Since we will soon see "Zeppelins" in WOFF, here is an interesting link
to a website by Harry C. Redner about the air ship weapon.
Of course I cannot say, how historically correct the information is -
perhaps someone else can. But I saw quite some interesting stuff in there.
Enjoy!

http://www.luftschiffwaffe.de/

The Possible Flaws are 'endless'. As Elmer Fudd stands there looking for something to shoot at, the Zepplin is a sitting duck, for an attack from above. All he can see is the bottom of the gas bladder, quickly followed by large orange flames. And it's never a good idea to start shooting at an aircraft from a compartment that also houses the pilot. As when gunfire is returned he might miss you, and kill your pilot instead.

Leaving you . . .up sh!t creek without a paddle

And that doesn't need translation . . . as up sh!t creek is always understood

It may look that easy in films like "Flyboys" - but at least some of the airships
(there were various versions) had machine gun platforms "on their roofs".




So you mean all fighters/scouts were misconceptions???

But seriously - the air ship can remain afloat - even without it's pilot,
it can be steered back by the Captain or another crew member.
And the attacks from above were only a surprise when they happened first.
Later, the air ships could climb faster again.

They were not given up after early losses. Air ships were actually operating still in 1918.

That's what I'm saying, a gun position on the roof of the Zepplin ( Rigid Airship ) makes sense as it allows shooting in all directions

Where as the pictured waist gunner is a suicide wish anyway you look at it
The ship is left undefended

And everybody in the crew will be exposed to hostile gunfire, which normally wouldn't be

If that was the way it was, why attack from above and face a gunner

Just throw a few bursts at the passenger compartment from Below, trying to kill everbody

Then there's nobody to steer

According to this website, the defense of the airship consisted of 10 machine guns
of the same type as it was installed in German scouts: LMG 08/15.
Three were set up on the forward platform; 2 in the leading nacelle; 2 in the rear
nacelle; 1 LMG each in the two side-nacelles and in the rear position right behind
the rudder. The picture shows the forward top platform.

http://www.zeppelin-museum.dk/D/german/historie/l-30/l-30.html

It says so in plain language, that's where a website printed in German goes lacking, I can't even find the pictures if I can't read German

I learned something today, but only after a dispute with you

so you're basically saying . . if you can't speak German, to bad

I'll offer the information but only to those who speak German

Naw, not correct. I offer info I found - in English, French, German - whatever.
And if the info is a whole website with lots of text, and it has no parts in any
other languages than German, than you won't expect me to translate the whole
website for you, do you? I mean, after all I'd have to translate it into French
then too. I recommend to do, what I would do on a Russian site (I don't speak
any Russian): I would simply click on every clickable link. That way I would
surely find the pictures.
Of course we all miss a lot, when we cannot speak all other languages.

Nope I'd never ask anyone to translate anything, but dealing in these subjects I'll never post a text without a picture ( not an artist's depiction ) The Illustrated History of the Airwar I considered better than a photo as a photo is only B+W. Actual Pictures are very informative, and while I don't expect a word for word translation. A brief descripetion is most informative and welcomed

About the same length of description as you gave when you were looking to prove your point

Well, I'll always try and do my best. If you want to know about anything
you find in German, I'll give you an idea about the meaning, if it's not
too long, of course.
Not in the next 2 weeks though - I'll travel to my hometown tomorrow.
See you in 14 days, Unc.