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By: - 13th December 2011 at 12:25 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Barrage Balloons and Accidents
Barrage Balloons were fitted with radio squeakers to tell allied aircraft that they were in the air. Some accidents were caused because either the squeakers were faulty and could interfere with other radio systems or the pilot had not switched on his detection device.
One of the ideas behind balloons was to try and keep the balloon hidden in the cloud layer and they also had a gadget coupled to them that told the flying crew on the winch if the balloon was in cloud or not.
The use of fenders was actually quite an early development and the Germans used to send fender equipped aircraft across the UK in an effort to cut any balloons ahead of the main bomber force. Later cable cutting techniques were well advanced with the Germans adopting a hardened steel balde just under the leading edge of the wing and we developed an explosive cutting bolt that severed the cable. These were so good that one bomber returned from a raid on Rotterdam having hit what appeared to have been a cable since the cable cutter had fired. The pilot remembered flying low over the docks at hights of 20 feet from the water at the time. Investigation showed that the cable that had been severed was at least 2 inches thick and could not have been from a barrage balloon. The pilot then remembered flying under a crane jib!! Remarkable!!
By: - 13th December 2011 at 14:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Were the balloons more effective as a deterant against flying in the airspace they were deployed in rather than to actually bring aircraft down? it does seem remarkable that they were actually bringing down our aircraft at nearly a rate of 4:1 against EA. Very interesting stuff.
Cable cutting was developed at Culmhead an airfield near me with a hangar which still exists at stretcholt Bridgwater storing the balloon used for testing I believe they had quite a few accidents before they got it to work.
By: - 13th December 2011 at 16:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
How do cable cutters, like those fitted to lancasters, actually work?
Pictures just show a small pipes, spikes on the leading edge of the wing.
What happens to the balloons? Do they just drift off or is there a safety mechanism that brings them back to earth?
By: - 13th December 2011 at 16:28 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
What goes up must come down....
Richard
By: - 13th December 2011 at 16:29 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I've read they were usually shot down by our fighters as target practice.
By: - 13th December 2011 at 16:36 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
How do cable cutters, like those fitted to lancasters, actually work?
Pictures just show a small pipes, spikes on the leading edge of the wing.What happens to the balloons? Do they just drift off or is there a safety mechanism that brings them back to earth?
(Lancaster) cable cutters worked with an explosive charge; the cable would slide along the (strengthened) leading-edge until it snagged in a slot in one of the projecting cutters. Once in the slot tension would trigger the charge to fire a blade, against an anvil, cutting the cable.
When an aircraft hit a balloon-cable a special patch would be torn from the balloon so that it would come back to earth for re-use.
By: - 13th December 2011 at 16:42 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Very interesting, thanks.
By: - 13th December 2011 at 16:44 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
My dad during the war, was always worried that he might not get his christmas presents. He thought Father Christmas wouldnt be able to get through the barrage ballons.
Dave
By: - 13th December 2011 at 16:47 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Very interesting, thanks.
You are welcome. If you put ‘Lancaster cable cutter’ into Google Images there is an excellent photograph of one.
I think these were developed by Martin-Baker.
By: - 13th December 2011 at 17:12 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Some more photographs here.....I think I’ve got a case of déjà vu! :)
By: - 13th December 2011 at 19:18 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Ah......Barrage balloons.
My father having served in the army in WW1 foolishly volunteered for barrage balloons in WW2. He went to Dover and told the story of having 3 balloons shot off his barge in one day. Must have been wonderful fun for the Jerries who must have been able to see them from their airfields.
The secondary school I went to in Canterbury had a balloon in the playground.
I can also remember one that had broken loose drifting up the valley where we lived dragging its cable behind it.
All good fun for boys.
By: - 13th December 2011 at 19:42 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Cutter
I remember having helped dig a Lancaster crash site one of these cable cutters came to light in the wreckage.
The cutter was a block with a slot in it, the bit that did the cutting looked just like a pistol cartridge and bullet, only the bullet was a hardened steel wedge shape designed to cut the cable against the anvil.
I find it hard to believe the cutter managed to cut through a two-inch cable, as mentioned in an earlier post, though. It wouldn't fit in the cutting slot for a start.
Anon.
By: - 13th December 2011 at 21:09 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I suppose there could be lots of reasons behind the ‘two-inch cable’ story: it could have been exaggerated in the telling, the cable may have been a two-inch circumference cable (Royal Navy cable used to be measured that way) or it could just not be true.
Actually, I think it bears all the hallmarks of a good propaganda yarn. While it is tempting to re-tell the story, because t is a good story, it also carries several subtle propaganda messages: daring, skilful, press-on pilot, taking the war to the enemy (bombing them), our planes virtually indestructible and cable-cutters that’ll chop through anything!
The only problem is that I think cable-cutters were classified ‘secret’ during most of the war.
By: - 13th December 2011 at 23:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Is it correct these cutters class as some sort of `firearm`?
Posts: 66
By: Observer - 29th April 2004 at 12:38
Thought you might like to see this photograph from the Barrage Balloon Reunion Club.
A Memo I found at the National Archives, Kew dated 12th March 1941 from A. T. Harris, before he became known as Bomber Harris states:
"Since the beginning of the war our balloons have brought down 9 enemy aircraft. They have "shared" 2 more with the anti aircraft. A maximum total of 11."
"2. Over the same period they have brought down the following aircraft of our own :-"
"1 Swordfish
8 Anson
4 Hampden
2 Hudson
4 Spitfire
3 Whitley
5 Hurricane
2 Oxford
5 Blenheim
1 Master
6 Wellington
1 Harvard
1 Magister
1 Audax
1 Lysander
1 Beaufort
1 Boston
___
47
___ "
"3. Of the above total 19 were brought down at night."
He then goes on to say that 77 of our aircrew have been killed and 7 injured.
Also that the balloons have caused complications with night navigation and have contributed to the loss of other aircraft of ours which crashed in bad weather unable to make their aerodromes.
Source: Signed Memo of A.T. Harris D.C.A.S. dated 12.3.41
Apparently early WW2 balloons were coated with Aluminium and Dunlop was asked to produce a non-metalic fabric for later balloons. However surviving 1940 records indicate that the barrage balloons interfered with G.L. (Gun Layer) Sets in tests.
Mark