Zeppelin



Zeppelins are flying contraptions created by the goblins, using a lighter-than-air design, with their machines employing bags filled with gas to make them buoyant in the air, compared to heavier-than-air designs, which employ wing surfaces and movement to produce lift, either using a fixed wing, or a spinning rotor.

A goblin zeppelin consists of a gondola of varying size suspended beneath one or more bags of lightweight gas that serve to keep the craft aloft. In keeping with the goblin fixation upon profit, these large crafts tend to be packed with cargo or paying passengers.

Second War


Zeppelins were ingenious inventions that allowed small teams of goblins to soar above the countryside and spy on enemy positions. The zeppelins were cumbersome, awkward and maintained no armament. Their airborne capabilities, extensive line of sight, and ability to spot underwater units, however, made them an integral part of the Horde's spy network.

These goblins were members of the Steamwheedle Cartel. During the Second War zeppelins crews were only a single pilot, but sometimes they also consisted of a pilot and an engine tender.

Third War


After the defeat of the Horde during the Second War, the goblins realized their mistake and left the Horde. They are now a neutral force, making money off every side. Zeppelins could be hired at special laboratories found all over Azeroth.

In the late days of the Third War, the Scourge started employing special Sky Barges to transport its troops.

World of Warcraft
In the times following the defeat of the Burning Legion at Mount Hyjal, goblin zeppelins are employed once again by the Horde for the passage of the Great Sea between the continents. Although some of the goblins remain a neutral force, the Horde alone has the privilege of using zeppelins. Modern zeppelins have eight member crews including a sky-captain, a chief officer, a navigator, three crewmen, and two Horde guards. The goblins also worked on creating the Horde gunships, employing a similar technology as the zeppelins.

Lorewise, neutral goblin zeppelins do exist and they allow the transport of soldiers, but heavy weaponry, such as cannons, are forbidden to maintain neutrality. Playful adventurers can also buy Darkmoon Zeppelins and Paper Zeppelins.

Zeppelin routes


In World of Warcraft, you won't see free-flying zeppelins without a specific course. They now follow established routes with a zeppelin tower at each end point. Some cargo zeppelins can be seen crashed in places.


 * Kalimdor ↔ Eastern Kingdoms
 * The Iron Eagle old.jpg The Iron Eagle: Orgrimmar, Durotar ↔ Grom'gol Base Camp, Stranglethorn Vale
 * The Thundercaller.jpg The Thundercaller: Orgrimmar, Durotar ↔ Undercity, Tirisfal Glades (removed in patch 8.0.1)


 * Kalimdor
 * The Zephyr.jpg The Zephyr: Orgrimmar, Durotar ↔ Thunder Bluff, Mulgore (added in patch 3.2.0)


 * Eastern Kingdoms
 * The-purpleprincess.jpg The Purple Princess: Undercity, Tirisfal Glades ↔ Grom'gol Base Camp, Stranglethorn Vale (removed in patch 8.0.1)


 * Kalimdor ↔ Northrend
 * The Mighty Wind.jpg The Mighty Wind: Orgrimmar, Durotar ↔ Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra


 * Eastern Kingdoms ↔ Northrend
 * The Cloudkisser.jpg The Cloudkisser: Undercity, Tirisfal Glades ↔ Vengeance Landing, Howling Fjord (removed in patch 8.0.1)

Eastern Kingdoms

 * One crashed in a tree in Stranglethorn Vale.
 * One crashed on the mountains just west of Dun Modr.
 * Hellscream warfleet
 * Spear of Durotar
 * Garrosh's Airship
 * Heart of Orgrimmar
 * The Indomitable
 * The Impervious
 * The Skyshredder

Kalimdor

 * Beezil's Wreck in Dustwallow Marsh.
 * Marvon Rivetseeker's southeast of Thistleshrub Valley, Tanaris.
 * One at Unearthed Grounds.

Outland

 * Area 52 Death Machines, zippelin guards of Area 52 in the Netherstorm.
 * "Screaming" Screed Luckheed's Zeppelin Crash in the Hellfire Peninsula.

