Schütte-Lanz SL 11

The Schütte-Lanz SL 11 was a German military dirigible built in 1916 by Luftschiffbau Schütte-Lanz. It was the
first German airship to be shot down while bombing England.

Operational history

The SL 11 was based at Spich and commanded by Hauptmann Wilhelm Schramm. In the early hours of 3 September 1916, after jettisoning bombs over Essendon, Hertfordshire, destroying several houses, damaging a church, and killing two sisters aged 26 and 12, it was then shot down over nearby Cuffley by Lt. William Leefe Robinson flying a BE 2C using incendiary ammunition. It crashed at Cuffley, killing the entire crew, who were buried at Potters Bar Cemetery; they were re-interred at Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery in 1962. Robinson was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Specifications

First Flight: 1 August 1916
Length:
Diameter:
Gas Capacity:
Performance:
Payload:
Engines: 4x Maybach HS-Lu 6-cyl in-line engines: total