Barrage balloon: names, principle of operation and application during the Second World War

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:44

A balloon is an aeronautical vessel that is kept in the air due to the lifting power due to the difference in the mass of gas placed in the shell of the vessel and the mass of an equivalent parameter of dry air. The apparatus descends and ascends according to the law of Archimedes. It is filled with hydrogen, in rare cases with helium and lighting gas. These vessels have three main varieties: controlled, free and tethered. Still others were actively used as barrage balloons.

Free Models

They can only move with the wind, and they can only be controlled in a vertical plane. Their first appearance was in France in 1783.

In the military industry, these models are used to train pilots of various balloons in free flight.

The structure of balloons includes three main components:

1. A spherical shell made from a thin cotton and paper fabric impregnated with a rubber compound. This guarantees high gas tightness. In its upper part is arrangeda valve that releases gas when it is necessary to carry out the descent. A hole with a special sleeve is made at the bottom. Through it, the device is replenished with gas on the ground, and this fuel freely exits when expanding during the flight.
2. Suspended hoop. A basket is attached to it, designed to accommodate the crew, required items and devices. Also attached is an anchor device and a massive rope, having a length of 80-100 m. Thanks to the rope, the ship can slow down and gently descend to the ground.
3. A mesh placed on a spherical shell, to the slings of which a hanging hoop is mounted.

Two ropes descend into the basket: the first is from the valve, the second is from the breaking mechanism, which opens during an emergency descent and urgent release of all fuel.

The volume of free models lies in the range of 600–2,000 m3.

Tethered Models

They rise and fall by being attached to a metal cable. It comes from the drum of a special winch installed on the ground.

These modifications are used primarily in the military industry. Depending on the tasks performed, they are divided into observation models and barrage balloons. The former are used for reconnaissance tasks, the latter for defensive ones.

Observation balloons

Their capabilities are shown in the following table:

Review Tasks	Max. distance (km)
Explosions of light artillery shells	11
Ruptures of their heavy counterparts	17
Enemy artillery flares	16
Trenches and established fences	12
Movement of a large-scale army on the roads	15
Smoke from locomotives	30
House from naval squadrons	80
Tentative composition of the squadron and its movement vector	35

The device performs its functions at a distance of 6-12 km from the front line of the enemy. The site of the ascent is chosen based on two factors: obtaining an optimal view of the enemy's territory and ensuring the invisibility of observation.

The device, which is inoperative, is scrupulously disguised and located at a bivouac, a maximum of 3 km away from the ascent site.

The balloon is filled with fuel right at the bivouac or at a distance of about 500 m from the expected tracking zone. The apparatus is lifted from the same place and from there it is directed on a winch to the lifting site. It can move with the released fuel or filled with gas. The first method is relevant for significant crossings and movements along railway lines. The emptied shell could have been placed on one wagon.

The second method was used in the following situations:

1. If there is a convenient road withoutobstacles is carried out by movement on a cable.
2. Off-road (on a tee).
3. If there is a very wide road and the need for covert deployment of the device (movement on slopes close to the ground).

The movement dynamics of the filled model is 3-4 km/h. For this, the wind parameter must exceed 7-8 m/s.

Such a balloon is very vulnerable to enemy attacks. Therefore, it needs to be carefully protected. For this purpose, fighter jets or anti-aircraft weapons were used. And his crew was provided with a light machine gun and parachutes.

Parseval model

The initial reconnaissance vehicles were spherical and simple.

In 1893, the German Colonel Parseval built a serpentine model in which the lifting power of the gas is supplemented by the power of the wind.

The device is equipped with a cylindrical box, limited by hemispheres in the bow and stern of the vessel. The outer component of the shell is formed by a powerful two-layer fabric. Inside it is divided by a partition into two compartments: a container for fuel and a ballonette. Attached to it from the outside:

1. Stability devices: tail with parachutes, sails (2 pieces) and steering bag. Perceiving the impact of the wind, they interfere with the rotation of the device around its axis.
2. Two rigging: hanging and tethered. The first is for mounting the basket. The second has many ropes and allows you to attach the boat to a tether.

Shell options are as follows:

Value	Indicator (in m)
Volume	1,000 m3
Length	25
Section diameter across	7, 15
Lifting height limit	1,000
Average functional height	700

Model is able to climb if the wind speed does not exceed 15 m/s.

