Kite Balloons, 1916 - 1919

[ejwalshe]

During the Great War, the armies of England, France, Germany and Italy made extensive use of barrage balloons.  Primarily used for observation, these balloons were tempting targets for fighter planes, and so were heavily defended by ground-based anti-aircraft emplacements.  If a balloon came under attack, its occupant would bail out, with a parachute automatically deploying upon leaving the basket. Canadian soldiers would often see Kite balloons in use for observation over their sector of the Western front, and a number of the balloons were photographed for the record.  Balloons were also used for defense - heavy metal cables would be strung below the balloons, forcing enemy aircraft to avoid colliding with them.