Balloon busting - not a quick & easy job?

[Olham 164]

Recently, RAF_Louvert and I exchanged a few words about balloon attacks and how to blow them up.

After reading somewhere (Julius Buckler's book, I think) that you could get the gas to burn only, after

it was mixed with air, I wanted to know more, but didn't yet find anything at wikipedia.

 

But here is a post over at "The Aerodrome", written by our Forum member "Catfish"/"Wels", that you

may find interesting:

 

http://www.theaerodr...html#post423189

Edited November 15, 2010 by Olham

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Yuppers, that is an excellent thread, and the info is spot on with what I've read over the course of time myself. Balloon busting was a good way to get yourself killed PDQ.

 

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[Olham 164]

Hmmm - now I'm rather confused, cause in English Wikipedia, it says, the baloon was filled with hot air instead of gas?

Here is the excerpt:

(Quote from Wikipedia:)

One of the first uses of incendiary ammunition occurred in World War I. At the time, phosphorus—the primary ingredient in the incendiary charge—burned upon firing,

leaving a trail of blue smoke. The effective range of this bullet was only 350 yards (320 m), as most of the phosphorus would burn out by then. While European powers

had been using incendiary ammunition before the United States' entry into the First World War, the American military had no experience with them, having used only

lead bullets. The manufacture of several new types of ammunition—including incendiary—began soon after in the United States.

 

Incendiary rounds were supplied to early British fighter aircraft during the First World War, for use against Zeppelins trying to bomb the British Isles. Filled with hydrogen

gas, the Zeppelins were susceptible to fire. Similarly, incendiary ammunition was used against observation balloons, near the front lines.

Although using hot air instead of hydrogen, their fabric could be set alight, causing far more damage than bullet holes. (End of quote)

Edited November 15, 2010 by Olham

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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First time I've ever heard of that Olham, and I don't believe it is correct at all. Wikipedia is great as long as you don't trust the info too far.

 

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[Olham 164]

You were right there, Lou.

Here is a picture of the filling of a German balloon - looks obviously like gas containers.

 

 

[Slartibartfast 153]

oooo Fireworks... me and the old balloon busting no thanks I would rather tangle with an squadron of aces... with Boelcke and Immelman at the front....

[carrick58 23]

looks like gas to me.

[Javito1986 14]

It seems like 70% of my pilots end up killed on a balloon busting mission...

[Olham 164]

Easy cure: stop flying them!

 

Well, you must get near it zigzagging, to avoid Flak.

Then you really need to approach the balloon quite steep; in a 30° angle, and make sure you hit the bag at first go.

Then climb out and away, zigzagging again.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Yes Olham, that is all well and good Sir. But my problem is I usually zag when I should have zigged.

 

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[Olham 164]

RAF_Louvert: ...my problem is I usually zag when I should have zigged.

 

You see; and that's where the expert divides from the average pilot.

Edited November 15, 2010 by Olham

[Olham 164]

Another, yet quite risky method to down a balloon, if you are out of ammo:

 

Circle over the balloon, until the ground crew's defensive fire hits the balloon, and the sausage

comes down in flames. (No guaranty, that you will receive a claim form for that method though).

[Guest British_eh]

Hi there,

 

Good commentary Uncleal.

 

They did get a little more inventive with their Bullet Loadout later in the war, and even specialized it for the type of mission. Basically it was a combination of incendiary, tracer, and regular, and the mix on your target. Balloons, put more incendiary's in.

 

The bullets were a little more reliable later in the war, but those who wanted less jams, loaded the drum or belt singularly, inspecting each bullet, something done by MvR.

 

Cheers,

 

British_eh

[Rickitycrate 10]

The man himself MVR, if I recall correctly never went after nor claimed to have downed a balloon. He must have had opportunities galore. That fact may have very well made the difference in his storied carreer and high victory total. After acheiving 20 or so victories he may have even been forbad to attack balloons as his "worth" became so great to the german war effort and the propaganda machine.

Edited November 19, 2010 by Rickitycrate

[NS13Jarhead 6]

For inspiration, read about Frank Luke, who shot down 14 balloons and 4 airplanes in ten sorties flown on eight flying days during a period spanning just over two weeks. Apparently someone is making (or has just made) a film, called "The Stand" about Luke's last flight.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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British_eh wrote:

The bullets were a little more reliable later in the war, but those who wanted less jams, loaded the drum or belt singularly, inspecting each bullet...

About the only thing they got right in "Flyboys".

 

 

NS13Jarhead, several good books on Frank Luke. IIRC the earliest is "The Ballon Buster, Frank Luke of Arizona" by Norman Hall, (1928). Luke had no fear when it came to his balloon attacks.

 

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[Rickitycrate 10]

I enjoyed the book about F Luke written by Arch Whitehouse Arizona Balloon Buster if I recall correctly. I have always thought it would make for a helluva movie. Sticking to the facts of course, yeah right, haha.

Edited November 19, 2010 by Rickitycrate

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Oh yes RC, like all Hollywood movies about WWI flyers have done in the past. All about the facts.

 

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[Olham 164]

Seems that some people specialised on busting balloons. Maybe, once the had the knack,

they were sent to do the job more often than others, or they picked those jobs.

 

Lt. von Eschwege, the "Eagle of the Aegean", had 4 balloons among his 20 victories.

And a balloon attack was his end, when the British balloon crew had enough of his returns to blow up the next one,

and blew up 500 pounds of detonatives, placed in the ballon basket. The Halberstadt got torn and crashed.

 

From Julius Buckler's 36 victories, 7 were balloons. (His book "Malaula! the battle cry of Jasta 17" is a good read).

[Hasse Wind 46]

On German side of the front, the Pfalz fighters (not the Morane-Saulnier types!) were popular balloon attack planes, because they could dive like no other German fighter. That was very useful when attacking a balloon from high above.

 

It's rare to find a description of what it was like to be a balloon observer, but I know at least one such description from Major Georg Neumann's book Die deutschen Luftstreitkräfte im Weltkrieg (published in 1920), where a German balloon observer describes his experiences on the Eastern front. It's often forgotten that there actually were people in those balloons we so casually shoot down in flight sims, and often they were quite extensively trained and experienced observers and artillery spotters.

 

Anyway, I don't have much problem with balloon attack missions. As a bomber pilot you don't get them.

[Olham 164]

Well, the balloon observer had a telephone line to the ground, as far as I know.

He got warned by the ground crew, who got informed from the troops at the lines,

when enemy craft approached the spotter's position.

As you say, Hasse Wind, they were well trained and valuable men, and they were often very early ordered

to jump out. Their parachutes were, as far as I could see, connected to the balloon basket will a pull-line;

so they were pulled open, once the observer jumped.

I don't think, that many observers got killed in balloon attacks. It seems it was only to bring that "sausage"

down, and thereby stop the enemy's artillery guidance for some time.

A new balloon had to be filled, or even to be brought from elsewhere.

Edited November 19, 2010 by Olham