Northrend

 * The Lady Lug, which has been captured by the Alliance at Westguard Keep in the Howling Fjord and is now used to bombard pirate positions.
 * Grom'arsh Crash-Site in the Storm Peaks is a camp built around the remains of a crashed zeppelin, likely also called Grom'arsh.
 * At least two that crashed near Warsong Hold in Borean Tundra. One into an iceberg, and one spread out on the mainland.
 * An unknown zeppelin brings Varok Saurfang to Icecrown Citadel to collect his son's body after he is defeated by the Alliance.
 * A number of destroyed zeppelins near the destroyed Wyrmrest Temple at the beginning of the End Time instance.

Pandaria

 * A crashed zeppelin on the Isle of Giants.

Draenor (alternate)

 * The Mother Lode, which was destroyed in the Spires of Arak.

Broken Isles

 * Rax Sixtrigger and Snaggle Sixtrigger own a zeppelin in Stormheim.

Mentioned only

 * The Uberzeppelin, personal ship of Trade Prince Gallywix.

In the RPG


A goblin zeppelin is a form of transportation that consists of a wooden gondola attached to a large balloon, into which hot air is pumped by a phlogiston boiler. They are swift, able to make long journeys, and pass above rough terrain.

The pilot of the zeppelin can control the direction through the use of ropes which are connected to both the steering wheel in the gondola, as well as fins on the balloon's back. Altitude is maintained or adjusted by the degree of inflation of the balloon, as well as with ballast. Moving in a direction or changing speed requires thrust, given by one or more rotors.

The zeppelin is an example of one of the most stable technological devices to be found on Azeroth (a trait uncommon of goblin inventions), and malfunctions tend to be non-threatening. Naturally, it is possible for the zeppelin to drift off course or develop a leak, but only rarely will the phlogiston boiler have difficulty, and even rarer still will it explode.

Since the Second War, zeppelins have become a widespread method of transportation, due to development by the goblins. After the Second War, the goblins rescinded their alliance with the Horde and began selling their goods and services to the highest bidder. Throughout the course of the Third War, the zeppelins were employed by both the Horde and Alliance. Their speed had increased substantially and the zeppelins were now able to travel over long distances and rough terrain, as well as carry vast numbers of troops.

Zeppelins come in different designs and sizes, and different zeppelins have different crew sizes. Zeppelins are manned by at least a pilot. Some are manned by a pilot, navigator, and engineer.

Wildhammer dwarves do not like goblins, for they see them as materialistic and technology-driven. Wildhammers take pride in zeppelin hunting.

Zeppelins moved at 40 miles per hour in the Warcraft RPG, but it was changed to 15 miles per hour in the World of Warcraft RPG. Zeppelins can cover about five hundred miles in a twelve-hour day of travel, allowing the crew time to rest and make any necessary repairs. An Explorer's Guild trip from Sunwell Grove to Booty Bay was made in just under 80 days.

Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans


In the canceled Warcraft Adventures, a zeppelin built and piloted by Gazlowe helped Thrall travel around the Eastern Kingdoms. The zeppelin had several components, including a samophlange, and flew during over ten missions during the Second War.

Notes and trivia

 * The zeppelin that dropped the mana bomb on Theramore Isle is consistently called a "sky galleon" throughout its appearance in Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War. This is either an alternate name for zeppelins or a name for the type introduced in Wrath of the Lich King. The ship was also armed with cannons, something not seen in World of Warcraft.
 * The crashed zeppelins seen in Azeroth and Outland appear to be of a different, more compact design compared to the functioning zeppelins seen elsewhere, bearing a close resemblance to the Warcraft III Zeppelin with a different paint job. This may be due to the main model being updated, while the destroyed model stayed the same, much like the various iterations of steam tanks.
 * Due to recent accidents, the goblin cartels have prohibited anyone from bringing snakes on a zeppelin.
 * The air envelopes of some zeppelins are repaired with the finest silk. Their texture also indicates that the air envelopes may be made out of kodo skin.
 * Zeppelins seems to be resilient vehicles despite their fragile appearance. The Thundercaller is known to have crashed at least eighteen times until it caught fire just one too many times and was finally retired.
 * It is forbidden to smoke or cast fire spells aboard a zeppelin.
 * Zeppelins have a picture of a pineapple on their sails.
 * Zeppelins feature in the map in Overwatch, as part of the "Zepplin Canoeing" attraction.