In the First World War several navies used airships as attack or defence weapons but with variable success. The Italian navy for instance lost two large airships. In local Dutch newspapers were small items published dealing with these airships but the details varied in time, The Netherlands were during that war neutral and the Dutch newspapers depending on tidings which were not all ways reliable.
The Dutch local newspaper Breskensche Courant dated 29 May 1915. As result of the war declaration done by Italy [24 May 1915] attacked Austria-Hungary almost immediately. Just twelve hours later was Venice bombarded by a floatplane and for instance at Ancona two steamships anchored in the harbour and one ship although still on stocks ready to be launched destroyed by Austrian warships. The Italian navy airship Città di Ferrara bombarded the Zriny and tried to attack the Austrian fleet but had to leave the battle scene when two Austrian planes returned form their attack. The same airship or another was all ready 30 minutes after midnight sighted by the fleet between Pola and Ancona although going in opposite direction presumably towards Pola. When the three Austrian warships were forced to retreat due to the Italian gunfire changed the airship her direction and went North West.
On the internet are some beautiful pictures available like one this url: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dirigibile_citt%C3%A0_di_Ferrara1.jpg The photo was 20 January 2009 contributed by Emiliani Burzagli. The original is part of the private archive of the Italian family Burzagli. The photo was made by carlo Burzagli and dated 24 March 1914
The Dutch local newspaper Vlissingse Courant dated 3 June 1915 published a remarkable tiding. According to the rail roads authorities of Ancona was the bridge over the Marechia at Rimini not damaged by the gunfire of Austrian warships but by an Austrian airship with the clearly readable name Citta di Ferrare flying the Italian flag.
The Dutch local newspaper Middelburgsche Courant dated 9 June 1915. Vienna, 8 June. The Italian airship Citta Differara was around 18.00 o’clock successfully attacked and destroyed by the Austrian navy plane L 48 South West of Lussin. Two officers and 5 men were taken prisoner.
The Dutch newspaper De Soldatencourant dated 11 June 1915. Rome. Tuesday morning was according to official Austrian government tidings the airship Citta di Ferrara after an bombing attack at Fiume due to problems forced to land near the island Lussin and burned. According to an Austrian tiding was her crew saved and taken prisoner. The same newspaper published that day another item based on tidings from Budapest. Bombs thrown by the airship damaged factories in the town Fiume. The citizens keep calm during the attack and were pleased when they heard that the airship was destroyed. Two days later reported this newspaper that she threw bombs on locations in Italy and Dalmatia but what was attacked with incendiary bombs by Austrian planes, set into fire and destroyed. In the edition of 2 July 1915 was a picture of the battle published according to which one of the two Austrian planes managed to set her in file forcing her falling into the open sea. Most of her crewmembers were saved by a passing steamship. In her edition of 19 April 1916 this newspapers again published an item dealing with her fate. Thanks to her very powerful Maybach engines she managed to escape one from Austrian planes near Ancona but finally met her fate at the island Droica. She was sighted by an Austrian place from a height of 1200 meters while the airship was flying at a height of around 700 meters. The Austrian plane immediately attacked while the airship tried to increase her height which failed because she had loose too much gas caused by her long voyage. The plane was flying to high to be reached by the machineguns of the airship which succeeded in damaging her forcing her to land on the water and setting her with an incendiary bomb into fire. Two approaching torpedo boats take the seven survivors prisoner. Second officer Comte di Pisa and other men were killed. The steersman was found to have 10.000 crones in gold with him. The second Italian navy airship which attacked Pola met the same fate. Her steering equipment was disabled by a gunshot and she wasn’t turning around herself not able to manoeuvre anymore. Another hit from an anti aircraft/balloon gun forced her to land. Just like her sister ship she had two screws and Maybach engines but in contrary to most large German airship just one gondola. She was armed with tow machineguns and a bomb launching equipment. Their loss of this second airship caused an end of using this weapon by the Italian navy. This second airship must have been the Citta di Jesi.
http://www.istrianet.org/istria/navigation/air/lussino-airship.htm In an article it was claimed that the Città de Ferrara (M-2) was destroyed by the Austrian seaplane L 48 commanded by Linienschiffsleutnant Gustav Klasing. The commanding officer of the airship was lieutenant Castrucco Castracane. She was one of the eight M-class semi-rigid airships built by Forianini able to carry 1.000 kilo or 2.200 lb bombs and with a maximum altitude of 15.000 feet. The other man who was killed was engineer Mantero. According to this article salvaged the Austrian navy the remains of the airship and displayed these at Pola. Her sister ship was destroyed 5 August of the same year.
http://www.museumstuff.com/learn/topics/Semi-rigid_airship::sub::List_Of_Other_Semi-rigid_Airships Her first flight found place in 1913. Her hulls was identical to that of the M-1 first latter apparently first served with the army and later with the navy bust survived the war. The M2- had a length of 83,00 metre with a hull diameter of 17 metre. The four-125 hp engines allowed a speed of 85 kilometres. She was fitted out by two airscrews. This site doesn’t’ mentioned the Jesi.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Forlanini_airships and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrico_Forlanini Enrico Forlanini born Milan 13 December 1848, who died 9 October 1930, was an Italian engineer and inventor especially of helicopters and other flying tools.
