Balloon-busting aces of World War I
Tethered balloons have ben used for aerial observation since the French Revolution, but in World War 1 they reached their zenith as a means of providing an observation platform above the battlefield. Although their hydrogen contents made them vulnearble, they could be quickly pulled down with mechanical winches, and were well protected by a cordon of anti-aircraft guns and nearby fighter aircraft.It took a special breed of daredevil to take on such odds deep in enemy lines in order to destroy a balloon, but the spectacle of a burning 'gasbag' - which assured confirmation - instilled
eBook, English, 2005
Osprey, Oxford, 2005