Subsequent modifications

After the invention of Parseval, more advanced technologies were created.

In 1916, the Caco model was created in France. The shape of its shell is egg-like. Volume - 930 m3. Stability aids: stabilizers (two units) and steering bag. 2 baskets can be attached to the device. Its maximum lifting height is 1,500 m, and the average functional height is 1,000 m. The model can take off at a wind speed of no more than 20 m/s.

Toward the end of World War I, a modification of the Avorio Prassone was made in Italy. Its shell format is an ellipsoid. In the aft section, it is converted into a cone. The ballonet is concentrated in its lower part. The resistance devices are the same as in the "Kako" system. Takeoff is possible with wind speeds not exceeding 26 m/s.

A little later, the Zodiac apparatus was released in France.

Its Features:

1. Varying volume.
2. No balloonet.
3. The shell keeps its shape due to automaticchanging its volume. This is affected by gas pressure, which varies in the range of 850–1,050 m3.

The main disadvantage of these three systems is the difficulty of moving in a filled format.

Equipment in World War I

The Russian army during this period used two models of balloons in its arsenal:

1. Modernized Parseval apparatus.
2. Kuznetsov's balloon.

A photo of the Parseval barrage balloon is shown below.

It was characterized by enhanced stability and load capacity. For example, he was calm even with a wind load of 100 m/s.

Air barrage balloon, created in 1912 by the Soviet designer V. V. Kuznetsov, became the first domestic device of this class.

Elastic cords integrated into the shell were used here. Due to this, the fixation of its shape was ensured. The volume of the shell was 850 m3. And the forming material was a rubberized two-layer gas-tight fabric.

Painting during the Second World War

A lot of balloons died at this time. Someone burned down along with the vehicles, someone could not withstand the enormous loads, someone was hit by enemy shelling. Most of them crashed.

However, the use of barrage balloons was necessary, although many people had to be sacrificed. They played a significant role in air defense systems.

By the beginning of enemy raids on Moscow, the city wasformed a serious arsenal for defense. It listed about 125 air barrage balloons. Although, according to calculations, there should have been 250 of them. Soon, in order to improve the quality of defense, their number was increased to 300 vehicles. And they all took off at the same time to protect the capital.

Soviet posts

During the war, barrage balloons were used in many parts of the USSR and beyond. So, with their help, the defense of the city of Ploiesti was carried out. The reason lay in the location of a large oil refinery and huge fuel depots there.

The list of cities where these systems were used in 1941-1945 is shown in the table. The numbers and types of troops performing defensive tasks are also indicated there.

City	Squad	Regiment No. (R) or separate division (OD)
Arkhangelsk	26
Baku		5 P
Batumi		7 OD
Vladivostok		72 Marine OD
Voronezh	4 and 9
Bitter		8 and 28 OD
Zaporozhye		6 OD
Kyiv	4 and 14
Kuibyshev	2
Leningrad		3, 4, 11 & 14 P
Moscow		1-3 divisions
Murmansk	6
Odessa		6 P
Ploiesti	15
Riga	26
Rostov-on-Don	9
Saratov		4 OD
Sevastopol	1
Stalingrad		6 and 26 OD
Khabarovsk	12
Kharkov		6 OD
Yaroslavl	1

In total, there were over 3,000 posts.

Application of AZ and AN

Such abbreviations were introduced in the USSR to designate barrage and observation balloons, respectively.

NA detachments acted in the interests of artillery. The Leningrad and Volkhov fronts became the place of work for the first division of the Academy of Sciences.

He defended Leningrad during the blockade, and ended the war in Berlin. Only for the period 1942-1943. his devices made more than 400 ascents into the sky and found about 100 enemy batteries.

Immediately after June 22, Leningrad began to operate328 barrage balloon posts. They were divided into three regiments.

Posts centered in the chess algorithm defended:

1. Urban area.
2. Approaches to her.
3. Part of the Gulf of Finland.
4. Air loopholes to Kronstadt.
5. Sea channel.

The posts were separated from each other by about 1 km. Arranged them also:

• in the squares;
• in the yards;
• in port areas;
• in the territories of factories;
• in the parks.

