In the autumn of 1917, the Zeppelin-Lindau plant constructed two reconnaissance aircraft known as Zeppelin C.I.
These aircraft were developed by Paul Jaray and underwent testing before a decision was made to proceed with serial production of an upgraded version, designated as C.II.
The production of C.II commenced in 1918 at the Friedrichshafen Flugzeugbau plant.
This two-seater wooden single-column biplane was equipped with a powerful 240-horsepower Maybach Mb IV engine and featured a synchronized 7.92 mm machine gun as its armament.
Unfortunately, before a total of 20 units of the aircraft could be completed, they were forced to surrender.
As a result, the Allied Commission ordered that all of these aircraft be scrapped.
However, the company managed to negotiate the sale of the entire batch to the Swiss Air Force, although only 19 vehicles were ultimately delivered.
These aircraft remained in service with the Swiss Air Force until 1928, serving their reconnaissance purposes diligently.
In summary, the Zeppelin C.I aircraft, developed by Paul Jaray, underwent successful testing and led to the production of an upgraded version, the C.II.
Equipped with a powerful Maybach Mb IV engine and a synchronized machine gun, these two-seater biplanes were intended for reconnaissance purposes.
Although the Allied Commission initially ordered their scrapping, the company managed to sell the entire batch, with 19 units being delivered to the Swiss Air Force.
These aircraft served the Swiss Air Force until 1928, fulfilling their role in aerial reconnaissance. Specifications Crew Two Length 7.925 m (26 ft 0 in) Wingspan 12 m (39 ft 4 in) Height 3.585 m (11 ft 9 in) Empty weight 987.5 kg (2,177 lb) Gross weight 1,455 kg (3,208 lb) Powerplant 1 × Maybach Mb.IV 6-cylinder in-line water-cooled piston engine, 180 kW (240 hp) Propellers 2-bladed fixed-pitch wooden propeller Performance Maximum speed 200 km/h (120 mph, 110 kn) Time to altitude 33 minutes to 5,000 m (16,000 ft) Sources German Aircraft of the First World War-Peter Gray & Owen Thetford.
