LZ 104 (L 59)

Zeppelin LZ 104, designated L 59 by the German Imperial Navy and nicknamed Das Afrika-Schiff, the Africa Ship, was a First World War German airship famous for attempting a long-distance resupply flight to the beleaguered garrison of Germany's East Africa colony under General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck. It flew from Friedrichshafen to Yambol in Bulgaria, arriving on 4 November 1917 after 29 hours under Hugo Eckener, where Kapitänleutnant Ludwig Bockholt took command. It carried 13,930 kilograms of supplies, and its own structure was to be cannibalized for use in Africa, since no return was planned. It set out successfully on 21 November 1917 and crossed the African coast, but was ordered to turn back by a recall signal. Its flight of 6,800 kilometres in 95 hours is still the longest non-stop military airship flight. On 7 April 1918 it was seen by the submarine UB-53 enveloped in flame and falling into the sea; none of the 21 crew survived, and its loss was officially attributed to an accident.