Zeppelin LZ 89

Zeppelin LZ 89 (L 50) was an R-class zeppelin of the Imperial German Navy. After a short career during the World War I it ran out of fuel during a mission and was deliberately crashed.

Service
Airship LZ 89 took part in five missions around the North Sea. In addition to the naval scouting missions, it participated in two attacks on the United Kingdom, dropping a total of 4135 kg of bombs on English targets.

On 20 October 1917 LZ 89 was returning from bombing Norwich when it ran out of fuel. To prevent capture the commander ordered the Zeppelin to do a controlled crash near Dammartin-sur-Meuse where the Zeppelin would be destroyed but allow the crew to safely get off the ship. The airship crashed but after the control car had been torn off the ship drifted off over the Mediterranean with five crew members still on board. Two officers and 14 crewmen of Zeppelin LZ 89 (L 50) were captured and taken prisoners-of-war to Bourbonne-les-Bains.