LZ 14

LZ 14, given the navy tactical number L 1, was a rigid airship in the Zeppelin series built for the Kaiserliche Marine, the Imperial German Navy, to carry out reconnaissance over the North Sea and enemy territory. It was the first of the naval series that carried L numbers, as the navy labelled its Zeppelins L 1, L 2 and so on, while the army used Z numbers. It first flew on 7 October 1912. On 9 September 1913 the airship was on patrol over the North Sea when it met a thunderstorm, which led to a forced landing that ended as a crash. Fourteen crew members drowned, and they became the first casualties of any Zeppelin in history.