The first ship to fill the requirements essential to safe and steady commercial operations was the “=Schwaben=” built in the summer of 1911. She was 459.2 feet (140 meters) long, 45.9 feet (14 meters) in diameter, and of 615,580 cubic feet (18,000 cubic meters) hydrogen gas capacity. Her three Maybach 145 horsepower motors gave the “=Schwaben=” a speed of 43 miles an hour (19.3 meters per second). She had a useful lift of 8,818.4 pounds (4,000 kilograms). During the latter part of 1911 more than a hundred flights were made with the “=Schwaben=” between Lake Constance, Niederheim, Gotha, and Berlin. These flights warranted larger ships. [PLATE 46: The “DELAG” Passenger Zeppelin “Nordstern.” Interior view with gas bags removed.] In March 1912, the “DELAG” put into operation the new Zeppelin “=Victoria Louise=” (Plates 31-32) and in the summer, her sister ship the “=Hansa=”. These Zeppelins were 485.4 feet (148 meters) long and 45.9 feet (14 meters) in diameter. They each held 670,890 cubic feet (19,000 cubic meters) of hydrogen and their useful lift was 11,023 pounds (5,000 kilograms). Motors had been so improved that the “=Victoria Louise=” and “=Hansa=” were able to make 44.7 and 46.9 miles per hour respectively. Accommodations for Many Passengers Each Zeppelin accommodated twenty-four passengers besides the crew. Warm meals were served from the up to date electrical kitchen. There was wireless aboard, also. The ships gave complete satisfaction during hundreds of flights made over constantly increasing distances. They won the confidence of the traveling public; and equally important, had supplied much valuable experience and information, for they operated in all kinds of weather at all seasons of the year. In 1913, the new Zeppelin, “=Sachsen=”, (Plate 33) was added to the “DELAG” fleet. She had a length of 459.2 feet (140 meters) and a diameter of 49.2 feet (15 meters) which increased the lift because she carried 670,890 cubic feet (19,000 cubic meters) of hydrogen which gave her a useful lift of more than 13,227.6 pounds (6,000 kilograms). Her speed was better than 48 miles an hour and she carried twenty-four passengers. [PLATE 47: The “DELAG” Passenger Zeppelin “Bodensee.” Interior view gas bags not inflated.]