The Dutch local newspaper Breskensche Courant dated 29 May 1915. As result of the war declaration done by Italy [24 May 1915] attacked Austria-Hungary almost immediately. Just twelve hours later was Venice bombarded by a floatplane and for instance at Ancona two steamships anchored in the harbour and one ship although still on stocks ready to be launched destroyed by Austrian warships. The Italian navy airship Città di Ferrara bombarded the Zriny and tried to attack the Austrian fleet but had to leave the battle scene when two Austrian planes returned form their attack. The same airship or another was all ready 30 minutes after midnight sighted by the fleet between Pola and Ancona although going in opposite direction presumably towards Pola. When the three Austrian warships were forced to retreat due to the Italian gunfire changed the airship her direction and went North West.
On the internet are some beautiful pictures available like one this url: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dirigibile_citt%C3%A0_di_Ferrara1.jpg The photo was 20 January 2009 contributed by Emiliani Burzagli. The original is part of the private archive of the Italian family Burzagli. The photo was made by carlo Burzagli and dated 24 March 1914
The Dutch local newspaper Vlissingse Courant dated 3 June 1915 published a remarkable tiding. According to the rail roads authorities of Ancona was the bridge over the Marechia at Rimini not damaged by the gunfire of Austrian warships but by an Austrian airship with the clearly readable name Citta di Ferrare flying the Italian flag.
The Dutch local newspaper Middelburgsche Courant dated 9 June 1915. Vienna, 8 June. The Italian airship Citta Differara was around 18.00 o’clock successfully attacked and destroyed by the Austrian navy plane L 48 South West of Lussin. Two officers and 5 men were taken prisoner.
The Dutch newspaper De Soldatencourant dated 11 June 1915. Rome. Tuesday morning was according to official Austrian government tidings the airship Citta di Ferrara after an bombing attack at Fiume due to problems forced to land near the island Lussin and burned. According to an Austrian tiding was her crew saved and taken prisoner. The same newspaper published that day another item based on tidings from Budapest. Bombs thrown by the airship damaged factories in the town Fiume. The citizens keep calm during the attack and were pleased when they heard that the airship was destroyed. Two days later reported this newspaper that she threw bombs on locations in Italy and Dalmatia but what was attacked with incendiary bombs by Austrian planes, set into fire and destroyed. In the edition of 2 July 1915 was a picture of the battle published according to which one of the two Austrian planes managed to set her in file forcing her falling into the open sea. Most of her crewmembers were saved by a passing steamship. In her edition of 19 April 1916 this newspapers again published an item dealing with her fate. Thanks to her very powerful Maybach engines she managed to escape one from Austrian planes near Ancona but finally met her fate at the island Droica. She was sighted by an Austrian place from a height of 1200 meters while the airship was flying at a height of around 700 meters. The Austrian plane immediately attacked while the airship tried to increase her height which failed because she had loose too much gas caused by her long voyage. The plane was flying to high to be reached by the machineguns of the airship which succeeded in damaging her forcing her to land on the water and setting her with an incendiary bomb into fire. Two approaching torpedo boats take the seven survivors prisoner. Second officer Comte di Pisa and other men were killed. The steersman was found to have 10.000 crones in gold with him. The second Italian navy airship which attacked Pola met the same fate. Her steering equipment was disabled by a gunshot and she wasn’t turning around herself not able to manoeuvre anymore. Another hit from an anti aircraft/balloon gun forced her to land. Just like her sister ship she had two screws and Maybach engines but in contrary to most large German airship just one gondola. She was armed with tow machineguns and a bomb launching equipment. Their loss of this second airship caused an end of using this weapon by the Italian navy. This second airship must have been the Citta di Jesi.
http://www.istrianet.org/istria/navigation/air/lussino-airship.htm In an article it was claimed that the Città de Ferrara (M-2) was destroyed by the Austrian seaplane L 48 commanded by Linienschiffsleutnant Gustav Klasing. The commanding officer of the airship was lieutenant Castrucco Castracane. She was one of the eight M-class semi-rigid airships built by Forianini able to carry 1.000 kilo or 2.200 lb bombs and with a maximum altitude of 15.000 feet. The other man who was killed was engineer Mantero. According to this article salvaged the Austrian navy the remains of the airship and displayed these at Pola. Her sister ship was destroyed 5 August of the same year.
http://www.museumstuff.com/learn/topics/Semi-rigid_airship::sub::List_Of_Other_Semi-rigid_Airships Her first flight found place in 1913. Her hulls was identical to that of the M-1 first latter apparently first served with the army and later with the navy bust survived the war. The M2- had a length of 83,00 metre with a hull diameter of 17 metre. The four-125 hp engines allowed a speed of 85 kilometres. She was fitted out by two airscrews. This site doesn’t’ mentioned the Jesi.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Forlanini_airships and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrico_Forlanini Enrico Forlanini born Milan 13 December 1848, who died 9 October 1930, was an Italian engineer and inventor especially of helicopters and other flying tools.
