The 8 kg frustoconical incendiary bomb for Zeppelin had a body made up of a sheet metal bowl, which collected a series of metal casings containing incendiary substances (tow soaked in bitumen or gas). Asphalted hemp rope surrounds the outer walls. Upon impact, the cocking hammer of the fuse strikes a primer, which ignites the aluminothermic mix and sets alight the combustible materials, fanned by 200 grams of phosphorus contained at the base of the bomb.
On the night of March 20 to 21, 1915, the LZ.35 and Z.X zeppelins flew over Paris. Despite their arrival being signaled, the alarm was not sounded. Upon its arrival, the Z.X zeppelin was spotted by a projector and made the target of the aircraft defense's cannons and machine guns. Amidst the explosions, the Z.X began to bomb the Batignolles neighborhood, before moving on to bomb the 18th district. It then headed north, but was not able to reach the Gare du Nord, the Gare de l'Est, or the Gare Saint-Lazare. The Z.X gradually lightened itself of its bomb load as it journeyed over the suburbs to the north-west of Paris.
This incendiary bomb fell, but only partially burned, on the pavilion located at 11 Rue Amélie, in Asnières. As for the Z.X zeppelin, punctured by a plethora of strikes during its flight over Paris and losing its hydrogen supply, it managed to reach the German front lines before landing in the area surrounding Saint-Quentin (Aisne).
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