barrage balloons

The Oxford Companion to World War II | 2001 | 692 words | Copyright

barrage balloons. Large balloons whose wire cables, which tethered them to the ground, were an effective defence against low-flying aircraft. They were flown by both sides above likely targets, including ships. In the UK, where thousands were used, they were often handled by WAAF personnel of the RAF's Balloon Command. In February– March 1941 they downed seven German aircraft and those deployed against the V-1 (see V-weapons) destroyed 231. They were introduced into the Pacific war in November 1943 at Bougainville, when the Americans flew them from landing craft, but the experiment was not repeated as they revealed a task force's position to Japanese reconnaissance aircraft.

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I. C. B. DEAR and M. R. D. FOOT. "barrage balloons." The Oxford Companion to World War II. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

I. C. B. DEAR and M. R. D. FOOT. "barrage balloons." The Oxford Companion to World War II. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O129-barrageballoons.html

I. C. B. DEAR and M. R. D. FOOT. "barrage balloons." The Oxford Companion to World War II. 2001. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O129-barrageballoons.html

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