Luftschifferabteilung

The German Luftschifferabteilung (airship detachment) was
formed as a separate branch of service in 1887 - its uniform
being the same as that for the engineers of the guard with the
addition of a yellow "L" on the red shoulder straps. The airship
detachment is formed as a three-battalion regiment for
administrative purposes, but personnel are drawn from various
companies and battalions to form the crews of airships. Most
aerial vessels in German service are hydrogen-filled rigid airships;
these ships are almost universally called "Zeppelins" after their
inventor, Count von Zeppelin.



http://mateengreenway.com/steampunk/Space1889Germany.htm