There were two identical balloons at each post. They climbed singly or in duets. The cable was pulled from the winch.

A single vehicle took off at 2–2.5 km. The upper model of the duo reached a height of 4–4.5 km. With the help of slings, the balloons were mounted to the cables. The devices were raised only at night for two reasons:

1. During the day it is easier for the enemy to eliminate them.
2. The bombings had mostly night mode.

The barrage balloons looked like airships in their appearance. 12 employees worked at each post: 10 privates, 1 minder and 1 commander. The list of their duties looked like this:

1. Preparing the site.
2. Shell spread.
3. Filling the machine.
4. Digging a trench for a winch and a dugout.
5. Providing communications and camouflage.
6. Repair as needed.

Hard times in Leningrad

This was the period from autumn 1941 to spring 1942. Then the most difficult and intensebombing.

As soon as the enemy appeared over the city (usually at night), powerful illumination appeared in the sky (due to special rockets). Thanks to this, the enemy clearly saw his targets.

To increase the effectiveness of air barrage balloons in the defense of Leningrad, the air defense leadership required the development of their height. The ceiling then reached 4 km.

Its increase depended on the quality of hydrogen and the atmosphere. In bad weather, the indicator fell by about 1.5 km.

The barrage balloons used had the following principle of operation: when the plane collided with their cable, the inertial system mounted under the apparatus was activated. As a result, it was detached, and at the end of the cable a parachute opened for braking. It formed a thrust, pressing the cable directly into the wing of the aircraft, which was soon approached by a mine (it was also attached to the end of the cable) and exploded on contact with it.

Increasing height capability was a key strategic objective. And in one of the warehouses, two models were found - triplets that can rise much higher.

Soon two posts were equipped with them. According to the instructions, the model could take a six-kilometer height, but for this one cable had to be lifted by three permanent balloons.

In October 1941, triplets climbed 6,300 m at two posts.

In practice, their massive use in war was rather difficult due to their massiveness, problematic ascent and descent.

And these two models were on duty over the Leningrad sky for less than a year. Then they are no moreexploited.

Moscow Defense

The Nazis made their first air attack on the capital on July 22, 1941. Their planes were calculated at a distance of 200 km. All troops were on alert, and barrage balloons promptly rose for defense. Anti-aircraft gunners were actively working on the approaches in tandem with fighters.

About 220 enemy planes took part in the assault. They operated at various altitudes at 20-minute intervals. In the battles, 20 bombers were eliminated. Only a few made it to the city. This is a huge merit of AZ.

At the end of 1941, 300 posts acted on guard of Moscow. Two years later, their number increased by almost one and a half times.

In May 1943, the First Air Defense Corps was transformed into the Special Moscow Army.

Regiments numbered 1, 9 and 13 have been transformed into divisions.

1. The first included regiments No. 2 and No. 16. It was headed by P. I. Ivanov.
2. The second included regiments numbered 7 and 8. Its commander is E. K. Birnbaum.
3. 3 division of barrage balloons consisted of regiments No. 10 and No. 12. It was commanded by S. K. Leandrov.

In total, they formed 440 posts. They offered strong resistance, so since April 1942, enemy aircraft had to stop attacking Moscow due to huge losses.

But until the very day of victory, the capital's air defense worked in full combat readiness.

However, there were also negative moments. They're connected to the raid on the cablesdomestic aircraft. Here, regiment number 1 of the AZ barrage balloons suffered more damage. Technical losses included:

1. P-5 reconnaissance aircraft (pilot also killed).
2. Fighter.
3. Two-engine aircraft.
4. Aircraft "Douglas" (in this case, the crew also died).

For the entire WWII, the capital's air defenses destroyed 1,305 enemy aircraft.

After the war

In the Soviet Union in the 50s, the production of rockets was intensively developed. And all units of barrage balloons were disbanded. Interest in such models was shown only periodically.

In 1960, Khrushchev paid a visit to the GDR. There he saw that the Americans had arranged an air connection with western Berlin. This made the Soviet leader very angry, and he issued a decree to deploy barrage balloons against American aircraft.

Three AZ divisions were organized within three months. There was no one to train the staff. These forces did not go to Berlin in order to avoid conflict. A year later, they were disbanded, and all devices were written off.