LZ 18 (L 2)

LZ 18, with the Navy designation L 2, was a German military Zeppelin built for the Imperial German Navy in 1913 as the Navy's second airship. It was designed under the influence of the naval architect Felix Pietzker, with the keel moved inside the hull and the engine cars placed closer to the envelope, and was powered by four 130 kilowatt Maybach C-X engines in two engine cars. It was first flown on 6 September 1913 at Friedrichshafen and flown to Johannisthal on 20 September for naval acceptance trials. On 17 October 1913, during its tenth flight, an altitude trial, the sun heated the hydrogen while the take-off was delayed, the airship rose rapidly and a flame leapt from the forward engine car, causing explosions that destroyed the ship and killed all 28 men aboard, before it could enter operational service.