At the rear of this room a door opened into the long corridor to access the passenger's cabins and washrooms and toilet facilities. [1] Each passenger cabin was by day set with a sofa which by night the crew would convert to two beds, one above the other. [4] The crew's quarters were inside the hull and reached by a catwalk. The kitchen was equipped with a single electric oven with two compartments and hot plates on top. [4]

Radio equipment

Many people were needed to hold down the D-LZ127. The red circle indicates the ram air turbine electric generator just under the radio room window.

The Graf 's radio room was outfitted with the most modern radio equipment for an airship at the time. [3] Three radio officers served there communicating with ground stations and ships, performing radio navigation [3] and receiving weather reports, as well as sending private telegrams for passengers. [5] A one kilowatt valve transmitter (about 140...