To facilitate rapid mass-production, the same transverse frame design as the 9r were used, but lift was increased by adding an extra bay and by making the nose and tail fuller to accommodate larger gasbags.

[10] A 240 hp (180 kW) Maybach engine from the crashed Zeppelin L 33 replaced the Rolls-Royce in a new rear car, this one without emergency controls.

It flew over central London on 6 December, bringing the city to a standstill and generating a wave of patriotic fervour.

Despite the airship's identification markings being clearly visible to millions of Londoners, the censors banned publication of the name of the ship.

23r overflew the surrender of the German submarine fleet at Harwich in November 1918, before being modified for experiments with the three-wire mooring system in March 1919.

The problem was found to be even worse, with 24r weighing around 1,500 lb (680 kg) more than its sisters – a difference that was eventually traced to the use of slightly larger and heavier fasteners throughout her structure.

[12] It was intended that the rear power car would be eventually replaced with one of lighter design, but this was never carried out, and 24r operated throughout the war with only three engines.

On one occasion, this led to a situation over Bass Rock where the airship was held immobilised by a headwind, prevented from making any headway at all.

It was eventually retired in December 1919 with a total flight time of 164 hours and 40 minutes over a distance of 4,200 mi (6,720 km).

It had the benefit of being only in the early stages of construction when the weight problems with its sisters were discovered, allowing weight-saving measures to be implemented from the outset.

With 23r, it oversaw the surrender of the German U-boats at Harwich, before being assigned to experiments in early 1919 to investigate the practicalities of mooring airships in the open.

Although refloated by removing its power cars, the structural damage was found to be too great to warrant repairs, and it was struck off charge on 10 March.