Schütte-Lanz SL 11

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,^[1][2] 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.^[3] Robinson was awarded the Victoria Cross.

• First Flight: 1 August 1916
• Length: 174 m (571 ft)
• Diameter: 20.1 m (66 ft)
• Gas Capacity: 38,780 m³ (1,370,000 cu ft)
• Performance: 91.8 km/h (57.0 mph; 49.6 kn)
• Payload: 21 t (21,000 kg; 46,000 lb)
• Engines: 4x Maybach HS-Lu 6-cyl in-line engines:960 hp (970 PS; 720 kW) total

Airships made about 51 bombing raids on Britain during World War I. These killed 557 and injured another 1,358 people. More than 5,000 bombs were dropped (largely on towns and cities) across Britain, causing £1.5 million (equivalent to £108,000,000 in 2023) in damage. 84 airships took part, of which 30 were shot down or lost in accidents.^[4]

More information Airships shot down over the UK during WWI, Shot down ...

Airships shot down over the UK during WWI

Shot down Tactical No Production No Shot down by Aircraft Squadron Serial Number Crash location Picture 1 April 1916 L 15 LZ 48 Combination of Ranken darts dropped by Alfred Brandon and Anti-Aircraft Fire B.E.2e & ground fire No. 19 Reserve Aeroplane Squadron and Dartford AA battery Kentish Knock, Thames estuary 3 September 1916 SL 11 Lt Leefe Robinson B.E.2c No. 39 Home Defence Squadron 2693 Cuffley, Hertfordshire 24 September 1916 L 32 LZ 74 2nd Lt Frederick Sowrey B.E.2c No. 39 Home Defence Squadron 4112 Great Burstead, Essex 24 September 1916 L 33 LZ 76 Alfred Brandon B.E.2e fighter No. 39 Home Defence Squadron 4112 Little Wigborough, Essex 2 October 1916 L 31 LZ 72 2nd Lt Wulstan J. Tempest B.E.2c No. 39 Home Defence Squadron 4557 Potter's Bar, Hertfordshire 27 November 1916 L 34 LZ 78 2nd Lt Ian Pyot B.E.2c No. 36 Home Defence Squadron 2738 Hartlepool, County Durham 28 November 1916 L 21 LZ 61 Flt Lt Egbert 'Bertie' Cadbury B.E.2c RNAS Great Yarmouth 8265 Sea 14 May 1917 L 22 LZ 64 Flight Sub-Lieutenant Robert Leckie Curtiss H12 RNAS Great Yarmouth 8666 Sea 17 June 1917 L 48 LZ 95 2nd Lt Loudon Pierce Watkins B.E.12 No. 37 Home Defence Squadron 6110 Theberton, East Suffolk 21 August 1917 L 23 LZ 66 2nd Lt Bernard A. Smart Sopwith Pup HMS Yarmouth cruiser - Sea 10 May 1918 L 62 LZ 107 Capt T.C. Pattinson Felixstowe F2A - N4291 Sea 6 August 1918 L 70 LZ 112 Captain Robert Leckie Airco DH.4 RNAS Great Yarmouth - Sea 11 August 1918 L 53 LZ 100 Flight Sub-Lieutenant Stuart D Culley Sopwith Camel HMS Redoubt destroyer N6812 Sea

Close

Dirigibles shot down over the UK

• List of Schütte-Lanz airships