Barrage Balloons?

[CScott]

I am about to re-read "The Longest Day" by Cornelius Ryan. In the photograph section there is a shot of a convoy of ships heading toward Normandy. The photo shows the ships lined up and each ship had a "Barrage Balloon" positioned above it. They look like blimps.
What were those things and how did they operate? Did they carry armaments of any kind?
Scott

 

[NYlakesider]

I am about to re-read "The Longest Day" by Cornelius Ryan. In the photograph section there is a shot of a convoy of ships heading toward Normandy. The photo shows the ships lined up and each ship had a "Barrage Balloon" positioned above it. They look like blimps.
What were those things and how did they operate? Did they carry armaments of any kind?
Scott

They float above the ship on a long strong tether. No pilot wants to run into them . Works especially well with a bunch of ships as its a virtual obstructed zone. No arms or any people aboard that I know of.

 

[PatriotX]

I was under the impression that they carried netting and/or wires to act as an impediment to aircraft.

 

[diamonback68]

They were used to discourage dive bombers or low flying airplanes. Their tether cables could cut into the wings of aircraft. Forced planes to fly higher were they would be more effective with anti-aircraft guns on the ships.

 

[Targets Guy]

defensive only. Bass, crappie and bluegill employ these same tactics very effectively

 

[DWalt]

Barrage Balloons were also deployed around importaint land targets also, for the same reasons - to discourage low-level bombing and strafing runs and also to keep aircraft high enough so ground AA fire could be more effective.

 

[the ringo kid]

Barrage Balloons were also deployed around importaint land targets also, for the same reasons - to discourage low-level bombing and strafing runs and also to keep aircraft high enough so ground AA fire could be more effective.

Quite correct. I've a few original WWII photos showing the Germans in captured Russian port and industrial cities, with barrage balloons over the port and factories.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

I just finished reading D-Day: June 6, 1944: The Battle for the Normandy Beaches, by Stephen Ambrose. Excellent, but lengthy book. He discusses the barrage balloons used on the allied ships during the D-Day invasion. He notes that on many of the smaller ships/boats (I was a soldier, not a sailor) the crews cut the barrage balloons loose as they really hindered their speed and performance.

Regards,

Dave

 

[Chromedhearts]

And I thought they were to help keep the ships afloat since they were so over loaded. Ha, just a period joke. Some one joked that with all the Yanks and their equipment being staged in England (pre invasion) that the island nation would sink into the sea if it weren't for the Barrage Ballons.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Barrage balloons as stated above held up steel cables to discourage low level air attack. They could be winched up and down to increase effectiveness.

 

[timjake]

Barrage balloons over Omaha Beach

 

[timjake]

How a barrage balloon was supposed to work:

(the plane silhouette is an He-111 German bomber)

Read more here: Up, up and away

 

[DWalt]

Seems that I remember that during the D-Day invasion, black troops were assigned to handle the barrage balloons.

 

[BigBoy99]

Barrage balloons were effective against the V1 "Buzz Bombs" because the V1s could not maneuver around the balloon if one happened to be in the V1's path.

 

[cmort666]

I was under the impression that they carried netting and/or wires to act as an impediment to aircraft.

During the German bombing of London during WWI, a Gotha heavy bomber got caught in the netting and literally STOPPED in mid-air.

Eventually, the weight of the bomber slowly lowered the bomber to the ground where it was captured by the British.

 

[jimmyj]

Typically no personnel were carried on the balloons, UNLESS one got on the "Bad Side" of a CPO and then "Up You Go Swabby" (CPOs are God on shipboard. They answer only to God and sometimes not even then) LOL !

 

[CScott]

Thank you all for the explanations. A small piece of D-day's monumental effort.
Scott