LZ 2

LZ 2 was a German experimental rigid airship built by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin as the successor to LZ 1 and is regarded as the true ancestor of later Zeppelin designs. Its designer corrected the main faults of LZ 1 by using triangular-section girders in place of flat ones and elevators in place of a movable lead weight to control pitch. The airship was the same size as LZ 1 but was not finished until November 1905, and a gust of wind pushed it against the hangar wall on its first launch attempt. On 17 January 1906 it lifted off, rose far higher than intended when the rudder jammed, and drifted uncontrolled until Count Zeppelin brought it down by releasing gas, the first landing of a Zeppelin on land. A severe thunderstorm destroyed it overnight, and many of its parts were reused for LZ 3. Its life consisted of only one real flight.