Model of the first German hydroplane

August von Parseval is known as the constructor of “blimps”. In 1909 he built the first hydroplane in Germany. He also built an air base as a starting mechanism on Lake Plau in Mecklenburg. Testing started in spring 1910. The pilot, Wilhelm Hoff, initially tried to start from the water. Yet it was not until a runway was built on the lake that he was able to start on 7th October with the help of a launch vehicle. The experiments did not produce any lasting success and Parseval gave up in 1911.