To meet these conditions the L-30 was built (Plate 9). It had a gas capacity of 1,942,000 cubic feet (55,000 cubic meters) and was nearly twice as large as the original 1,129,920 cubic feet (32,000 cubic meters) four motored ships. The L-30 was ready in May, 1916. It was almost perfectly streamlined. The long cylindrical hull, so convenient from a production standpoint, had been abandoned. The L-30’s stern tapered gracefully to a fine point. It was driven by six 240 horsepower Maybach motors, arranged practically as before. One was located in the forward gondola with a direct drive propeller, another three motors in the rear gondola, one with a direct drive and two others each in a separate gondola located opposite each other on the sides of the hull amidships, so as not to interfere with the efficiency of the propeller in the rear gondola. The L-30 carried 63,933 pounds (29,000 kilograms), about 45% of its total lift. Other Zeppelins of her class had a useful lift of 50% due to better design and superior materials. This represented a marked advance, as the preceding types lifted only 37% of their weight. The ceiling had been increased, too, by more than 3,280 feet (1,000 meters). They could now ascend from 11,800 to 14,750 feet (3,600 to 4,500 meters), depending on the load and weather conditions. They made a speed of 63 miles per hour (28 meters per second). [PLATE 20: Maybach Airship Motor Type HSLu of 240 Horsepower, 1915. Maybach Airship and Aeroplane Motor Type Mb4a of 260 Horsepower at an Altitude of 10,000 Feet, 1918.] Faster Zeppelins for Scouting These Zeppelins proved exceedingly valuable for scouting. They were flown in all kinds of wind and weather. So great was their capacity for fuel that there was no task too great for them to undertake. But then, airplanes were constantly being improved, and they could rise quickly to high altitudes. The planes carried machine guns firing phosphorous incendiary bullets fatal to the hydrogen filled hull of the Zeppelins if overtaken. Airplanes, naturally, could out-distance airships, and there was no escaping them. The Zeppelins were compelled to fly still higher than the L-30 type. There shortly appeared other Zeppelins carrying loads of more than 39 tons or 60% of the total lift of the ship; and they could fly at an altitude of 19,684 feet (6,000 meters) with 13,228 or 15,432 pounds (6,000 or 7,000 kilograms), without depending on the thrust from the motors. In the fall of 1917 “altitude” motors were developed, larger and having supercompression. They did not develop full power at sea level but instead functioned normally at 10,000 feet altitude above sea level. They, moreover, gave ample power higher than that. They speeded up the Zeppelins to 70.5 miles per hour (31.5 meters per second).