Shropshire Routes to Roots |Routes | World Wars | Zeppelin
raids| 3. Zeppelin defences How successful were the British in
combating the Zeppelins? Initial defence problems The British
defences against the Zeppelin airships were haphazard and had
little effect upon them. The Zeppelin ships flew too high for
most planes, but even when intercepted by British aircraft the
ammunition had little effect on them. This was all to change in
the year of 1916. Due to the failure of the Royal Naval Air
Service (RNAS) to defend Britain from the Zeppelin, the
responsibility of the home defence was handed over to the Royal
Flying Corps. By mid-1916, British aircraft were armed with
explosive and incendiary bullets. The explosive bullets were
able to pierce the tough outer skin of the Zeppelin ships which
caused leaks on the inner gas bags. Then the incendiary bullets
set alight the leaking gas and caused the airship to crash and
burn. With the construction of home-based airfields, improved
aircraft and ammunition, better tac