Parseval PL 13 (
Parseval-Luftschiff 13, in
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
''雄飛'', ''Yuhi'') was a non-rigid military single-gondola
airship
An airship, dirigible balloon or dirigible is a type of aerostat (lighter-than-air) aircraft that can navigate through the air flying powered aircraft, under its own power. Aerostats use buoyancy from a lifting gas that is less dense than the ...
made in 1912 by the
Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft
Luft-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft, also referred to as LFG, was a German aircraft manufacturer during World War I. They are best known for their various "Roland" designs, notably the Roland C.II ''Walfisch'' (whale), Roland D.II ''haifisch'' (Shark) and ...
in
Bitterfeld
Bitterfeld () is a town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 July 2007 it has been part of the town of Bitterfeld-Wolfen. It is situated approximately 25 km south of Dessau, and 30 km northeast of Hall ...
, designed by
August von Parseval
August von Parseval (5 February 1861, in Frankenthal (Pfalz) – 22 February 1942, in Berlin) was a German airship designer. His designs for an amphibian flying boat, balanced by two wing-floats, achieved liftoff in April 1910. This marked the b ...
. Ship was bought by the
Imperial Japanese Army
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...
and served as one of the first military aircraft in the
history of Japan
The first human inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago have been traced to the Japanese Paleolithic, Paleolithic, around 38–39,000 years ago. The Jōmon period, named after its cord-marked pottery, was followed by the Yayoi period in the fi ...
.
Operational history
Airship was named ''Walserwald'' and in June 1912 imported from
German Empire
The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
to Japan. After the accident on March 28 1913, which damaged the ship, ''Walserwald'' was a repaired and modified in
Tokorozawa
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 343,298 in 168,939 households and a population density of 4761 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Tokorozawa is ...
depot. In 1913 ship was also renamed ''Yuhi'', which means ''Flyer''. Works were finished in August 1914
and ''Yuhi'' was commissioned by the Japanese military in April 1915.
On January 22, 1916 (Taisho 5), ''Yuhi'' made a test flight from Tokorozawa to
Osaka
is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
. After the flight 11 hours and 34 minutes long ship safely landed near the town of
Toyohashi
is a Cities of Japan, city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 377,453 in 160,516 households and a population density of 1,400 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . By area, Toyohashi was Aichi Prefec ...
. The return flight to Tokorozawa was not proceeded due to engine problems, so the aircraft was disassembled and transported by land. Ship was put out of service in July 1917.
To commemorate the first flight, January 22 is now known as "Airship Day." In Tokorozawa City, where the machine was repaired and reconstructed, a special baked confectionery called ''Yuhi-yaki'' is sold in commemoration of the flight.
Specifications
See also
References
Bibliography
*
*
External links
{{Commons category, Parseval PL 13 Yuhi
1910s Japanese aircraft
Airships of Germany
Airships of Japan
Military of Japan
Aircraft first flown in 1914