Zeppelin LZ 39

Zeppelin LZ 39 was an O-class Zeppelin of the Imperial German Army in the First World War. It made three raids on the western front and two on the eastern front, dropping 4,184 kilograms of bombs. On 17 May 1915 Flight Commander Arthur Bigsworth climbed his Avro 504 above it over Ostend at night and dropped four 20-pound bombs on its envelope, causing considerable damage; it was the first night-time attack on a Zeppelin, and Bigsworth received the Distinguished Service Order. The airship returned to base despite damage to five gasbags. On 17 December 1915 it was hit by shrapnel during an attack on Rovno, which punctured all the rear gas cells and tore off the front engine car; the crew limped back to Germany, and after the forced landing the ship collapsed because no repair material or gas was available.